Two 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1s were stolen from General Motors’ Bowling Green Assembly plant late last week, the second such incident this year involving the brand’s range-topping model, authorities said.
Police located both cars within hours, but not before the theft triggered a chase that crossed state lines and topped 100 mph. Officers first spotted the pair in a parking structure on the campus of Western Kentucky University, a few miles from the factory where all Corvettes are built. The drivers split up, authorities said, prompting parallel pursuits.
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An Arctic White ZR1 was recovered in Bowling Green after it struck a spike strip. A 20-year-old Michigan man was arrested and faces multiple felony counts, including fleeing police, wanton endangerment and theft of a vehicle valued between $10,000 and $1 million. The second car, a Sebring Orange ZR1, briefly eluded officers but was later found about three hours away in Martin County, Ind. Investigators are seeking a 26-year-old Michigan man in connection with that vehicle.
“The Kentucky State Police, Bowling Green Police Department, and Warren County Sheriff’s Office were swift in their response and successfully located both vehicles,” plant spokesperson Rachel Bagshaw told WBKO. “We are grateful for the support and partnership with all law enforcement involved.”
It was not immediately clear how the cars were removed from the secure facility. In March, eight Corvettes — including one ZR1 — were taken from the same plant before being recovered, underscoring ongoing security concerns around the high-profile model.
The ZR1, which debuted late last year, sits at the top of the Corvette lineup. The mid-engine supercar is powered by a 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 rated at 1,064 horsepower. Chevrolet has touted the variant’s lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 6 minutes, 50.783 seconds, the second-fastest time for an American-made production car behind the hybrid-assisted ZR1X.
Law enforcement in Kentucky and Indiana did not report injuries related to the pursuit. GM did not detail damage to the vehicles or any changes to plant security, but said it is cooperating with investigators.
The thefts highlight the heightened demand — and risk — surrounding halo performance cars. With the ZR1’s production ramping up and public interest high, authorities said they plan to maintain increased patrols near the plant and urged anyone with information about the Indiana suspect to contact the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
Source: The Auto Wire
Eve Nowell