October 14th, 2019, may well turn out to be a pivotal date in Atlanta Corvette’s history. What the Hendrick Chevrolet dealership event revealed to the public was one of the most highly anticipated new cars in a generation.
What it uncovered to us at Vettes of Atlanta Magazine was, in many ways, even more, significant and pivotal for the new C8.
Ever since watching a live stream of the unveiling on July 18, 2019, of the all-new C8 Corvette in Tustin, California, everyone at Vettes of Atlanta Magazine had October 14, 2019, circled in torch red on their calendars.
The Hendrick Chevrolet dealership in Duluth, GA, would be the only stop in Atlanta, and the state of Georgia for the nationwide Corvette Mobile Tour. We weren’t going to miss it.
Initially, we thought it would be a fun day of reconnecting with old Vette friends from the Atlanta area and feasting our eyes on the latest fiberglass creation from Bowling Green, Kentucky. It was a perfect Atlanta Fall day when we got in line behind about 200 people.
The event was scheduled from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, though people were already serious about getting queued up when we got there.
The new C8 attracted people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds. Photo by Rod Worley
Three Key Observations That Were Pivotal
With our spot in the very slow-moving line secured, we started walking around talking to those who were also dutifully in line. The average waiting time for this car-enthusiast congo line was two or three hours in the hot southern sun.
That was just for the chance to sit in the latest addition to the Chevy bow-tie brand and take some photos. Talk about commitment!
In an age where people think three-minute microwave food takes too long, you could tell they were serious about seeing this Porsche crusher up close. It was then that three observations struck me like a sledgehammer and immediately forced me to glance up and down the line of car enthusiasts.
1st Observation – Where are all the retired Corvette owners?
For the past few years, all we have heard in the forum circles and other automotive media is the greying of Vette owners and the future demise of the platform because of it. Some sources have reported the average age to be roughly 61 or so. Yes, there were some of the faithful in attendance, and yes, some of those were 60 plus given appearances. Hardly the majority, say about 5% or thereabouts.
Unofficial polling of the crowd showed while about 40% of them had or currently owned one or more Vettes, the rest in the line never had. More importantly, a fair number never seriously considered owning a Vette before they saw the photos of this generation!
To round out the demographics, the ballpark average age of those attending was 30’s to the late 40′ range and successfully self-employed. Women had a strong showing with about 15% to 20% of the entire group. The women I spoke to were sincerely passionate about being there.
This group was exactly what the execs from G.M. were hoping for when they gave the green-light to build this clean-sheet project. They were searching for fresh faces that were younger and saw the C8 as an affordable alternative to much more expensive European sports cars and not another version of their father’s old car.
Hendrick Chevrolet C8 reveal event in Duluth GA. Photo by Rod Worley
2nd Observation – Where are all of the Vettes in the parking lot?
You would have assumed the parking lot at the Hendrick Chevrolet dealership in Duluth would have been filled with Vettes of all generations. You would have thought since this Hendrick dealership was one of the top volume Vette dealers in the country, their previous clients alone would have come out en mass, right? Wrong.
The parking lot was filled to almost capacity, but there were only about 15 or 20 Vettes there. The lot looked like the Perimeter Mall on the first Sunday of the month when Caffeine and Octane fill their massive parking lots. Today this dealer’s lot looked like someone had sent out a roll call for the “Who’s Who” of exotic cars.
You name it, and it was probably there in one form or color. Ferrari was well represented, as was Porsche, Audi R8 V10, Cadillac CTS-V, Jaguar, Aston-Martin Vantage, Maserati, etc., you get the picture. Many affluent car aficionados were here to gauge where this latest offering from G.M. ranked compared to what they drove in with today.
After seeing the C8, many would say how impressed they were, especially for the incredibly low price. Score a big win for Chevy!
3rd Observation – The Look On Their Face & The Tone Of Their Voice.
You can tell when people are somewhere to have fun and when they’re there to consider making a purchase. This wasn’t a group of people, for the most part, who had come out on a sunny day to admire the all-new car.
They were here to evaluate making a purchase. One couple, seemingly oblivious to everyone else standing in line, plopped down in the Vette, called a rep over and started going through the ordering process right there.
Wisely the Hendrick rep persuaded the couple to get out of the car and step into his office to conduct business. Had they stayed in the car another few minutes, anarchy might have broken out in the dealership right then and there.
Yes, some were there to see the Vette, but the vast majority that we spoke to were here to make a buying decision. Yes, many would wait until they could drive one to pull the buying trigger, but the initial decision was being made today. Talking to many afterward, they liked what they saw and would be back for a test drive.
Make no mistake, people were here to make an initial buying decision. Photo by Rod Worley
Strong Future For The C8
Overall, based on our observations and conversations with those who had a chance to see the car in person, the C8 Corvette genuinely impressed them. Car aficionados, who knew and appreciated some of the most beautiful sports cars in the world, walked away with a healthy respect for the bow-tie brand’s latest offering.
While these three observations aren’t scientific, they do give you a seat-of-the pants-feel of the healthy future the C8 will undoubtedly enjoy. By all accounts, history may show it as one of the most important days in Atlanta Corvette history. A day when hearts, minds, and wallets joined forces with the Corvette brand.
All in all, October 14th, 2019, was a pivotal day for the brand in Atlanta. A make or break day possibly where first impressions by some of Atlanta’s elite car people mattered, and the Vette passed with flying colors.
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