By Jake Lingeman, Crain News Service
DETROIT (March 21, 2013) — If you're counting pennies to buy a 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, your target price is $71,860.
How do we know? Always read the fine print.
That number was buried in the rules for the "Race To Win A Corvette" contest, listed as the approximate value of the car that is part of the grand-prize package. The prize also includes a trip for two to the next year's 24 Hours of Le Mans race (approximate value, $10,750).
General Motors Co.'s Chevrolet Division has made no comment on the Stingray's base price. Until now, the only price hint we've had was from Corvette chief engineer Tadge Juechter, who said that if you can afford the current car, you'll be able to afford the new Stingray. The 2013 Corvette coupe has a base price of $50,595 including shipping charges.
(Editor's note: We've edited this story since it was first posted, removing the word "base" from the headline and the first paragraph. Why? The contest rules don't say this is a base car. Maybe the contest car has the Z51 Performance Package and other goodies. And a $20,000 jump in base price seems to push the limits of Tadge Juechter's pricing statement.)
The 6.2-liter V8, 450-hp Stingray is set to arrive in dealerships this fall.
If you're a little short on the 70-or-so grand in your bank account, enter the contest to win the car and the trip. We did.
You can enter through the racetowincorvette.com page or through the contest Facebook page. Alternately, fans can tweet @TeamChevy and use the #Win2014Corvette hashtag.
To register without online access or a mobile device, entrants can mail a 3x5-inch card with name, address, day and evening phone numbers, email address and date of birth to Race To Win A Corvette, P.O. Box 5046, Department 595546, Kalamazoo, MI 49003.
The sweepstakes began on March 15 and ends Aug. 12 at midnight. You must be 18 to enter, and two entries are accepted—one through the website or mail, and one through Twitter.
The Le Mans trip includes two plane tickets from an airport close to the winner's home, five days and four nights in a hotel, two tickets to the 24 Hours of Le Mans and $800 in spending money. And with the tickets and hotel paid for, that's just a French wine and cheese bonus.
Otherwise, start collecting those pennies.
This report appeared on the website of Autoweek magazine, a Detroit-based sister publication of Tire Business.