Rumors emerged before Chevy even revealed the 2020 Corvette C8 that the new mid-engine supercar would be “untunable.” Chevy pointed to the car using GM’s Global B electrical architecture that locks down the ECU for cybersecurity reasons as the culprit, and it looks like it’ll stay that way for now. Corvette Executive Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter told Muscle Cars and Trucks the company has no plans to assist the aftermarket in tuning the car.
For one, Chevy has no intention of giving aftermarket companies and tuners a backdoor past its electronic security measures. History has shown such workarounds can easily fall into the hands of nefarious actors, and it’s doubtful GM would want to risk compromising its vehicles that are on the road for a turbocharger. Juechter said the company’s goal is to make its products “as hack proof as possible” to protect customers. Another hurdle is that Chevy already has a lot on its plate developing the Corvette and the team’s own products.
Gallery: 2022 Chevrolet Corvette New Colors
Juechter believes “the best” will figure out how to tune the car, and some have, though not without difficulty. There are high-powered C8 Corvettes that produce over 1,000 horsepower, but, as Muscle Cars and Trucks notes, there isn’t a single aftermarket forced induction kit available. Those that have done it have had to deal with a myriad of wires and computers. Tuning the Corvette is not impossible, but it’s also not as easy as it used to be, either. However, that hasn’t stopped tuners from trying.
It’s Possible:
So far, Chevy has only introduced the Corvette Stingray for the C8 generation. Several more variants are expected, including the Z06, but Chevy hasn’t provided any information about those or how much power they’ll deliver. The lack of a robust aftermarket scene doesn’t seem to be hurting the company, though. Last month, it was reported that Chevy has more orders for the Corvette than it can handle.
Source: Muscle Cars and Trucks