Joe Biden Wants Corvette's Chief Engineer to Help Him Pick a New Vette
Today at the 2017 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Vice President Joe Biden took a tour of the show floor. He stopped at the displays of all three major US automakers, chatted with executives, and hopped in a number of different vehicles on display. But when he got to the new Corvettes, he started taking care of business-and enlisting the services of Corvette chief engineer Tadge Juechter.
"I have his card now," Juechter told R&T immediately after Biden finished his tour of the auto show. "He's trying to figure out what to buy when he's out of office. He was gonna get a Stingray-he's imprinted on Stingray."
Biden famously keeps a 1967 Corvette that he's owned since brand new, though he's only driven it three times in the past seven years. Blame the rules of the Secret Service, which prevent the President and Vice President from operating a motor vehicle, though that prohibition ends for Biden once Present-elect Donald Trump is inagurated in a few weeks.
Clearly, Biden's already making plans.
"He got in the Grand Sport and was like, 'this is really sweet,'" Juechter told R&T. "I was kind of talking it up and he goes, 'I've gotta get this.'" But as the Secret Service shepherded Biden along, pushing journalists, photographers, and gawkers away from the Vice Presidential entourage as the group toured the displays, Biden kept coming back to the Vettes.
"He pulled me out of the crowd three times as he was walking around," Juechter said. "He wants to try the Z06. He's a little worried that it might be over the top for him, but he's definitely interested in trying."
Before Biden left, he gave Juechter his card. "Once he gets out and he's allowed to drive on his own, he's psyched to get a new one," the Corvette boss said.
As you can tell from these photos, it was difficult to get close to Biden as he toured the show-the Secret Service agents were doing their job. But we managed to stay within eyeshot of the Vice President as he sampled the offerings of the American automakers. Check out our Facebook Live video from Biden's tour:
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