2014 Corvette Stingray Coupe Priced From $51,995

GM just made one of the most important new car pricing announcements of the year: the suggested retail price for its new Corvette Stingray coupe and convertible.

The seventh-generation sports car will start at $51,995 including delivery. That price buys the coupe, but for $56,995 you can have the convertible. Of course, both cars offer open air cabins of sorts when you consider that the coupe has a removable carbon fiber top.

“The 2014 Corvette Stingray perfectly embodies Chevrolet’s mission to deliver more than expected for our customers,” said Chris Perry, vice president, Chevrolet marketing. “The Corvette Stingray delivers a combination of performance, design and technology that very few manufacturers can match, and none can even come close for $52,000.”

SEE ALSO: 2014 Corvette Stingray Video, First Look: 2013 Detroit Auto Show

For perspective, that means Chevrolet is only asking for $1,400 more than it did with the 2013 C6 coupe.

But for that price, you get much more. Standard features include the magnesium-framed seats, the rev-matching seven-speed manual transmission, the all-new 6.2-liter LT1 V8 and the carbon fiber hood and panels.

But that still isn’t the car you probably remember seeing unveiled during the Detroit Auto Show last January.

GM also announced that car’s price: $73,360.

For the extra $21,365, the General tacks on a premium, leather-wrapped interior — priced just over $8,000, the Z51 performance package for $2,800, the same magnetic ride control system found in the ZL1 Camaro for$1,795 and several others. Surprisingly, the base car comes with the carbon fiber roof, but owners will be asked to pay roughly $2,000 to have the material exposed.

Of the available options, the Z51 package and Magnetic Ride Control are a couple of can’t-miss choices.

The former includes high-performance gear ratios, a transmission cooling system, larger wheels (19-inches in the front and 20 in the rear), larger, slotted brake rotors and brake cooling ducts. It also gives you an electronic limited-slip differential and a differential cooling system along with larger, more aggressive dampers for improved track performance.

GM spokesman Monte Doran confirmed that buyers will need to purchase the Z51 package in order to have the Magnetic Ride Control suspension. Aside from that, he said every option is available individually.

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