The tale of three Corvette C7 Z06 tuners: Hennessey vs. Lingenfelter vs. Callaway and vaseline for the customers

Like any previous generation of Corvette (at least since C4), the newest generation of +General Motors finest, Chevrolet Corvette is a source of great income for so called aftermarket tuners, including those offering complete upgrade packages, requiring customers to turn in their cars (at their own expense) to be transformed into those tuners editions of the newest Corvette.

Although there are a few others, including domestic and foreign tuners, offering their own editions of the newest Corvette, here are three that already offer not just supercharged upgrades to the base Stingray but the newest flagship, Corvette C7 Z06 as well.

Hennessey HPE800 Upgrade
2015 Chevrolet Corvette C7 Z06

Power • 800 bhp @ 6,500 rpm

• Hennessey Lower Pulley Upgrade
• High Flow Cylinder Heads
• Upgraded Valve Springs
• Upgraded Lifters
• Cold Air Induction System
• Custom HPE Camshaft
• All Necessary Gaskets & Fluids
• Professional Installation
• HPE Engine Management Calibration
• Dyno Tuning & Road Testing
• Serial-Numbered Dash & Engine Plaques
• Hennessey Exterior Badging
• Hennessey Premium Floormats
• 2 Year / 24,000 Mile Limited Warranty

Optional Upgrades
• Hennessey Carbon Fiber Door Sill Plates
• Hennessey H10 Monoblock Wheel Upgrade

Cost (ESTIMATED ONLY): $18,995
Cost per hp: $127
Warranty drivetrain retention: NONE
Emmissions compliance: NONE
Optional drivetrain cooling upgrades: NONE
Weight reduction measures: NONE

SC757 Callaway Corvette Z06
 Engine Displacement – 6.2L/376 cu. in.Maximum Power – 757 hp @ 6500 rpm (SAE)
Maximum Torque – 777 hp @ 4500 rpm (SAE)
0 to 60 mph – To Be Determined
1/4 Mile ET/Speed – To Be Determined

Standard Equipment

• Callaway GenThree Supercharger System (pat. pend.)
  with Triple Element Intercooler System
• Callaway High Flow Intake System
• Callaway Embroidered Floor Mats
• Callaway Door Sill Panels
• Exterior and Interior Callaway Badging
• Callaway Underhood Plaque with Vehicle Identification Number
• Callaway Key Fobs
• Callaway Corvette Authenticity Documentation Package
• 3 Year/36,000 Mile Limited Warranty

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Optional Equipment

• Callaway Sport Exhaust System
• Callaway ShortThrow 7 Speed Shifter
• Carbon Flash Emblem Package
• Callaway Nine Spoke Alloy Wheels (exc. Z06)
• Callaway Corvette Car Cover
• National Corvette Museum Delivery
• Callaway Factory Delivery
• 5 Year/60,000 Mile Powertrain Service Contract

Price: $16,995 plus TVS1740 supercharger (total cost $19,400)
Cost per hp: $181
Factory warranty retention: NONE
Emmissions compliance: 49 states only
Optional drivetrain cooling upgrades: NONE
Weight reduction measures: NONE

Lingenfelter Engineering

2015 C7 Corvette ZO6 720 HP 6.2 L Engine package
720 Horsepower 730 FT LBS of Torque
Package includes:
- Lingenfelter LT1/LT4 dry sump damper
- Lingenfelter 9.2” 15% supercharger drive damper pulley
- Supercharger drive belt
- 100mm idler pulley kit
- Green Air filter
- Lingenfelter 170 degree thermostat
- GM crankshaft bolt
- Handheld diagnostic & programing tool
- Professional assembly & engine installation
- Custom engine control module reprogramming
- Chassis dyno testing before & after installation
- Lingenfelter chrome fender badges, interior badge & personalized stainless engine badge
- Lingenfelter certificate of authenticity
- Four wheel alignment, cleaning & detailing, full tank of 93 Octane fuel before delivery
- Lingenfelter 1 year/ 12,000 mile warranty on added components
Package price - $3,995.00

Price per hp - $57
Factory warranty retention: NONE
50 state emmission compliance: NONE
Optional drivetrain cooling upgrades: NONE
Weight reduction measures: NONE

First of all, what are the major problems with the current "most (track) capable Corvette ever"?

1. Excessive weight, both sprung and unsprung.
2. Faulty or counterproductive aerodynamics
3. Overheating and heat soak problems.

Disclaimer: for the purpose of performance aspects, reliability, fit and finish and quality control related problems are ommitted.

So out of these three "tuner editions" of the newest flagship, which one addresses at least one of the issues listed above?  NONE!!! 

Yes, as shocking as this may appear, none of these fine tuners willing to collect money from the flagship buyers have made even a slightest effort to address the problems plaguing the flagship even partially.  Instead, what these companies did was to add more horsepower, good for at least one dyno run as long as fan is blowing and hood is open.

As it already well established, the main reason why the newest +Tadge Juechter creation is such a piece of shit is its inability to MAINTAIN the advertised power output, with the performance further hampered by the car's truly obscene weight and aerodynamics worth of a garden shed.

Intuitively, one would expect that there would be at least one aftermarket company realizing this situation and rectifying this spectacular GM fuck up.  So why there is absolutely nobody in the aftermarket willing to tackle the problems and offer at least a partial solution?

The answer is two fold: extra power is the cheapest way for these tuners to distinguish themselves, anything more would require an actual research and development that not only requires serious funds but also takes a time and time means fewer sales (the enthusiasm is always strongest at the beginning of the production run).

The other part of the answer is the attitude of the Corvette buyers, especially those who paid extra to buy the top of the line flagship.  These people suffer from a serious case of denial, ignoring the problems and fundamental flaws of the new flagship.  After all, if any of these geniuses understood the problems with the flagship, they would never bought this newest piece of shit.  Instead of realizing the problems, these buyers take the path of least resistance and rely on extra power as the universal substitute to meaningful solutions.  Telling these people they have shit for brains is of course a complete waste of time, not to mention the resentment such honest approach may create. 

Since the tuners understand the marketing aspect, they deliver exactly what the masses want and ironically, compound the problems already present.  Due to the pesky laws of physics and thermodynamics, the efficiency of the internal combustion engine results in even more heat generation and round and round we go...

On the surface, the Callaway package, even though it is the most expensive alternative, seems like it may offer the best solution to the problems while delivering that extra power but it really does not.  Yes, use of a larger supercharger may slightly reduce the hair dryer effect the OEM little turd produces but in reality, the problem becomes worse due to the fact that the larger supercharger is used to create extra power, instead  of reducing the heat generation that literally becomes soaked by the engine and its cooling features.  Thus, the whole thing becomes counterproductive, in spite of the bullshit claims of the hole in the hood being cure to all the problems with the flagship.

Had Callaway invest in a new front bumper and fenders designs, improved and INTEGRATED air intake, improved radiator, relocated the engine and transmission coolers and provided actual heat extraction from the engine compartment while increasing the aerodynamic benefits of such design, this could have been a better justification for the money Callaway demands but of course, no such luck.

Then there is of course Hennessey, the master of bullshit right in line with Callaway, maybe even worse considering the past and current dealings involving parting out customers cars and promoting automotive pyramid scheme while providing sub par parts and installations rivaling the worst home mechanics.

As with Callaway, there is no meaningful modification to the flagship and instead, like with Callaway, just more power (supposedly).  Instead of larger supercharger, Hennessey relies on higher flow cylinder heads, with most likely eliminated AFM hardware and cam phaser.  Of all three packages discussed here, this one is most likely saving some weight but of course, this is Hennessey and quality of the replacement parts along with the installation is a big unknown (not in a good way).
Interestingly, outside of the higher flowing air intake,  heads and camshafts and necessary software there is absolutely nothing else worth noting that comes with this package, well, maybe for extra heat, LOL.  Of course these changes render any aspirations to have the car comply with emmission laws is nothing but a pipe dream (pun fully intended).

Finally, the most puzzling of these offerings, one marketed under John Lingenfelter's name.  This package even though it uses Lingenfelter's name, most likely happened only because Lingenfelter is not around anymore.  Recalling his actual work from the past, it is unlikely he would approve any of it at all.   Although on the surface, this is the biggest bang for the buck, it is also the one that creates the highest possibility of the buyer facing the complete engine replacement the soonest (maybe this is also why it is offered with the shortest warranty as well?).

To see Lingenfelter name users forcing the little turdy supercharger even faster than OEM is right down alarming, especially since no cooling upgrades are offered even as an option.  Thus, even though this one seems like the real bargain, it may be as well the most expensive one, with the real price to be paid after a few drag strip stints and absolutely no chance for GM to cover the damage.

In the summary, none of these "editions" is worthwhile, unless someone either plans on limiting the car use to infrequent Cars and Coffee competitions and displaying the tuner emblems or has access to free engine replacements and is capable of replacing the blown motor on their own (or pay for such replacement).

Will any of these or other "tuners" come up with a meaningful solution actually improving this newest flagship?  This is yet to be determined but judging after these offerings, this is very doubtful.