The first purpose-built Corvette racer built by Zora Arkus-Duntov in the 1950’s just sold for over $7 million at auction.
The 1957 Corvette SS, also known as Project XP-64, was built to compete against the Europeans at Le Mans. The ground-breaking car featured a tubular frame with a magnesium body, while Zora added a factory-sourced 283 ci V8 with Ramjet fuel injection and a four-speed manual transmission. Other features included a quick-change rear differential, independent front suspension, and vacuum-assisted drum brakes to provide plenty of stopping power.
The Corvette SS first debuted at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1957, piloted by John Fitch and Piero Taruffi. Unfortunately, the car only lasted 23 laps of the race before it was retired due to multiple issues, but primarily because the magnesium body caused excessive heat in the cockpit. Just one month after Sebring, the Automobile Manufacturers Association voted to ban participation in motor racing and that was it for the Corvette SS.
While the Corvette SS was used for occasional promotions, the car was eventually donated to the Indianapolis 500 Museum where it has been on display ever since. Last year, the museum announced that it would be selling 11 vehicles from the collection including the 1957 Corvette SS at RM Sotheby’s Miami 2025 sale.
Bidding for the 1957 Corvette SS opened at $3 million and the next bid of $3.5 million was enough to surpass the reserve price, so we knew then that the car would be sold. The only question then would be for how much? For another few minutes, the bids steadily climbed and it hammered sold for $7 million. With the commission included, the out-the-door price was $7,705,000.
You can watch the sale of the 1957 Corvette SS in the video below. We have it queued up for the moment when Project XP-64 is offered:
We’re pretty sure this is one of the highest if not the highest price ever paid at an auction for a Corvette. Previously we saw the 1967 Corvette L88 sell for $3.5 Million back in 2014.
Source:
RM Sotheby’s
Related:
[VIDEO] Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum to Auction Several Cars Including the 1957 Corvette SS
Corvettes for Sale: Corvette Mike’s 1967 L88 Corvette Coupe Offered for $3.95 Million
1967 Corvette L88 Sells for World Record $3.5 Million at Barrett-Jackson
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I saw this car a few years ago when it was on loan to the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green. Always seemed strange to me that the Indianapolis Speedway Museum had it but perhaps it will be back at the NCM at some point.
What are the chances that the new owner is, or will turn around and donate the Corvette SS to, the National Corvette Museum?
Keith, I believe the primarily reason for the SS retiring from Sebring was suspension failure, a rubber bushing of all things, due to no development time, while the heat issue of the magnesium body was offset a little with side air scoops added at the doors.
With kind regards,
Mike
Sotheby’s Auctions are so boring to watch. It was all I could stand to make it all the way through the auction of the Corvette SS.
The whole thing started when Harley J. Earl bought the 1956 12 Hours of Sebring- winning Jaguar D-Type with the idea of installing a Chevy engine in the car and taking it racing. Naturally, Arkus-Duntov thought it would be better idea to create a purpose-built Chevrolet racer to showcase Chevy performance. Earl liked the idea, and the pair secured Chevy GM Ed Cole’s stamp of approval. Zora would build two racers under moniker Project XP-64, later known as the Chevy Corvette SS. One car complete with bodywork and drivetrain suitable for competition and display purposes, and the other a prototype with partially completed bodywork, called The Mule.
The 1957 12 Hours of Sebring was the shakedown test for the Chevy Corvette SS. The day before the race, Juan Manuel Fangio had taken The Mule for a test drive, immediately setting a Sebring lap record of 3:27, or 2.4 seconds faster than the fastest lap set by Mike Hawthorn in a Jaguar D-Type the year before.
Thanks,
Ray
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