The Corvette ZR1X Just Made These 5 Sports Cars Look Slow And Expensive originally appeared on Autoblog.
Like all Corvettes, the ZR1X is a performance bargain
The Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X has already proven itself as the ultimate Corvette. Thanks to 1,250 horsepower from its hybrid powertrain and a slew of other modifications, it lapped the Nürburgring faster than any other production car from America.
What we didn’t know until this week was the ZR1X’s price, which we can now confirm is $205,400 (excluding the $1,995 destination charge). Although that’s a lot of cash, the ZR1X is a relative bargain, given the spellbinding performance it offers at the price.
If you don’t believe us, here are five other sports cars at or around the ZR1X’s price point. They’re all great, but not a single one comes close to the hottest Corvette on paper.
1. Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo: $189,000
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Maserati’s stunning Gran Turismo Trofeo gets off to a good start because, well, just look at it. But once you add an option or two, its price approaches the Corvette’s, and it comes nowhere close in terms of performance.
The Trofeo has a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 producing 542 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque. With standard all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic, the Italian coupe will reach 60 mph in 3.3 seconds before going on to a top speed of 199 mph.
The ZR1X, by comparison, has a 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 with a flat-plane crankshaft. Coupled with an electric drive unit, an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic, and AWD, it produces 1,250 hp combined. The 0-60 sprint takes under two seconds and the quarter-mile is done in under nine seconds.
The GranTurismo may be prettier, but the Corvette blows it away off the mark and will likely do the same on a track.
2. Aston Martin Vantage: ~$194,000
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Inching closer to the $200k mark is the Aston Martin Vantage, and a lot of what we said about the Maserati applies here. The Vantage has gorgeous looks, a plush cabin, and one of the automotive world’s most desired badges. It’s a great GT, but it has way less horsepower per buck than the ZR1X.
The Aston has a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with 656 hp and 590 lb-ft. Power goes to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic, resulting in a 0-60 time of around 3.5 seconds (at least 1.5 seconds behind the Corvette).
As great as the Vantage’s V8 is, the screaming LT7 in the ZR1X is a different beast altogether, especially as it approaches its 7,000 rpm red line. This is yet another exotic that will be annihilated by the Corvette.
Related: 2026 Aston Martin Vantage S Gallery: The More Focused Vantage In Pictures
3. Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance: $195,900
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The first of two German sports cars on our list, the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance is also the only other hybrid, so its powertrain has something more in common with the Corvette’s.
With help from a permanently synchronous electric motor, the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 in the Merc produces 805 hp and 1,047 lb-ft combined. It’s incredibly quick, hitting 60 in only 2.7 seconds as its nine-speed automatic rifles through shifts. Like the Corvette, this is also an AWD machine, and features like ceramic composite brakes and rear-axle steering make it an agile sports car that can also rip around a track faster than most.
A four-door AMG GT 4-Door with a similar powertrain and 831 hp lapped the Nürburgring in 7:27.800 minutes, giving us an idea of what this two-door GT can do. But the only slightly more expensive ZR1X managed a time of 6:49.275 minutes—and it could've been even quicker.
The Mercedes-AMG is a heck of a sports car, but it still can’t match the ZR1X.
4. Porsche 911 Turbo: $204,300
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For almost exactly as much as the Corvette ZR1X, you can get a Porsche 911 Turbo. It has a 3.7-liter turbocharged boxer-six engine with 572 hp and 553 lb-ft; yes, the ZR1X is more than twice as powerful. The 911 has Porsche’s brilliant eight-speed dual-clutch automatic and directs power to all four wheels.
The 911 Turbo is a rocket, reaching 60 in 2.7 seconds and completing the quarter-mile in 10.8 seconds. By now, we don’t need to tell you how much quicker the Corvette ZR1X is.
Around the Nürburgring, there’s no contest. A more powerful 911 Turbo S managed the lap in seven minutes and 17 seconds, around 28 seconds off the pace of the ZR1X. The regular 911 Turbo will be slower than that.
Don’t get us wrong—the 911 Turbo is a magnificently well-rounded sports car. It accelerates and handles supremely well, and the upcoming 911 Turbo hybrid will be even better. But between the Corvette’s more exciting V8 and proper supercar looks, it’s hard to believe these two cost the same.
5. McLaren Artura: $260,400
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There’s a big leap in price between the ZR1X and the McLaren Artura, which starts at over $50,000 more. This is another hybrid, with an electric motor and 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 producing 690 hp and 531 lb-ft. Power goes to the rear wheels and the Artura gets an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic.
While the McLaren name has far more brand cachet than Chevrolet, the Artura doesn’t get close to the Corvette on paper. Its 0-62 mph time is three seconds and it needs 10.7 seconds to complete the quarter-mile. And, while the V6 hybrid is a great engine, it’s nowhere near as sonorous as Chevy’s LT7.
The Artura is a joy over a mountain pass and looks the part of a true supercar, but we’d argue that the ZR1X makes it appear rather tame.
Final Thoughts
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We’d love to be in a position where we have to decide between one of the five sports cars on this list and the new Corvette ZR1X. Ultimately, we can see no decisive reason to buy one of these cars over the Corvette besides the brand cachet of the European automakers.
We haven’t driven the ZR1X yet, but we have experience with the regular Corvette C8, and it’s a mighty impressive platform with a ride/handling balance we felt is comparable to the benchmark 911. The idea that the ZR1X is more than twice as powerful as the base Corvette is difficult to wrap one’s head around, and we can only presume it’s an exhilarating machine to drive.
For now, the Corvette ZR1X stands out as a performance bargain, and you’ll need to spend double the price or more to find something that keeps up with it.
The Corvette ZR1X Just Made These 5 Sports Cars Look Slow And Expensive first appeared on Autoblog on Aug 9, 2025
This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Aug 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
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