In unsurprising news, General Motors is working on a sporty, electric crossover.
In surprising news, they plan to use the word Corvette in the name.
Bloomberg reports that GM may use the Corvette’s name and styling to launch a sub-brand of performance-driven electric cars. The first one out of the stable, Bloomberg says, will be “a marriage of a crossover SUV and a sports car.”
The move follows Ford’s decision to name its own sporty all-electric crossover the Mustang Mach-E. The move initially riled longtime fans of this iconic pony car. But Ford persisted because it felt it lent an air of history and credibility to an otherwise unknown new model. Early returns say the move worked. Sales of the Mustang Mach-E are just beginning, but it’s already a critical darling. Now, it seems, GM may take the same risk, hoping for the same reward.
Citing unnamed “people familiar with the matter,” Bloomberg reports that GM designers are “working on several Corvette-brand concept vehicles that target a wider range of buyers.”
While there is some jeopardy in diluting the Corvette name, we’ll point out that it wouldn’t be the first risk GM has taken with the icon’s image. The most recent Corvette is a mid-engine model. Moving the engine behind the seats was a radical departure for one of the world’s most recognizable cars (GM debated it for decades). So far, it appears not to be an issue with Corvette enthusiasts.
