C8 Corvette Drops Factory Exhaust Muffler, Sounds Like Straight-Pipe V8 Rumble

Filmed by Street Speed 717, the car in question shows 123 miles (198 kilometers) on the odometer. This is why the redline of the digital tachometer starts at 4,500 instead of 6,500 revolutions per minute after the break-in period, and while we’re at it, the oil temperature is fairly low at 81 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius).

Don’t think for a minute that the LT2 can’t take this kind of – let’s call it abuse – in these conditions. The small-block V8 is one of the longest-lasting engine designs out there, the golden standard of General Motors. It’s the time-tested durability, the ease of maintenance, and the tuning potential that makes this engine so popular nowadays despite the two-valve-per-cylinder arrangement and pushrod valvetrain.

Thanks to direct injection, the C8 Corvette in Stingray flavor is much obliged to crank out 490 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque. Opt for the sports exhaust of the Z51 Performance Package, and you’re treated to 495 ponies and 470 twerks.

In addition to hearing the ‘Vette without a muffler, the video uploaded by Street Speed 717 also reveals the packaging of the C8 without the rear bodywork. It may be harder to work on the mid-engine sports car than on the front-engine predecessor, but then again, regular servicing like draining the oil and changing the oil filter is fairly easy thanks to a couple of cut-outs in the C8’s underbody panels.

If you’re planning on switching to a straight-pipe exhaust or something more civilized such as a cat-back exhaust, you’ll have to lift the car as well as take apart the trunk. MagnaFlow is currently developing an aftermarket upgrade, based on feedback from YouTube personality TJ Hunt and other C8 Corvette owners.