It appears that someone at the Corvette accessories department let the intern have a play with the 3D printer. The result is a pair of new Genuine Corvette Accessory decorative hatch strut brace kit that cost $1,995. The key word here is decorative, as they add exactly no extra utility or performance.They simply replace the original simple black struts on the C8 generation Chevrolet Corvette coupe that hold the rear hatch open in exactly the same way hood struts work on front-engine cars. The flashy aluminum replacements only come in Edge Red, at least for now, and "matches available emblems, brake calipers and engine cover (sold separately)."And no, this is no April Fools' prank. The accessory was first posted by Chevrolet Performance on 26 March. Boomer Mentality Or Gamer PC? Chevrolet Chevrolet Performance posted the brochure for the $1,995 aluminum struts (although we've found them for $1,699 elsewhere) on Instagram, and the comments are predictable. The assumption is that they're aimed at the older Corvette-owning demographic that only wheel their Corvette out of the garage on a Sunday to go to and sit at a car show. It's an old and well-worn cliché, but it's an old and well-worn cliché because there is truth to it.The overpriced struts also smack of the PC-gamer aesthetic, though, and look like they are 3D printed. However, Chevrolet states on the product page that they are investment-cast, which is a standard way of casting metals. But, they have been "engineered specifically for your vehicle and provide additional styling to your engine compartment." Did we mention they cost $1,995? Missing An Opportunity For Chevrolet Chevrolet The mid-engine Corvette is a way for the Corvette to appeal to a younger and more technology-savvy demographic. The problem Chevrolet has had for decades is the age range of new Corvette buyers skewing heavily towards retirees. Of course, retirees buying sports cars isn't the problem, it's that retirees being the main demographic limits sales. And, when your sports car is mainly bought by older folks that want to keep their cars shiny and talk about them more than drive them, or divorced guys going through a midlife crisis, it's not a cool car. It's an image problem.For the first couple of years, the Corvette was getting away from its old image and attracting new customers. The C8 generation Corvette is an incredible car delivering supercar performance for attainable pricing. However, selling $1,995 dollar accessories that are nothing more than questionable-looking bling for car shows suggests Chevrolet's demographic isn't shifting in the long term. That's why we've got a few suggestions for Corvette if it wants to go all-in: Corvette branded folding lawn chairs engineered to fit in the cargo space A Chevrolet x Tommy Bahama collaboration clothing line Official Chevrolet Performance spec sheet stand A New Balance x Corvette branded sneaker line We would rather Chevrolet went the other way, though, and pushed harder to show the world that it's the mid-engine sports or supercar for the masses, not just for bored retirees or divorces with disposable income. The best way to do that is to not offer the opportunity for people to make fun of and perpetuate clichés that need to go away – the same clichés that should have been put to bed by the latest generation of Corvette already. We Tease, But The Corvette Itself Is Better Than It's Ever Been We may have given this accessory stick, and taken aim at the aging Corvette demographic, but credit where it's due, the Corvette is better than it's ever been. One only needs to look at the Z06's record for the most powerful naturally aspirated flat-plane crank V8, or the ZR1 delivering hypercar performance at a fraction of the price of real hypercars. Then there's the ZR1X, blending hybrid power with American ingenuity, and of course, the new Grand Sport twins.Even the base Stingray - which is getting a new 6.7-liter V8 for 2027 - is a monumentally capable piece of engineering for not a whole lot of money. The Corvette has always been a bit of a giant-killer, but in this C8 generation, it's become a supercar killer on a budget.Chevrolet