Barrett-Jackson is an American company specializing in the auction of classic cars. Since its creation in 1971, many vehicles have found buyers during their auctions. On April 15, it was the turn of the new 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray to walk the stage at a company-sponsored event in Palm Beach, USA. The objective of this sale was to raise as much money as possible for the benefit of an American foundation.
Sold at more than 11 times its MSRP
While production hasn’t even started yet, the 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray bearing the VIN 001 already found a buyer last weekend during an auction. It was the famous Rick Hendrick who won the bet for 1.1 million US dollars, which represents 1.47 million Canadian dollars at the current exchange rate. For those who are not familiar with the winner of this auction, he is an American businessman, best known for being the owner of the NASCAR team Hendrick Motorsports and the founder of the Hendrick Automotive group, a network of more than 100 car dealerships in the United States.
The car that physically crossed the auction block, however, was not the car that sold. Indeed, it was a pre-production vehicle for presentation purposes. When production starts, Rick Hendrick will then have the very first production vehicle with the equipment and configuration of his choice.
For a good cause
When creating the auction for this very first electrified Corvette, it was determined that the full amount of the sale at the time of the hammer blow would be donated to the DonorsChoose foundation. It is a foundation aimed at helping classrooms in need in all communities.
The first electrified Corvette
It was last January that Chevrolet unveiled the very first hybrid-powered Corvette. Powered by a 6.2-litre V8 engine paired with a 120 kilowatt electric motor, this engine releases a total power of 655 horsepower. Interesting characteristic, the electric motor is placed at the front of the vehicle, which allows the car to benefit from all-wheel drive, which improves the traction of this electrified sports car.
The first hybrid all-wheel-drive Chevrolet Corvette in the model’s history will go into production this summer. Of course, its starting price will be well below the one sold at auction. It will be priced at $128,798, including freight and PDI.
