Someone Pays $102,000 Over MSRP For A 1,250-HP Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X

There are two ways to own a 1,250-hp Corvette ZR1X: order one from Chevrolet and pay the sticker price, or find someone who really doesn’t want to wait. The buyer of this 2027 example chose the second option, handing over $390,000 at a Bring a Trailer auction on October 13.

This Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X had just 19 miles on its odometer and a window sticker of $288,064, meaning someone paid an extra $101,936 before taxes and auction fees. That’s a whopping 35.4% premium over MSRP. Wow.

To be fair, the ZR1X isn’t exactly a warmed-over sports car with an ambitious price tag. Its twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V8 works alongside a front-mounted electric motor to produce 1,250 hp, delivered to all four wheels. An eight-second quarter-mile time makes the point rather convincingly. Even at the factory price, the ZR1X offers startling performance for the money. Whether it’s worth another hundred grand depends on how badly you want one - and how little patience you have.

This example certainly wasn’t short on expensive extras. The Jet Black exterior keeps things relatively discreet, although the enormous rear wing makes disappearing into traffic a questionable proposition. It comes with a $13,000 Carbon Fiber Aero package, the ZTK track package, sticky Michelin tires and a front-axle lift. The $16,000 carbon-fiber wheels measure 20 inches up front and 21 at the rear, while orange Habanero leather brightens up the cabin.

The seller was a California dealership, not an owner cashing in after a few weekend drives. The buyer gets to be the car’s first registered owner, and the factory warranty remains in effect provided the car isn’t resold within a year.

For Corvette fans, the frustrating part is that getting one at MSRP is clearly not easy. The dealer makes a big profit, the buyer gets the car, and everyone else is left watching prices climb.