It’s been about 6 weeks now since 2020 Corvette production came to a screeching halt at the Bowling Green Corvette Assembly Plant, but that’s finally about to change!
Just announced by General Motors a short time ago:
May 6, 2020
To Our Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac Dealers:
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect families across the country. But through it all, we have seen incredible examples of personal bravery, grit and generosity. These are the qualities that make our society strong and resilient no matter how tough things get.
We know that you and your teams have lived these values by donating vehicles, food and medical supplies, volunteering and so much more. Just as importantly, you have been there for our customers. By embracing tools like Shop Click Drive and home deliveries, and keeping your service lanes open, you met their needs and kept your teams working. As a result, we believe our brands and our company are coming through this crisis in better shape than many competitors.
One question that’s on everybody’s mind is, how long will we need to stay on this kind of war footing? The truth is, no one knows for sure. The good news is there are signs the country is starting to flatten the curve. We also know how to keep ourselves safe outside our homes. That’s the key to restarting the economy and putting millions of Americans back to work.
People want and need to get back to work, and GM has determined that it can properly and appropriately start to reopen our studios, labs and offices, and resume vehicle production in North America. We are collaborating with state governments and union partners, and our target is to bring our first assembly plants back on-line on May 18 and ramp up over time.
We have been very deliberate, methodical and collaborative in developing this plan because nothing is more important to us than the health and safety of our team. We are using the best medical advice and scientific data available, along with our global manufacturing experience and guidance from the CDC to introduce comprehensive screening, cleaning and social strategies for all our facilities.
As dealers, here’s what you can expect over the next couple of weeks:
• As vehicle production resumes, we will focus first on our pickups, vans, and some SUVs followed quickly by the rest of the SUVs and cars including the Chevrolet Corvette. We will start with one production shift and eventually ramp up to two and three shift operations to make sure we can meet your needs.
• Our go-to-market plans will build on the messages and programs that helped deliver strong market share performance in March and April.
• The impact on the launches of our new 2021 full-size SUVs will be limited to just a handful of weeks, thanks to the team members working remotely, as well as those in Arlington who volunteered to work during the shutdown to finish building out the current models.
• Our vehicle brands and CCA will continue to manage our policies and incentive programs to deliver the tools and parts you need to succeed with efficiency and less complexity.
• GM Financial continues to support your business and customers in a number of ways. For floorplan dealers, curtailment payments have been automatically waived for three months, beginning with the March 2020 billing statement, and Dealer Dividends earnings are guaranteed for March, April and May. Deferred floorplan interest, interest on outstanding revolving lines of credit (RLOCs) and deferred payments on mortgage and term loans are also available for floorplan dealers for 90 days.
• For more information on how GM Financial is supporting customers, visit https://www.gmfinancial.com/en-us/coronavirus.html#faq.
• CCA was able to continue parts distribution throughout the crisis using paid volunteers and the same safety protocols we will be using in our component, stamping and assembly plants. As normal operations resume, we look forward to getting back to full production.
• To help you implement CDC recommended practices and communicate them to customers, we will be introducing a new program you can enroll in that includes point of sale and other materials.
• We are also going to continuously improve our Shop. Click. Drive. program based on feedback from you and our customers.
We know we can’t let our guard down against this virus, so we are going to be vigilant and continuously evaluate our health and safety procedures as new data and tools become available.
This crisis has also underscored just how important it is to have frequent, timely and transparent communications. That’s not going to change. We’re going to keep listening, and we will be nimble and responsive to ensure we move at the best pace.
In closing, we would like to thank everyone who serves on our advisory groups, councils and executive boards. Your leadership and counsel have been invaluable as we have navigated these uncertain times. We would also like to thank everyone who went the extra mile under difficult circumstances to remain open to meet our customers’ needs. We’ve seen some of the best teamwork of our careers, and it will pay dividends in the long run in customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Thank you, always, for your support.
Barry Engle
Steve Carlisle