Corvette will return to the UK next May. Officially imported models from GM’s muscle car line-up will be sold through Chevrolet dealerships.
British buyers have been deprived of Corvettes since previous importer Kroymans went bust last year. Chevrolet UK is considering getting European type approval for Corvette’s complete model range: C6, Z06, Grand Sport and the extreme ZR1.
Read Autocar's first drive of the Corvette ZR1, plus see videos of it in action
Corvettes will be available alongside Camaro coupé and convertible models, last officially available in the UK in 1976. The pair will be available only with a 426bhp 6.2-litre V8 engine. European type approval for the Camaro is expected to be granted early next year.
Chevrolet is currently developing a distribution, parts and retail network for the Corvette and Camaro, as well as finalising Corvette pricing, which is expected to be similar to last year’s levels. The first UK dealer to sell the cars will be Bauer Millett, Manchester.
"These cars won’t be volume sellers, they’ll be brand builders," Chevrolet UK MD Mark Terry told Autocar. "Camaro and Corvette are both icons and can act as a hook to other cars in our line-up."
Before the pair’s launch, Chevrolet will release its Orlando MPV. A near-production model will be shown at the Paris show next month and the first cars will reach UK showrooms early next year.
From launch, a 1.8 petrol and 2.0 diesel engine in two states of tune will be available. The Orlando "will be priced below other seven-seat MPVs but without compromising on quality", a Chevrolet spokesman said.
Also on Chevrolet’s Paris stand will be the new Cruze, alongside a near-production version of the new Aveo.
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Re: Corvette returns to the UK
MY WORD !!!
Those astronauts were well-endowed ---- nice 'vettes, as well
Re: Corvette returns to the UK
Type of roads?straight, uphill, downhill, bends?, yes, it'll be useable, but where's the fun in that?,nobody is going to bother, does he show the car?, how reliable is it?, it'll be cheap to keep because he'll do the servicing himself, yes, a fantastic experience, but i value my health more than strain injuries bracing myself for the savage G forces, yes, it'll be nice car, but it's not my cup of tea, like i've said, 400bhp ,300lbs of torque,that amount in 90% of the time should be adequate to see off the souped up rice boxes don't you think?.
Re: Corvette returns to the UK
There are a lot of cars out there that have been tuned for high power. Someone I know has a 500bhp Evo. Another had a 350 bhp R32 Skyline GTR. I remember the days of the 200 bhp Renault 5 GT turbos (from a 1.4 engine!)
But in all these cases the cars aren't useable of "liveable" on a day to day basis.
The Corvette may be "old" technology, but it is proven and it works.....