Corvette Stingray 2014 Model is a Powerful, American Sports Car

The 2014 Corvette Stingray, having a 455 horsepower that can take you a quarter of a mile in just 12.23 seconds, was shipped to dealers in late September and will reportedly go for a starting price of $51,995, with an additional $5,000 for the convertible version.

In addition to the sheer power of Chevrolet's latest edition of the iconic sports car — its next-generation V8 engine can go 0 to 60 mph in just 4.15 seconds — the design represents a departure from prior models.

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With its sleek features, long nose, and steeply raked windshield, the 2014 Corvette Stingray gives an almost "spaceship" appearance, as characterized by Tom Peters, director of design for General Motors, who discussed the new Stingray in a recent Forbes interview.

Approximately 1,000 Corvette Stingrays have already been produced at General Motors' Bowling Green, Ky., facility, according to plant manager Dave Tatman.

"It's an amazing sight to see the transporters filled with Stingrays heading to customers in all corners of the country," Tatman said in a statement, USA Today reported. "The pride at Bowling Green is overwhelming."

In preparation for the customer demand, GM has invested in a $131 million upgrade at the Bowling Green plant, of which $52 million alone went directly to the area of the plant responsible for producing the Stingray's aluminum frame.

The 2014 Corvette Stingray debuted to the public in January at the Detroit Auto Show.

GM is hoping the new Stingray will be able to challenge and beat out other sports cars, particularly imports from Germany and Italy such as the Porsche, Lamborghini, and Ferrari, which currently lead the market.

"It’s a vehicle you could theoretically drive every day, but yet has supercar performance," Chevrolet’s head of consumer affairs James Bell told DigitalTrends.com in an interview.

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"When you compare the numbers of this car to a Porsche or a lower entry-level Ferrari, you’re right there for a portion of the price," Bell added. "But the fact that it’s a Chevrolet, means that if something happens to the car, there’s probably a couple of Chevy stores in your neighborhood that you can take it into."

According to Bell, the new Corvette Stingray has a top speed of around 200 miles per hour while still getting 29 miles per gallon on the highway.