GM dealer Rick Hendrick wins auction with a $3.7 million bid for the VIN 001 Corvette ZR1
GM dealer Rick Hendrick won a live auction with a record $3.7 million bid for the VIN 001 Corvette ZR1.
- The 2026 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1x boasts a record 1,250 horsepower for the automaker.
- GM previously confirmed that all electric corvettes are in work, but did not provide any updates on potential time frames in recent media calls.
- GM will release details on ZR1X pricing later this year.
General Motors is deploying the world’s most powerful Corvette near the end of 2025. This is a hybrid.
The 2026 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X, a sister to the ZR1, boasts a carmaker’s record of 1,250 horsepower, with a button that releases a stable whole at once.
The driving force behind the vehicle’s propulsion comes from the decision in 2020 to move the engine into the center of the vehicle.
“From day one, we designed the mid-engine Corvette architecture with the ZR1X in mind,” Ken Morris, Senior Vice President of General Motors, said in a statement. “It is the most innovative platform in Corvette history.”
The Detroit automaker said on June 17 that the ZR1X also borrowed features launched in previous models, including the all-wheel drive and dual powertrain, which were first seen on the 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray.
GM calculates the neck-breaking force by combining two propulsion methods. A battery pack and electric motor drive the front axle, while a V8 engine propels the rear, but there is no physical connection between the two power supplies on the Zr1X.
The ZR1X credits 1,064 horsepower from the LT7 5.5L V8 engine and 186 horsepower from the electric unit. The battery capacity, 1.9 kWh, is the same as e-ray, but GM said Zr1x has more usable energy to provide greater wrapping capabilities. This high peak operating voltage increases the output from the front drive unit.
Electrified propulsion systems do not require plugs. Renewable energy from the front drive unit charges the vehicle as if it were going to the vehicle.
GM previously confirmed that all electric corvettes are in work, but did not provide any updates on potential time frames in recent media calls. The ZR1X will be built at the Bowling Green Assembly Plant in Kentucky.
The company said future buyers can expect more pricing later this year. Paul Waatti, Director of Industry Analytics at Autopacific, said Zr1x is likely to be the most expensive for the brand.
Hypercar territory
“The ZR1X launches the Corvette into true hypercar territory and sets a new benchmark for the full-line automaker,” he said. “What’s impressive is the range it crowns. From achievable Stingrays to the electrified e-lines, to now the Zr1x, the C8 lineup spans amazing performance.”
In particular, the 2025 ZR1 started at $174,995. This is the most expensive Corvette on the market, starting at $121,000 in a sudden jump from the 2019 Corvette ZR1.
Chevrolet dealer and owner of the NASCAR Hall of Fame Team, Rick Hendrick broke the record in January this year when he bought the 2025 ZR1 for $3.7 million.
Stephanie Brinley, associate director of Auto Intelligence at S&P Global Mobility, said within the Ultra Sports Car Development range Corvette’s advances tend to provide good value.
“If you’re moving your product right, all new Corvettes are the most advanced Corvettes ever,” she said. “This is a force that is beyond what most vehicles can do.”
Jackie Charniga covers General Motors for the Free Press. I’ll reach her jcharniga@freepress.com.
