C8 Corvette Raybestos Powertrain GPZ Clutches Can Handle Over 1,000 HP

More power is wonderful in this application, but owners shouldn’t ignore the rear axles and transmission either. Cicio Performance is much obliged to upgrade the Corvette’s axles with 1,500-horsepower units, and the transaxle can easily be modified with Raybestos Powertrain GPZ clutches.

Ray who? Raybestos Powertrain is the company that helped Extreme Turbo Systems break into the 9-second range with 1,021 horsepower on tap, which is a lot by all accounts. Tremec says the eight-speed DCT can take up to 590 pound-feet (800 Nm) completely stock, which is why you need aftermarket friction clutches to harness this level of suck-squeeze-bang-blow.

Currently available to pre-order without an advertised price, GPZ clutches are constructed from “a state-of-the-art friction material that exceeds OE material to withstand high stress, temperatures, and repeated cycling.” Raybestos doesn’t mention the exact torque limit, but it does mention 1,000-horsepower builds such as the strip-slaying ETS C8.

If you need an upgraded clutch pack now for your car, Dodson Motorsport has got you covered for $4,299.95, including shipping. Produced in New Zealand and sold by Cicio Performance, the clutch kit is conservatively rated at 800 pound-feet (1,085 Nm) of torque at the rear wheels.

Owners who prefer the Corvette as stock as possible also have a reason to celebrate. Chevrolet will reopen the order book for the high-wing spoiler on April 8, and the Z06 is right around the corner with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires that measure 345/25 by 21 inches out back. Animated by a flat-plane crankshaft V8 with a DOHC valvetrain, the first performance-oriented C8 is likely to be unveiled in July 2021 for the 2022 model year.