Nitrous-infused C8 Corvette breaks 200mph barrier

Tuesday, 19 May 2020

Fresh off the showroom floor, the new C8 Corvette will top out at 194mph (312kmh), given enough space. For most of us, that's plenty fast. But for some, it's not quite enough.

Texan tuner Hennessey is part of the latter group. It didn't take much effort to push the 'Vette over the 200mph (322kmh) barrier, just a new stainless steel exhaust system and a healthy shot of nitrous. Power subsequently rose from 365kW to 484kW.

Factor in a rear wing delete for less high-speed drag, seasoned pro John Heinricy at the wheel and Hennessey's 13.6km test track and you've got a nice recipe for velocity.

The standard C8 Chevrolet Corvette's top speed of 194mph just isn't enough for some. It probably won't surprise you to learn who.

It may not shock you to learn that Hennessey did indeed break 200mph. Heinricy reached a GPS-verified 205mph (329kmh), making the tuner's C8 the fastest eighth-generation Corvette yet.

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484kW from a shot of nitrous and a new exhaust not enough? Hennessey will happily add some forced induction to the mix as well.

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Aside from going really fast, the run provided Hennessey the chance to stress-test its new exhaust system. Sounds like it all worked correctly, which is good because the tuner is planning on offering a couple of upgrade paths for C8 owners seeking more grunt.

One will be a supercharger that improves output to 700 horses (522kW) while another involves two turbochargers pushing power way up to 1200hp (895kW). The latter will require a few additional engine mods and an upgraded version of the dual-clutch automatic to ensure longevity. Pricing has yet to be announced as well.

Of course, Chevy isn't going to let tuners have all the fun.

The forthcoming Z06 will be the track-focused member of the family and it has been linked to a new 5.5-litre flat-plane crank dual overhead cam V8 making closer to 400kW. The engine was first seen in action in the C8.R racer at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona back in January.

Meanwhile, the ZR1 will allegedly use a twin-turbocharged 4.2-litre V8 making an epic 597kW and 949Nm.

This engine is found in the Cadillac CT6-V, where it makes 'only' 410kW so take this information with a grain of salt. Other rumours have claimed the 5.5-litre V8 will gain two turbochargers in lieu of redesigning Cadillac's engine.

Finally, the ultimate Corvette will be badged Zora, in honour of the legendary GM engineer and 'Father of the Corvette', Zora Arkus-Duntov. It will use the twin-turbo ZR1 engine and add a powerful electric motor to the mix, sitting in the currently vacant frunk. The combustion engine will power the rear wheels and the electric motor will drive the fronts, generating a total system power bordering on 1000hp (745kW).

The resulting all-wheel drive and continent-shifting torque should make the Zora one of the fastest accelerating cars on the planet. However, the extra weight will likely impact its abilities on the track.

While it was originally confirmed to sell here in New Zealand, the ongoing effect of COVID-19 has put a right-hand drive Corvette on the backburner. It's still a possibility but a much less certain one for now.