Straight off the showroom floor, the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is already one of the most exciting American performance cars you can buy. Its naturally aspirated 5.5-liter V8 produces 670 horsepower and screams all the way to an 8,600-rpm redline, which is impressive even by supercar standards.
For some owners, however, it seems 670 horsepower simply isn’t enough. One Corvette enthusiast decided his C8 Z06 needed a lot more muscle, and a pair of turbochargers seemed like the perfect solution.
The car recently visited Houston-based Late Model Racecraft (LMR), where the team installed its Stage 1 Twin Turbo Package. The result is a Corvette producing 810 horsepower at the rear wheels, or roughly 1,000 horsepower at the crank.
As demonstrated in a video on LMR’s YouTube channel (embedded at the end of this article), the transformation brings serious acceleration and plenty of turbo noise. Remarkably, the shop says the car still behaves much like a factory Z06 during everyday driving.
Two Turbos Give The Z06 A Serious Boost
The Corvette had already received naturally aspirated upgrades from another shop before arriving at LMR. Running on E85 fuel, it produced 597 rear-wheel horsepower during its initial dyno test.
LMR then installed a pair of Precision mirror-image ball-bearing turbochargers, complete with eye-catching neon-yellow housings. An air-to-water intercooling system helps manage temperatures, while custom engine and transmission tuning keeps everything working together.
The finished car produces 810 rear-wheel horsepower and 588 lb-ft of torque on ordinary 93-octane gasoline. That’s a gain of 213 horsepower at the wheels, despite switching from E85 to pump gas.
Transmission Tuning Makes A Big Difference
According to LMR owner Steven Fereday, unlocking the C8’s transmission controls has been especially important for high-horsepower builds. The shop can now adjust clutch pressure and shift behavior to better handle the additional power.
During the test drive, Fereday demonstrates how quickly the boosted Corvette accelerates, with the turbos adding a distinctive soundtrack. The short exhaust system also allows the flat-plane-crank V8 to retain much of its aggressive character.
Of course, putting that power onto the pavement presents another challenge. Fereday recommends stickier rear tires for owners planning aggressive acceleration runs in the lower gears.
Nearly 1,000 Horsepower With Everyday Manners
Despite the dramatic power increase, LMR says the Corvette is still comfortable and manageable in Touring mode. The goal was to create something that could be driven regularly rather than a temperamental, track-only machine.
It’s worth noting that the quoted 1,000-horsepower figure is an estimate at the crank, not a measured engine output. The confirmed dyno result is 810 horsepower at the rear wheels.
Still, that’s a remarkable amount of power from a Z06 that keeps its distinctive high-revving V8 character despite the added boost. For enthusiasts who love the C8’s high-revving V8 but want an extra shove in the back, this twin-turbo conversion looks like a particularly entertaining solution.