The most exciting moment of the day for the recent Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction was the sale of the very first C8 Corvette to roll off the production line, and it didn’t disappoint.

Buyer and NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick paid well for the privilege of ownership. A cheeky $3 million (£2.3 million) bid won him the car.

It didn’t take long either, with the Vette reaching a $1 million bid in under 15 seconds. It reached $2 million in under 25 seconds, and finally where it stayed, the $3 million figure, after 45 seconds.

General Motors Chairman and CEO Mary Barra was up on stage to congratulate Rick and took a photo opportunity with the new owner.

You might wonder if the price was excessive for a car that, with any other VIN, might set you back around $80,000. Being the first is very special, however, especially when you take into account the roughly 60 years Chevrolet have been toying with the idea of a mid-engined Corvette.

Most importantly the money is going to a good cause, benefitting the Detroit Children’s Fund. Collaborations between General Motors and Barrett-Jackson have raised over $20 million for charitable causes over the years. Now, they can include the hefty $3 million for C8 VIN 001.

The new C8 Corvette has its 495hp 6.2-litre LT2 V8 sat behind the driver, delivering it's power to the rear wheels through an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. There is no manual option.

Its part-carbon construction, near-supercar performance and massive step up in quality have lead many to wonder how Chevrolet can sell it from $60,000 (starting). It's rumoured the C8 actually loses the General money when sold for under $78,000.