The Hypercar-Fast Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X Costs 911 Turbo Money

The biggest party trick traditionally pulled by the best versions of the Chevrolet Corvette isn’t the way they take on the old guard European sports car makers, but the way they do it at such a comparatively low price.

With the new 1250bhp, hybrid-powered all-wheel drive ZR1X set to take the fight to full-fat hypercars, we suspected it might represent some of the best bang for one’s bucks yet. Sure enough, US pricing for the model’s just been confirmed, and if things like brand image and exclusivity don’t trouble you, we could be looking at one of the great all-time automotive bargains.

Granted, it’s not often something starting at $207,395 (around £155,000) can be called a bargain, but Chevy has rather handily provided a comparison with two cars that, at least in pure performance terms, it considers rivals: the $2.1 million McLaren W1 and $3.7 million Ferrari F80.

The McLaren will hit 62mph in a quoted 2.7 seconds, while Ferrari gives 2.15 seconds for the same figure. Chevy gives the Corvette’s acceleration in 0-60mph instead (because what the f*** is a kilometre?), but reckons it’ll do it in a scarcely believable sub-2.0 seconds.

It’s a similar story with top speed – both the Italian and British cars top out at a quoted 217mph, while Chevy says the ZR1X will hit 233mph. Granted, buying the Chevrolet doesn’t give you the chance to brag on Instagram about owning a limited-run hypercar from a storied supercar brand, but here’s another way of looking at it: the Corvette offers up hypercar-beating figures for a shade more than a non-S Porsche 911 Turbo costs in the States.

That $207,395 number, by the way, is for the base ZR1X coupe. The 3LZ trim, bringing a few extra unspecified goodies, bumps that up to $218,395 (around £163,000), and you can add a nice round $10,000 (around £7500) to the price of both trims for the Convertible. Finally, Chevy’s announced a new drop-top special edition called the Quail Silver Limited Edition. That one will run you $241,395 (around £180,000), before delivery charges.

It’s worth noting that cars typically cost less in the US, too – the entry-level Corvette Stingray, for instance, starts at $68,300 (around £51,000) Stateside, while you’ll need not far off double that in the UK. And anyway, ZR1X sales haven’t yet been confirmed for anywhere other than North America – we have to assume if it ever does make its way across the pond, those impressively low figures won’t stay that way.