Tuners Finally Unlock The Corvette ZR1 And Z06 That GM Locked Down

  • HP Tuners has unlocked the Z06 and ZR1 ECU.
  • That opens the door to serious tuning potential.
  • One ZR1 made 1,180 hp at the wheels on race fuel.

The new Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 was already a bit ridiculous. Naturally, tuners have decided that was not nearly enough. Earlier this week, HP Tuners became the first to crack the Global B E68 ECU used in the ZR1. That same unit also runs the Z06, which means both cars have just had their digital handcuffs quietly removed. More power is now a software update away.

Getting inside the ECUs used by C8 Corvette models has been notoriously difficult. It wasn’t until mid-2023 that HP Tuners unlocked the Stingray’s software, years after the car first hit the market, as GM did such a good job of encrypting the ECU as part of its Global B electrical architecture.

Watch: Chevy Says The Corvette ZR1 Has 1,064 HP. Dyno Tests Say Otherwise

While we’re sure plenty of Z06 owners will now appreciate being able to tune their cars, there’s only so much extra power you can squeeze from a naturally-aspirated engine without going down the forced induction and rewriting the laws of physics. The ZR1, with its turbocharged setup, is the real headline here. If anyone is about to chase some properly outrageous numbers, it is them.

Simple Upgrades Equal Big Power

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The tuner used the 2025 Corvette ZR1 owned by popular YouTuber Cleetus McFarland to unlock the new ECU, and quickly got to work boosting power. With a set of aftermarket downpipes, race fuel, and a tune, this ZR1 delivered a remarkable 1,180 hp and 1,094 lb-ft (1,483 Nm) of torque at the wheels.

By comparison, the standard car is rated at 1,064 hp and 828 lb-ft (1,123 Nm) at the flywheel. Factor in drivetrain losses and McFarland’s car could be comfortably north of 1,300 hp at the crank. So yes, it was already quick. Now it is something else.

According to Matt Sanford of HP Tuners, it’s possible to unlock an extra 15 percent over stock in the ZR1’s mid-range, and roughly 10 percent up top while remaining within safe limits. Those seeking additional power can opt for race fuel and may see gains of up to 25 percent, but this will come at the expense of thermal and component protection.

Chevy Corvette Z06 and ZR1 owners who want in can ship their ECU to HP Tuners for $1,499. It is returned unlocked, giving local performance shops access to key parameters such as boost, ignition timing, torque management, injector timing, and air/fuel ratios. The arms race has officially entered its next phase.


The Auto World

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