GM Doesn’t Want You To Tune the C8 Corvette
Back in 2019, before the C8 Corvette was officially launched, we learned that not even Hennessey would be able to tune the C8 Corvette because of its encrypted ECU. Needless to say, the aftermarket world has tried its best to work with GM to get access to the ECU or manage to break through its security, but so far nothing has really worked.
Now we’ve learned that GM isn’t interested in helping aftermarket companies at all, with exception of Callaway, and only then to a minor extent.
This latest news comes via Muscle Cars & Trucks, which had a sit down with the Corvettes Executive Chief Engineer, Tadge Juecther. In short, GM has went overboard in terms of its cybersecurity measures between the Global B electrical architecture and the C8’s ECU. In short, and as MC&T put it, “Engine tuning [the C8] is nearly impossible without running a ton of aftermarket computers in tandem with the factory ECU – otherwise known as a “piggyback”. The process isn’t exactly without serious compromises, either, often involving a rats nest of wires, and major drivability issues.”
According to Juecther, “our business model doesn’t really cater to the aftermarket, we have to do all the things internally between Corvette just like any other General Motors product. Our desire is to make the car as hack proof as possible to protect our customers.”
From this point on, it was pretty much Juecther going on and on about protecting customers and preventing hackers from taking over your car. When asked if GM would at least help a select group of tuners with the C8 Corvette, his answer was disheartening at best. “The answer is essentially no. We’re not going to give everybody kiers to the backdoor into our modules to do whatever they want. We think the best will figure it out.”
At this point, most of the report sounds like little more than what GM’s legal department has drafted up for Juecther. From the outside, it seems that GM would rather force customers to buy more expensive C8s that will be available down the road or take advantage of any performance upgrades eventually offered through Chevy. Either way, if you own a C8 Corvette, don’t expect any tuners to be able to do much for you anytime in the near future, and you can thank GM for that.
Source: Muscle Cars & Trucks