Not satisfied with being the first to twin-turbocharge the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, Hennessey Performance has also become the first to exceed 200 mph (320 km/h) in the mid-engined supercar.
From the factory, the C8 Corvette has a claimed top speed of 194 mph (312 km/h) without the Z51 Performance Package and 184 mph (296 km/h) with the Z51 pack due to the drag it adds. Both those speeds are impressive but pale compared to the 205.1 mph (330 km/h) that Hennessey hit. Just how did it reach such a figure?
The answer is simple: this Corvette is not stock. It features a stainless steel exhaust as well as a 135 hp Nitrous system, upgrades that work together to bump up power from the standard 495 hp to 650 hp. The car used for the high-speed run was a Z51 model with its rear spoiler removed to help it slice through the air.
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Hennessey conducted the high-speed run at the Continental Tire Proving Ground in Ulvalde, Texas with former GM engineer John Heinricy behind the wheel. Heinricy oversaw the development of vehicles including the Corvette Z06 and Cadillac CTS-V and is currently acting as the chief engineer for the Hennessey Venom F5 project.
Making the top speed achieved by the C8 Corvette all the more impressive is just how bumpy the road used for the run was. Onboard footage shows that as the car picked up the pace, it was bouncing up and down. Clearly, Heinricy has balls of steel to have kept the throttle pinned despite the harsh surface.