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New cars / TDCN ORIGINAL

19-mile 2027 Corvette ZR1X sells for $390,000, $102,000 over sticker

The Bring a Trailer sale ended October 13 with a winning bid $101,936 above the car's $288,064 window sticker, a premium of roughly 35.4 percent before fees and taxes.

Image: Carscoops

A 2027 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X with just 19 miles on the odometer has sold for $390,000 on Bring a Trailer, $101,936 above its $288,064 window sticker. The auction closed on October 13, putting a premium of roughly 35.4 percent on the car before the buyer's auction fee and taxes are added.

Because the seller was a California dealer rather than a private owner, the buyer will be the car's first registered owner and the full factory warranty carries over, provided the car is not resold within a year.

The car was no base-spec example. The option list includes a $13,000 Carbon Fiber Aero package, the ZTK Performance Track package, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, a front-axle lift system and a $16,000 set of carbon fiber wheels sized 20 inches at the front and 21 inches at the rear. Inside, the upholstery is Habanero orange. The exterior is listed as Jet Black, which the auction listing's commentary described as about as simple and subtle as it gets on a car with such a large wing.

The markup is striking but not inexplicable. The ZR1X pairs a twin-turbo 5.5-liter V8 with a front-mounted electric motor for a combined 1,250 hp (932 kW) sent through all four wheels, and it runs the quarter mile in eight seconds. Even at list price, that performance undercuts far more expensive machinery, which is precisely why demand has outrun supply and buyers are paying over the odds.

The 19-mile ZR1X that hammered for $390,000 — $102,000 over sticker
The 19-mile ZR1X that hammered for $390,000, $102,000 over sticker, Image: Carscoops

Is the premium typical for the ZR1X?

No comparable ZR1X sale is included in the available material, so there is no way to say from this transaction alone whether a six-figure markup is normal for the model. What the sale does show is that at least one buyer valued the car at roughly 35 percent over its window sticker, before fees and taxes.

One thing the sale does illustrate is how transparent an auction result is next to the usual dealership practice. A published winning bid is open to everyone, where a dealer's market adjustment is often whatever the market will bear with little explanation.

What the price means for buyers

For enthusiasts hoping to pay what Chevrolet advertises, the result is familiar frustration. The extra cash buys no additional engineering, since Chevrolet has already done that work, and a buyer paying over sticker simply perpetuates the cycle.

The practical upside for this particular buyer is the warranty position. Buying from the dealer means first registered owner status and the full factory warranty intact, subject to the one-year resale condition, which is a materially better position than taking on a flipped, driven example without that protection.

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New cars / TDCN ORIGINAL

UK police can now seize cars after a single offence, and 70 vehicles have gone in three months

West Midlands Police's Operation Hercules took 35 cars in September alone, while Illinois troopers recovered 424 stolen vehicles over the same quarter.

Image: Carscoops

UK police can now seize a driver's car after a single offence of careless, inconsiderate or off-road driving, following changes to Section 59 of the Police Reform Act that took effect on June 30. West Midlands Police's Operation Hercules team has already taken more than 70 vehicles between July 1 and September 30, including 35 in September alone.

The change ends the long-standing requirement for officers to issue a warning first and catch the driver a second time before impounding the car. Essex Police notes that seizure is not mandatory: officers retain discretion to hand out a warning, but that warning stays on the driver's record for 12 months, making a second stop within the year far more likely to end with the car on a recovery truck.

What counts as an offence now

The Home Office describes Section 59 as covering careless driving, inconsiderate driving, or unauthorised driving off-road, combined with conduct that causes or is likely to cause alarm, distress or annoyance. That is a broad remit, and it is not limited to street racing. West Midlands Police applied it heavily to street racing and anti-social driving over the summer, but the same powers apply to ordinary driving that a constable judges annoying or distressing to others.

The practical effect is that the roadside conversation changes when a single instance of anti-social driving can end with the car being taken away. Drivers who previously banked a warning and carried on now face the possibility of losing the vehicle on a first stop, with no second chance to adjust their behaviour.

Anti-social driving and vehicle offences can now cost motorists their car entirely
Anti-social driving and vehicle offences can now cost motorists their car entirely, Image: Carscoops

Fines, forfeitures and passengers caught up too

The consequences can run well beyond losing the car for a few days. One 20-year-old Seat driver had his car seized and turned over to the government permanently, after which firefighters cut the roof off it for training purposes. Since the start of 2025, the Hercules team has convicted at least 100 individuals for road offences in this category, with fines totalling more than £37,446.

Passengers are not exempt either. Anyone riding in a car at gatherings involving racing, stunting or other dangerous driving can be charged, with fines reaching £1,000. That widens the net considerably: a spectator at a car meet now carries the same financial exposure as the driver, at least where fines are concerned.

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