by Rick Kranz, as republished from Edmunds
Chevrolet allows Corvette buyers to do the unthinkable:
Order color combinations that are not recommended

Dateline 11.28.15: PORTLAND, Oregon — Chevrolet allows Corvette buyers to do the unthinkable: Order color combinations that are not recommended for the 2016 Stingray. For example, say a buyer wants a bright yellow model with a red interior. It’s not recommended, but it’s available for a price. Each model-year Corvette can be ordered in 10 exterior colors.

The exterior and interior color combinations are selected by the automaker’s color-and-trim group, which spends years determining the best combinations, Chevrolet spokesman Monte Doran told Edmunds.

Sometimes a buyer wants an interior color that is only available with other Corvette Stingray exterior colors or vice versa. But it’s not recommended for the car color he or she is buying.

For example, five 2014 Corvette Stingray buyers ordered a bright red interior for their Lime Rock Green Metallic car, somewhat of a dark British racing green. The recommended interior colors were black, gray and tan. Several 2015 buyers ordered a red interior for their Velocity Yellow Tintcoat car. Red was not one of the recommended cabin colors.

For something out of the ordinary such as those choices, Corvette Stingray buyers can check off the “Color Combination Override” option, which allows them to order whatever exterior, interior or convertible top is available on any Corvette Stingray for that model year.

Depending on model, the sticker price for the color option can range from $590 to $1,380.

Doran said there are some color combinations that Chevrolet does not want the dealer to order “because we do not want the dealer to make a mistake and order a yellow car with a red interior.” That car, once assembled, might be difficult to sell.

“But we also have customers who say, I really, really, really want that color combination,” Doran said. “So, we have what we call the ‘color combination override option’ which is the customer recognizing that this is their request and it is something that they very much want. If they want to buy a yellow car with a red interior, we will do it.”

Doran said it is impossible to predict everyone’s tastes.

“If you are a (University of Southern California) fan and you really want a yellow-and-red car, we can’t really predict that, so we want to give customers the flexibility to do it,” he said.

The official USC colors are USC Cardinal and USC Gold.

“The flip side is there are a lot of customers who want a rare car,” Doran said. “They love special editions, they love having something that nobody else has, and I think for those people there is an appeal knowing that they are going to have maybe one of 10. So it is an effort for us to give customers as many choices as they want even if it is something that we didn’t think of when we started the program.”

A couple hundred Corvettes are ordered each year with a special interior color. The program has been offered for several years, he said.

With the redesigned 2016 Chevrolet Camaro coupe beginning to roll on to dealer lots, Chevrolet will be listening to shoppers to determine whether they want a similar program. Shipments of the new model started earlier this month.

“If we have a lot of customers asking for things that we would not allow the system to do, we could certainly offer it, “Doran said. “We just haven’t decided to do so yet.”

Edmunds says: Corvette buyers may not realize there’s an under-the-radar program in place to help them create a rare, nearly one-of-a-kind sports car. Your dealer can help you order your dream color combination.