The 2019 Yenko Corvette is insanely powerful.
The muscle car era’s constant escalations almost seem quaint in comparison to the mindsets clearly gripping Detroit today. Manufacturers have their minds made up that huge power figures have become necessary for brands to maintain a tight grip on the public’s attention — not that anyone’s complaining. Yet, with the announcement of the 2019 Yenko Corvette, the entire industry has taken another step up.
Chevrolet was forced to respond to Dodge’s lineup of the ever-improving Challenger-based Hellcats (which have since become Redeyes, while Camaros received Hennessey's Demon package). But the Corvette isn’t immune to the arms race it seems, and frequent GM partner Specialty Vehicle Engineering was called upon to facilitate a special-edition 'Vette that improves on the already impressive Z06 package.
The result is a 1,000 horsepower track monster with a name that hearkens back towards the days of muscle car mania. The Yenko moniker became a symbol of massive power when former racer and car dealer Don Yenko ordered 106 SS Camaros back in 1967 and modified them against GM’s explicit wishes to create the Yenko Super Camaro. Among the modifications was the installation of the legendary Corvette L72 427 cubic inch V8.
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Today’s Yenko Corvette, though, blasts the Yenko Super Camaro out of the water with more than double the power. Only 25 Stage II Yenko Corvettes will be produced, but each will feature a supercharged 6.8-liter engine based on the Z06’s LT1 that already produced 650 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque. Other than the engine styling and base specifications will be based mainly on the 2019 Corvette Grand Sport — another tribute to another stellar Chevy product from the early 1960s.
Additional speed freak specs available for the 2019 Yenko Corvette essentially bring the package up to and beyond Z06 levels, though. Drivetrain mods to manage all that power include a seven-speed manual with active rev matching (alternatively, an eight-speed paddle shifting automatic is available), a limited slip differential, and a dry sump oil system. Braking comes via Brembo rotors measuring 14.6-inches up front with six-piston calipers — ceramic brakes are als0 available as an upgrade.
Suspension bits and pieces include Magnetic Ride Control paired with performance calibrated sway bars. Exterior styling cues hint at the superpower under the long hood, from wider rear fenders to extensive Yenko Corvette badging and cladding. Orders can be made at Chevy dealers or through SVE directly - pricing is tentatively set at a minimum of $68, 995 above the cost of the factory Corvette, and obviously depending on how many boxes are checked on the options list.