New Yenko/SC Corvette to Pack 1000 Horsepower

Yenko is one of those storied names by that never fails to evoke strong images and stories from days gone by, at least among the bow tie and muscle car faithful. The dealership, the man, and the cars—along with the story behind them—are truly larger than life.

Though Yenko Chevrolet closed its doors in 1982, the name lives on with machines from Specialty Vehicle Engineering, itself a company with deep roots in the world of automotive performance. (Known prior to 2014 as Street Legal Performance, or SLP, they were the company behind the third- and fourth-generation Camaro SS and Firebird Firehawk, among others.) SVE’s latest Yenko-branded project, the Yenko/SC Corvette, combines looks and horsepower in that classic Yenko way but on a very modern platform.

The eighth-generation Corvette has been nothing if not polarizing to fans of America’s sportscar, but it’s nonetheless been wildly popular and has succeeded in bringing a younger audience to the model. From a performance perspective, it’s an obvious choice to get the Yenko treatment, even if the younger folks among those lusting after C8s might not be as familiar with the name. In a form consistent with older Yenko products as well as the existing lineup of Yenko/SC vehicles that SVE produces, this Corvette packs some serious performance.

The cosmetic treatment includes forged wheels and contrasting graphics that highlight the C8’s edgy styling. Like the stripes on Chevelles and Camaros of yore, these decals merely hint at the heavy work that’s been done under the hood. SVE turned the LT2 engine into a 1000 horsepower monster with a pair of turbochargers that pressure-feed the V-8 all the fresh air it can handle. To handle the boost, SVE upgraded the internals of the engine with a forged steel crankshaft, forged H-beam rods, forged 2618 aluminum pistons, ARP high strength head and main studs, CNC-ported high-flow cylinder heads with upgraded valvetrain, proprietary ground camshaft, custom intercooled intake manifold, custom valve covers with integrated oil separators, and an upgraded fuel system to support it all. According to SVE, the Tremec DCT transmission also receives upgrades, though the exact details are not in the promotional materials for the package.

It’s hard not to embrace the cool factor of a 1000-horsepower mid-engine Chevrolet—the eighth-generation Corvette already posted supercar performance metrics, so a 100% boost in power effectively makes the car a land-based rocket ship. Whether the exotic-looking C8 benefits from the nostalgic Yenko stripes is up for debate, but there’s no question that this build certainly lives up to the Yenko mythology. Pricing starts at $99,995, plus the cost of a new Corvette, of course. SVE will only build 10 Yenko/SC Corvettes in 2024 and another 50 in 2025. If you’re interested, you’ll need to head down to your Chevy dealer. This time around, a COPO form won’t be necessary.

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