US - General Motors has added a second shift and more than 400 hourly jobs at its Bowling Green Assembly plant in Kentucky. The news comes ahead of the launch of the next generation Corvette, which is set to be revealed in July 2019.

“The Corvette’s iconic status owes so much to the men and women of Bowling Green, where it has been built exclusively for almost 40 years,” commented GM chairman and CEO Mary Barra. “This is the workforce that can deliver a next generation Corvette worthy of both its historic past and an equally exciting future, and today’s announcement gets us one step closer to its reveal on July 18.”

Over one million Corvettes have been made at the Bowling Green Assembly plant since it opened in 1981. Over the past seven years, GM has spent over $900m upgrading the facility, installing a new body shop and new paint shop as well as increasing engine capacity.

The news comes just months after the OEM said it would close seven different plants across the world, five of which are in North America. Some companies, on the other hand, have revealed plans to invest considerable amounts in the US manufacturing operations.