Corvette ZR1 with a camshaft, headers, pulleys, ported heads and a ported blower makes nearly double the stock power.
Since the engine computer system of the C7 Corvette ZR1’s LT5 was unlocked, we have seen lots of shops making big numbers. Many of those big numbers have come from the crew at Hennessey Performance and in the video above from the Texas tuner’s official YouTube channel, we get to experience the capabilities of their HPE1200 package for the new ZR1.
In most cases, the Hennessey engine packages are named after the power levels at the crankshaft, but the HPE1200 package for the new Corvette ZR1 makes nearly 1,200 horsepower at the rear wheels.
HPE1200 Corvette ZR1
In stock form, the new Corvette ZR1 packs 755 horsepower from the supercharged 6.2-liter LT5, leading to 619.19 rear wheel horsepower and 634.42 lb-ft of rear wheel torque.
The HPE1200 package for the new ZR1 adds a Hennessey camshaft, ported cylinder heads, a ported supercharger, new upper and lower pulleys, a larger throttle body, a high-flow induction setup, long-tune headers, stainless steel exhaust and upgraded cylinder head components, including the springs, retainers, pushrods, lifters and valves. Hennessey notes that the HPE1200 package requires race gas, but in the video above, it is tuned to run on an E85 alcohol blend.
Finally, in cars equipped with the 8-speed automatic transmission, Hennessey requires an “upgrade”, but there are no details as to what kinds of upgrades are performed on the self-shifting transmission at work in this video.
Dyno Action
In the video above, we get to watch as a gorgeous new Corvette ZR1 with the Hennessey HPE1200 package makes a hard pull on the dynamometer. We get to enjoy several angles, including one with an inset clip of the gauge cluster, showing us that the transmission is in fifth gear for the big pull and on that run, the car hit 175 miles per hour.
More importantly, the HPE1200 kit lifted the horsepower level at the wheels up to 1,139.16 while the torque climbed to 994.39. That is a gain of 519.97 horsepower and 359.97 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheels, so it is about 100 horsepower short of doubling the stock output.
Of course, the cammed LT5 with the worked heads, blower and aftermarket exhaust bit sounds the part of a Corvette with almost 1,200 wheel horsepower, so crank up your speakers and enjoy!
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
