Hennessey builds 600bhp Corvette

Earlier this year Hennessey promised us a 1000bhp, turbocharged version of the Corvette C7 ‘Stingray'. We were scared. Blood pressures were raised.

Thankfully, the company behind some of the most bombastic motors on earth has decided to start with a slightly more subtle modification for the American performance icon. Meet the 600bhp HPE600 Corvette.

It takes the entry-level 455bhp 6.2-litre V8 - the most powerful base-engine in a Corvette ever - and adds stainless steel intake and exhaust manifolds, a high flow cat and mid pipes that work with the factory-fit dual-mode performance exhaust. There's also a hydraulic roller camshaft, ported and polished cylinder heads, and a remapped ECU to work with 93-octane unleaded.

No confirmed performance stats, but given the standard 455bhp ‘Vette hits 0-60mph in just 3.8 seconds and runs on to a top speed of 190mph, expect some serious fastness.

Visual accompaniments to this extra power are also available, including monoblock forged wheels, carbon fibre door sills, and Hennessey's ‘CarbonAero' bodywork (a deeper front splitter, side sills and a notched rear wing made from carbon fibre).

It'll cost you $10,950 - installed - for this 600bhp option, complete with a 3-year or 36,000-mile warranty. That, or you can wait for the twin-turbo 1000bhp version and shorten your life span considerably. The choice is yours...

Vijay Pattni