GM is not purposely trying to create a C8 shortage, nor is it lacking intelligence as suggested in your post. Read up on the many threads on this and other Corvette Forums (or numerous news articles) and you'll see that:
1. the demand for the C8 is unprecedented, with the new C8 Corvette outselling all other sport cars by a wide margin due to its features, performance and "excellent affordability" compared to anything else out there that comes close to it.
2. as mentioned by
JCWP above, the only plant that produces Corvettes is in Bowling Green, Kentucky. When running at full capacity, they produce around 185/day and that's using 2 shifts. Because of COVID, even with 2 shifts going full-steam ahead, they have to clean the assembly line between the shifts so normally, they might be able to produce more than that 185/day average. The 185/day for the 2022's can be further reduced by making right-hand drive Corvettes for other countries or, more recently, some Z06 "mules/sample cars" for display/testing.
3. C8 production was hamstrung at the beginning due to a 2019 GM strike that lasted several months, then much more by the unexpected arrival of COVID around March 2020 which shut down Bowling Green entirely for many months...only to have it reopen with one shift and gradually work its way up to the usual 2 shifts. So the 2020 C8 production was just over 20,000 C8's or about half of what they hoped to produce. Then 2021 arrived and COVID continued to slow down production, with Bowling Green again shut down on/off during the production of the 2021 model year. GM only managed to produce some 26,000 C8's for the 2021 model year, which was again far less than it hoped. Obviously reduced sales result in reduced profit, so this wasn't their desired result and was out of their control. Many of the plant shut-downs were because of GM's inability to get parts for the C8, since their part suppliers were unable to manufacture the parts due to COVID problems: employees getting sick, their factories shutting down or they also couldn't get components or materials to make their "piece of the supply chain puzzle" that added up to everything needed to make a C8. In 2021 for the first time, the computer chip shortage happened, again due to COVID and again, nothing GM could control. We're now into the 2022 model year of C8 production. The parts shortages have continued, so that (unfortunately) Bowling Green is now down to one shift only, so it's at half-speed when it comes to C8 production.
4. you may say that GM should open a new Corvette plant. That's easier said than done since it requires years of planning and millions of dollars and even then, it would take awhile to get up and running. Plus it would sit idle these days when even the one plant in operation doesn't have enough parts to operate 2 shifts.
5. what will happen with the Z06 isn't known. But in the past, production of the Z06 variant was around 25% (?) of the Stingrays, so GM has produced a more limited amount of them even though they sell for more. If they were to make (for example) nothing but Z06's, then those wanting a Stingray would complain about having to spend more for the Z06 when the Stingray may be all they want/need. So again, I don't see GM purposely trying to create a Z06 shortage when it's common sense business-wise, to maximize their profit.
6. the great thing is that you can "vote with your money" and choose whether you want to buy a GM product or something manufactured by others. No one likes paying over MSRP and many of us don't, plus we use these Forums to ID dealers who charge MSRP as a maximum (like the dealers who are sponsors on these Forums), versus those who charge more. I think you'll find that COVID has had the same negative effect on other vehicle manufacturers and they're also finding it hard to meet demand. We can only hope that COVID will disappear and life get back to "normal" for everyone, including vehicle manufacturers and most other manufacturers.
My best advice
Steve Pringle is to spend some time getting informed. There's a wealth of info about Corvettes in these Forums (CCF) so this is an excellent place to start and you'll find this Corvette community to be welcoming with people willing to spend time to help others out, especially those who constructively contribute to its content.
And no I'm not a GM employee. I've purchased only 3 new GM products in about 35 years: a 1985 Z28, followed by a Suburban "family-mobile" over 15 years ago, then more recently my 2020 C8. I couldn't resist the C8 given its new mid-engine platform and GM has made me a believer from that ownership. Best of luck with whatever automobile purchase choices you make.
