Hennessey-Tuned C8 Corvette Hits 205 MPH

That's quite an increase over the C8's factory 194-mph top speed.

Hennessey Performance recently showed us what kind of base-level acceleration is capable from the C8 Corvette, but now it's showing off what this car can do with a slight tune. While Hennessey has no problem squeezing 912 horsepower from an Audi R8 by adding a twin turbo setup, this Corvette's V8 was cranked up to 650 horsepower using just an exhaust system and nitrous oxide allowing the car to hit a claimed top speed of 205.1 mph with former GM Performance director John Heinricy behind the wheel.

Despite the Corvette's digital speedometer never showing more than 204 mph in the video, Hennessey says that the VBOX telemetry system recorded a top speed of 205.1 mph making it the fourth time Hennessey has tuned a car to run over 200 mph. As it stands, Hennessey claims this is the first C8 to top the 200-mph barrier making it the world's fastest C8 Corvette. Once production of the Corvette starts back up again, we have a feeling that other tuners will get in on the 200-mph action!

With a base tune of up to 495 horsepower, Hennessey has developed a stainless steel exhaust system for the C8 that allows the 6.2-liter LT2 V8 to breathe easier resulting in a 20-hp gain, and it's also 12 pounds lighter and produces a deeper exhaust note. This exhaust upgrade will be available to customers "in the very near future," but the biggest performance gain came from the nitrous oxide system that raised the engine's max output up to 650 hp.

We can't wait to see what the result will be when Hennessey manages to slap a twin turbo on the mid-engine 'Vette!