2021 Yenko/SC Camaro now serves up 1050 hp
Specialty Vehicle Engineering, Inc. (SVE), the New-Jersey-based company formerly known as Street Legal Performance (SLP), has for 2021 managed to squeeze an additional 50 horsepower from the custom-built V-8 in its Yenko Stage II Camaro. SVE’s previous models put out a paltry 1000 horsepower, so if you want to keep up with some of the meanest pony cars on the market, the limited-edition 2021 model may just be the ultimate statement.
Adding 50 more horses to your pony car is a big deal when making the move from, let’s say, 450-500 hp. With Yenko Camaros already in four-digit territory, is the 50 horsepower that noticeable? Maybe not, but why settle for good enough?
When we asked SVE about the changes for 2021, its reasoning was simple (and convincing) enough, “We’re always on the lookout for more power,” said SVE Vice President David Hamburger.
The team at SVE had customers that always want more, so they didn’t stop at the 1000-hp mark. Over the past year, they’ve developed an improved CNC cylinder head program and fortified the car’s fuel system to deliver enough high-test gasoline to feed its unique engine. The rest of the custom engine, from the camshaft to the crank, carries over from 2020.
Each of the 50 limited-production Yenko/SC Stage II Camaros starts as a new 1SS or 2SS 1LE. That means it comes with Magnetic Ride Control, an electronic limited-slip differential, Recaro performance seats, and all of the built-in track cooling that’s standard on the 1LE. From there, SVE pulls the 6.2-liter LT1 V-8 and strips it down to the bare block. A forged rotating assembly ups the stroke to bring displacement to 416 cubic inches or 6.8 liters. Then the short-block is topped by CNC-ported LT4 heads that are built for the increased cylinder pressure of supercharging. Stainless-steel long-tube headers and high-flow catalytic converters replace the factory manifold to keep up with the increased exhaust volume. Finally, a 3.0-liter Whipple supercharger tops the engine and is on display when the hood is popped, no engine cover necessary.
In addition to the improved engine package, 2021 Yenko Camaros also receive a new wheel design and new badging inside and out to advertise their 1050 hp output. SVE is only building 50 Stage II Yenkos for 2021, and they’ve sold out each year since the Yenko package returned in 2016.
If you’d like to get in on the action or feel that your 1000-hp 2020 model just isn’t doing it for you anymore, you can order one from your Chevrolet dealer. Deposits are $10,000 and pricing for the Yenko Stage II starts at $69,995 on top of a 1SS or 2SS Camaro 1LE.
