American automakers had over seventy years to perfect some of their most successful vehicles. When looking at the latest Mustang GT or Chevrolet Corvette, it is fair to say that both Ford Motor Company and General Motors have turned their already amazing cars into absolute gems. Out of all the domestically produced sports cars, one definitely stands out as being the luxurious sports car. The Chevrolet Corvette.
Upon the release of the C7, gearheads worldwide knew that Chevrolet had once again created a true monster. The C7 definitely is not one of those great muscle cars that flopped miserably. Though the C7 is a terrific car, some gearheads out there always need more. Professional tuners decided to provide potential customers with the extra zing the C7 might need.
9 Foreign C7
It is often wrongly believed that most people outside of the US, especially in Europe and Japan, do not fancy American-made muscle cars. Though it is true that Europeans and Japanese tend to like small, yet powerful engines, true gearheads worldwide will definitely love getting behind the wheel of a C7.
This C7 is the sort of tuned muscle car that is producing a ridiculous amount of power. Tuned by BBM Motorsport, a German tuner, this C7 Z06 is the definition of a monster that was made in America but perfected in Europe. The tuner increased the car's power output to 690 hp and 672 lb-ft of torque. That is quite exceptional given the fact that aftermarket parts for American cars are not widely available in Germany.
8 Track Ready
More often than not, modified Corvettes tend to look like race cars, yet they keep a very street-legal aspect to them. Whether it is due to a fancy paint job or a set of luxurious rims, there is always a feature that ends up being a telltale sign that the car is street-legal, and maybe cruising around with a stock powerplant.
There are times when tuners know how to turn a terrific car into a street-legal beast. The 6.2L V8 found on the Z06 was tuned to produce more power than any stock Corvette out there. Thanks to all the upgrades applied to this Z06, the engine cranks out 850 hp and 880 lb-ft of torque. Imagine pulling up next to a Mustang GT at the red light with this beast.
7 C7RR
It is well-known that Corvettes are a great base for a project. When the C7 was released, most tuners out there were looking for a way to produce the ultimate C7. Though a plethora of modified Corvettes has been seen at car shows like SEMA, only a very limited number were truly memorable.
This wide-bodied C7 was modeled after the C7R GTLM. The result is unarguably breathtaking. Coupled with an engine prepared by either Lingenfelter of Hennessey, this body kit can transform a decent looking C7 into a race car. The body kit is available in both fiberglass and carbon.
6 Showstopper
The Corvette was designed with speed and racing in mind. Though it can be a great daily driver, the Corvette is far more comfortable on the track. As far as the C7 is concerned, it is such a modular vehicle that it can be pretty much anywhere. Either on the drag strip or at a car show, the C7 is made to be driven aggressively and showcased when necessary.
This project was executed by both Forgeline and Atlanta Custom Wraps. It is unclear whether the car received any engine modifications, by the combination of the chameleon wrap and the matte black is gorgeous. The diamond wheels fit the rest of the car perfectly, thus giving it an even more aggressive look.
5 AeroWagen
There are tons of professional tuners worldwide. In Germany, Brabus and Alpina are known for their outstanding packages for Mercedes-Benz and BMW cars. In Japan, Mugen is well-known for its modifications on Honda cars. The US is the home of too many great professional tuners. Callaway is one of them.
The C7 AeroWagen is among the sickest cars tuned by Callaway. It is a mix between a sports car and a station wagon, as the name indicates. Unfortunately, the package offered by Callaway doesn't include any performance parts, however, it must be possible to combine the AeroWagen package with some other solutions offered by the firm. Watching the AeroWagen burning rubber is just awesome.
4 Gold Everything
To some people, the Corvette C7 packs enough power. They believe the engine does not need to be touched as the speed limit is 65 mph anyway. However, they would want to personalize their cars in order to turn heads wherever they go.
Is this a show car? Of course, it is. Just by looking at the wheels, car fans can easily figure out who customized the car. No, not Lexani. Not Giovanna either. You got it. Forgiato. This gold-plated C7 showcased at SEMA is fitted with some gorgeous, and expensive, wheels that would for sure turn tons of heads.
3 Get Out The Way
To most people, the definition of a daily driver would be a car with great gas mileage, that is roomy enough to haul all kinds of stuff, and that would have a stereo good enough to listen to a radio station that has not played anything good in thirty years. Well, not everybody agrees with that definition of a daily driver.
The owner of this C7 seems to care about one thing and one thing only: performance. The car looks relatively stock, but that is what a Prius fan would believe. The car hits 9.69 seconds at 143 mph on the quarter-mile. With a power output of 1,000 hp, this street-legal C7 is unlike most C7s car fans will get to see on the road.
2 Gran Turismo
There are tuners out there that were made popular thanks to their outrageous creations. Hennessey Performance was under the spotlight for a while thanks to the 6X6 Velociraptor, for example. Callaway, although more conservative than Hennessey, has had its fair share of exposure thanks to outstanding projects like this C7.
Callaway is not known for producing boring modified vehicles. This C7 GT3-R is the kind of monster you sure do not want to race against, especially if you are pulling up with a '99 Honda Civic with a homemade air intake. The tuner made sure to give the car enough power to zoom down the track. The combination of the 600 hp and the carbon fiber makes this car a true delight.
1 Texan
Over the last twenty-five years, the Texan tuner Hennessey Performance Engineering has been receiving all the attention. With packages available for almost every high-end sports cars, SUVs, and pickup trucks, the tuner made sure to cover the best vehicles on the market. Moreover, Hennessey quickly understood like platforms such as YouTube were a great marketing tool.
The Corvette C7 ZR1 is a terrific vehicle. There is no denying that. However, when Hennessey decides to its voodoo ritual to the ZR1, the American-made muscle car becomes a true supercar. Hennessey offers three packages, with the best one offering a power output of 1,200 hp at 6,400 rpm and 1,066 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. The HPE 1200 will however cost you the same price as a one-bedroom apartment in some areas of Los Angeles County.