On Jan. 13, the new 2014 Corvette Stingray was previewed by 400 General Motors employees in Detroit in advance of the public unveiling of the spiffy vehicle at the 2013 North American Auto Show bowing at the Russell Industrial Complex on Monday.
According to Forbes, this fresh version of the classic sports car, the first new Corvette to come out in nine years, is "a sign of the times." In fact, Joann Muller wrote that the 450-horsepower American automobile "says as much about GM in the post-brankruptcy era as any financial spreadsheet or marketing campaign."
Muller quoted GM's president of North America, who talked with the writer about the new Corvette Stingray, saying,
"It's a huge statement. It punctuates a new General Motors that takes risks, important risks."
No doubt this seventh generation of the Chevrolet Corvette (called the C7) will raise eyebrows of respect with its debut, starting with the cost of the vehicle, which ranges from around $50,000 to $113,000. This is in the same price range as the current model.
Beyond that, the C7 offers breakthrough features, like a carbon-reinformed frame and a carbon fiber hood, proving that the new Corvette Stingray is privy to lightweight materials not found in other upscale cars in its class.
As added lures, Chevrolet says the new Stingray will take only four seconds to go from zero to 60 miles per hour and will offer a cornering grip that exceeds the force of gravity. The C7 will get more than the EPA-estimated 26 miles per gallon of its predecessor at up to 30 miles per gallon on the highway, making this the most fuel-efficient Corvette ever.
General Motors said that the new 2014 Stingray claims approximately 450 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque, translating into the most powerful standard Corvette in the history of this coveted sports car.
By way of background, the Corvette Stingray has been around since 1963 when 21,513 of the cars, in the form of both coupes and convertibles, were introduced to the world. Today, serious classic car collectors who like to buy American, and even those who typically don't, tend to drool when given a chance to purchase one of the originals in pristine condition.
Meanwhile, in a reaction to the bad economy, recent Corvette design has seen a production reduction, according to the Los Angeles Times. The City of Angels' newspaper-of-record cited statistics, saying that in 2012 less than 12,000 Corvettes were produced as compared to a whopping 40,000 that came off the assembly line in 2007.
The Los Angeles Times said, "Historically, Corvette redesigns...have boosted production by 50 percent or more."
So, with that number in mind, hopefully this snazzy new Corvette Stingray that its ready to roll will cause a new kind of car aficionado to become fans, embracing this version of the classic car that has been an American institution for as long as this venerable and, yes, incomparable vehicle has been around.
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