Often described as a supercar although it’s not as exotic as mid-engined Ferrari and Lamborghini models, the C8 Corvette Stingray is ridiculously good value for money. The corner-carving sports car from Bowling Green is well-equipped right off the bat, and if you’re prepared to pony up a few dollars extra, the Z51 performance pack makes it pretty much irresistible.
The most Chevy offers from the small-block V8 engine is 495 horsepower and 470 pound-feet (637 Nm) of torque at 5,150 revolutions per minute, figures that may not seem impressive in comparison to a twin-turbocharged F8 Tributo and full-on hypercars that include the Pagani Huayra Tempesta.
Be that as it may, we shouldn’t forget how much the aforementioned models cost in comparison to the sub-$70,000 Corvette Stingray Z51. It’s also worth remembering that a small block is humble by design, a pushrod lump that boasts two valves per cylinder and a single hydraulic-roller camshaft.
The LT2, however, can be modified beyond expectations if you can work your way through the heavily encrypted engine control unit. FuelTech did exactly that with their Stingray, which is rocking an FT600 ECU and topside-mounted Garrett G35-900 turbochargers. The pictured vehicle utilizes two fuel systems, as in the original direct injection complemented by an Aeromotive brushless pump delivering VP Racing Fuels M1 race-grade methanol to Injector Dynamics fuel injectors mounted in a custom sheet-metal manifold.
We also have to mention the custom jumper harness that allows the aftermarket engine control unit to govern timing and fuel delivery. The FT600 ECU activates when the intake manifold sees positive pressure. An internal boost controller allows FuelTech to properly manage the power curve, and a second FT600 control system presides over the dual-clutch transmission. All these mods - and many other hardware-based upgrades - help the LT2 make a simply ridiculous 1,350 horsepower at the Michelin-wrapped rear wheels.
Anderson Dick, the founder and CEO of FuelTech, estimates that crankshaft ponies exceed the 1,500-horsepower mark, which is Bugatti Chiron territory.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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