GM Demonstrates How Tailor-Made Covers Protect its Cars during Shipping [w/Video]

To protect its cars and trucks after leaving the assembly plants, GM dresses models like the Corvette Stingray, Cadillac ELR, Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra HD in hand-made covers that fit them perfectly and allow operation of the vehicles on their route to the final customer.

GM is collaborating with CoverCar, a unit of Italy-based Confezioni Andrea S.r.l., to create easy-to-install-and-remove custom-fitted fabric covers, replacing the plastic wrap common to vehicle shipping.

GM first used custom covers for export of the 2013 Chevrolet Volt and Opel Ampera, followed by the 2014 Corvette Stingray, which ships each copy in one of the covers regardless of its final destination. Some Corvette owners keep the single-use covers as souvenirs.

“These covers address an important part of the customer experience, ensuring that vehicles delivered thousands of miles away appear as though they just rolled off the assembly line,” explains Noel Hunt, GM manager of international quality.

Last year, CoverCar set up shop in southeast Michigan to work closely with GM, visiting assembly plants to custom-fit covers for the Corvette, the ELR and GM’s redesigned lineup of full-size trucks.

The covers are said to be really useful for long-distance shipping, with customers in regions like the Middle East appreciating the fact that their cars arrive in immaculate shape.

“GM and our dealers in Dubai and the wider Middle East region are delighted that the covers provide great protection not only during the shipping process but also against the unique environmental conditions we see here; namely sand,” said Maurice Williams, president and managing director, GM Middle East.

GM estimates that approximately 100,000 vehicles will use the custom-fit car covers. In addition to using the covers on Corvettes and ELRs for domestic delivery, the covers are used on export-bound vehicles including full-size pickups and utilities, Chevrolet Malibu, Chevrolet Volt and Opel Ampera.

By Dan Mihalascu

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