COSTA MESA, Calif. -

The notion of someone paying more for a used car than what the same car costs new would likely sound strange to most anyone.

Odd as it may be, that apparently is the case for scores of 2011 model-year vehicles on the market, according to NADAguides.

The site has spotted 107 models from 2011 whose clean used retail values are stronger than their current 2011 MSRPs. And the gap on some is as high as 39 percent stronger in favor of used over original MSRP.

NADAguides boils the reason for this statistical oddity down to the used-car supply shortage that had inundated the industry, which has been spurred by several factors: slow new sales in the last three years, lease returns drying up and the Japanese earthquake.

The site suggests the disaster “caused a shortage of new 2011 model-year vehicles, which not only decreased availability of used 2011 models, it also prompted dealerships to increase new-car prices for these vehicles.”

“This price increase for new-vehicle models may have deterred consumers from the new-car market, pushing them into the used-car market, " officials added.

“After reviewing recent consumer shopping trend data on NADAguides.com, it became clear to our analysts that consumer research behavior of recent was atypical for the current economic situation — more consumers are researching new vehicles than anticipated,” explained Troy Snyder, director of product development at NADAguides

“Further analysis by our analysts revealed this trend of 2011 vehicles yielding higher used-retail pricing than the original manufacturer suggested retail price, unveiling why many consumers may be on the market for a new 2011 vehicle instead of a used with price as the focus,” he continued. “With a lower supply of 2011 model year vehicles and increased used vehicle prices, coupled with manufacturers trying to keep prices competitive it was only a matter of time before the used prices surpassed MSRP.”

Interestingly enough, about a quarter of the 107 models spotted by NADAguides for their higher-than-MSRP used prices are luxury models.

Breaking it down by segment, coupes/sedans comprise slightly less than half (48.5 percent) of the vehicles fetching stronger used prices, with SUVs taking 37.3 percent. Trucks and vans combine for 14 percent of the sum.

“As shown, nearly 25 percent of the models with higher used-retail prices are luxury vehicles. Collectively, the luxury segment used-vehicle prices remain resilient in the face of the ongoing economic concerns, as more cost-conscious consumers in the market for a luxury vehicle increasingly look to the used market as a more affordable alternative to a new luxury vehicle,” stated Jonathan Banks, executive automotive analyst for NADA Used Car Guide.

“Additionally, we anticipate that the ongoing strength in demand for all used vehicles joined with the severe lack in supply should help maintain used retail values for the foreseeable future,” he added.

In fact, NADAguides analysts are projecting that used prices will “buck this trend” of values dipping at this point of the year, and instead, they will “maintain their current high prices.”