Why Is General Motors Getting Rid Of Key Corvette Personnel?
GM's Performance team dedicated to the Corvette has lost three high-profile members in the past twelve months—what's going on?
Kirk Bennion, Corvette’s Exterior Design Manager, has left General Motors, marking the third high-profile departure from GM’s Performance team in the past year. His exit follows those of Corvette Chief Engineer, Tadge Juechter, and Corvette Project Manager Harlan Charles, raising questions about what's going on with GM’s marquee sports car program.
Juechter’s retirement had been expected, but the circumstances surrounding Charles and Bennion’s departures remain unclear. Charles has openly referred to his exit as a forced retirement, while it's reported that Bennion was fired.
With three major figures now gone, the shakeup raises speculation about GM’s future performance car plans. While the company insists Corvette will remain within Chevrolet, it’s possible these moves signal a consolidation of its sports car programs. GM's only remaining sports cars are the Corvette and the Cadillac V-Series models. GM has already retired the Camaro, and rumors persist that it could return as an EV or in a dramatically different form.
Bennion’s departure also ties back to the Camaro program, as he was responsible for designing the sixth-generation model, which was discontinued last year.
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An experienced automotive storyteller and accomplished photographer known for engaging and insightful content. Michael also brings a wealth of technical knowledge—he was part of the Ford GT program at Multimatic, oversaw a fleet of Audi TCR race cars, ziptied Lamborghini Super Trofeo cars back together, been over the wall during the Rolex 24, and worked in the intense world of IndyCar.
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um, that’s just it..GM long ago ceased making sports cars in 2019, only Europeanesque GTs under the name Corvette that are soon to price themselves completely out of their own market;
Not even sure why this article was written, it shed no new light on anything and we’ ve known about the departure of these individuals for weeks if not months already.