Opinion: Why the C8 Corvette will not be a Holden

Those expecting the C8 Corvette to replace the Commodore as a Holden hero will be deeply disappointed.

First published in the May 2017 issue of Wheels Magazine, Australia’s most experienced and most trusted car magazine since 1953.

The six-figure price tag will turn many away, while the fact it has only two seats will see it do the same to many more.

A mid-engine supercar is a long way from the performance-for-the-people family cars that Holden has been known for since 1948.

But don’t expect the Corvette to gather dust in the corner of a showroom that fewer people than ever are visiting.

If GM nails the C8 in the same way other recent Corvettes have hit their mark then it could be a fantastic halo.

Yet the Corvette is more likely to take on its own brand rather than lift the Holden one, in much the same way as the Nissan GT-R is a separate entity to the Pulsars and Navaras at the other end of the showroom.

At least the GT-R wears a Nissan badge, whereas all indications are that Roary the lion won’t go anywhere near a Corvette.

Fact is, Corvette is American to the core. The lure of Ferrari performance for a fraction of the price will be a nice sideshow, but Holden’s main game – producing real Holdens and getting them back on shortlists – is far tougher.