People are apparently so eager to get their hands on the new range-topping Chevrolet Corvette that they’re willing to break the law to do so.
A pair of C8 ZR1s was stolen directly from a factory in Kentucky late last week, according to Road & Track. Both examples were eventually recovered, but it shows just how far people might go to acquire the first ‘Vette supercar.
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The pair of ZR1s went missing Friday night from General Motors’ Bowling Green Assembly Plant, the same factory where all Corvettes are built. It’s unclear how they were stolen, but shortly after, they were spotted by police in a parking structure on the campus of Western Kentucky University, which is located in the same city as the plant.
Once spotted, the two Corvettes split up, setting off a multi-state pursuit that would reach speeds of over 100 mph. One of the cars, an Arctic White ZR1, was recovered within city limits after it ran over a spike strip. The other, finished in Sebring Orange, was able to evade authorities briefly but was eventually located three hours away in Martin County, Indiana.
A 20-year-old Michigan man who is accused of stealing the white ZR1 was arrested and charged with various felonies, including fleeing police, wanton endangerment, and theft of a vehicle valued between $10,000 and $1 million. Meanwhile, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office is seeking information regarding the 26-year-old man, also from Michigan, who is believed to have stolen the orange ZR1.
“The Kentucky State Police, Bowling Green Police Department, and Warren County Sheriff’s Office were swift in their response and successfully located both vehicles,” Rachel Bagshaw, the spokesperson for the factory, told local TV station WBKO. “We are grateful for the support and partnership with all law enforcement involved.”
This is the second time in 2025 that ZR1s have been stolen from GM’s Bowling Green plant. In March, thieves stole eight C8s, including one 2025 ZR1, from the factory. As in the most recent case, all of the vehicles were recovered by authorities.
It’s easy to see why thieves are targeting the new ZR1. The variant, which debuted late last year, is a true mid-car supercar. It’s powered by a mid-mounted 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 that makes 1,064 hp. All that power was enough to make the ZR1 the second-fastest American-made car in Nürburgring history after it circled the notorious race course in 6:50.783 minutes. The only faster U.S. model is the even-more-extreme C8 ZR1X, which adds a front-mounted electric motor to boost output to a staggering 1,250 horses.
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