Jay Leno and GM's President just made the case that the greatest performance value in automotive history is American and costs less than a Ferrari's tax bill
Published on Apr 08, 2026 at 8:04 PM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Apr 08, 2026 at 3:05 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
You might be surprised to hear this, but Jay Leno and GM’s President both believe that the greatest performance value in automotive history currently comes from America, and from the heart of a Chevrolet hypercar.
Costing less than a Ferrari tax bill is the incredible Chevy Corvette ZR1X, a monster 1,200hp hypercar that has European exotics firmly in its sights.
The ZR1X borders on the ridiculous, with huge power and huge speed, but it’s so good that Leno paid the full price to own one of them.
This is why he and GM think that it is currently the best deal in automotive history.
Why Jay Leno says this is the greatest performance value in motoring history
It’s the value for money that Leno thinks makes this car so good.
He might be biased, but GM President Mark Reuss also agreed with Leno in a video on the comedian’s YouTube channel.
“This car is less than the sales tax on any European exotic, Ferrari, Lamborghini, whatever,” said Leno.
“For this kind of performance, it’s the greatest high-performance deal in history,” he added.
Prices for the Chevy Corvette ZR1X start at around $207,000.
For that, you get a 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged V8, paired with an electric motor that makes 1,250hp and 953lb-ft of torque.
That propels the hypercar to a top speed of 233mph.
For context, the 1,578hp Bugatti Mistral costs a staggering $5 million at a minimum.
With only 40hp or so extra top speed, is it worth that many millions for such a small performance increase?
Is this Corvette the best performance car on the market?
“I find it to be the performance bargain of the century, it’s half the price of the Mustang GTD,” said Jay Leno of the Corvette.
The Mustang GTD is a monster car, but it costs up to $400,000.
It also has less power than this Chevrolet Corvette, at 815hp and 664lb-ft of torque.
Again, the performance value for the money factor that Leno cites is very prominent.
Reuss himself is incredibly pleased with what General Motors was able to do with the car.
“I’m very proud of it,” he said.
“It’s truly an everyday car that is wicked fast,” he added.
That is a testament to how user-friendly Chevrolet has made the Corvette hypercar.
At a fraction of the cost of its European rivals, it’s difficult to argue against it being such good value for money.
No other performance car can offer over 1,000hp for just over $200,000.
Chevrolet Corvette timeline
1953: Chevrolet introduces the first-generation C1 Corvette at the GM Motorama, featuring a revolutionary fiberglass body
1955: The introduction of the legendary small-block V8 engine transforms the vehicle into a true American sports car
1963: The second-generation C2 Sting Ray debuts with dramatic new styling and the iconic one-year-only split rear window
1968: Chevrolet launches the third-generation C3, which features a completely redesigned exterior inspired by the Mako Shark II concept
1984: Following a skipped 1983 model year, the C4 generation arrives with a sleek, modern wedge shape and major handling improvements
1997: The fifth-generation C5 is introduced, boasting a new platform with a rear-mounted transaxle and the advanced LS1 V8 engine
2005: The C6 generation hits the streets with refined bodywork and the return of exposed headlamps for the first time since 1962
2014: Chevrolet revives the Sting Ray moniker for the seventh-generation C7, which features an aluminum frame and aggressive modern aesthetics
2020: The historic eighth-generation C8 breaks tradition by adopting a mid-engine layout to rival European supercars on the global stage
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Henry joined the Supercar Blondie team in February 2025, and since then has covered a wide array of topics ranging from EVs, American barn finds, and the odd Cold War jet. He’s combined his passion for cars with his keen interest in motorsport and his side hustle as a volunteer steam locomotive fireman at a heritage steam railway.
