According to Howard Tanner, Lead Calibrator for Vengeance Racing, “It’s not hard to make power, today. It’s all about what power fits for what you’re using it for, and can you manage it?” Perhaps, more than anything, that statement is the true brilliance of Vengeance Racing’s Carbon VR1, probably one of the nicest and most functional sixth-generation Corvettes the staff of LSX has ever seen. From the ground up, this C6 was built to combine the absolute best aspects of extraordinary style, epic performance, and everyday drivability.

The ‘Blue Devil’ ZR1 is already a cool car. Officially reviving Corvette’s ‘King Of The Hill’ moniker for the first time in over a decade, the car has become a perennial favorite among collectors and tuners alike. When the owner of this ‘Blue Devil’ ZR1 approached Vengeance Racing, his vision was to achieve the ultimate in power, handling, and attitude. Roughly 1.5 years later, the Carbon VR1 made its grand debut at High Performance Expo (HPX) in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“It’s not hard to make power, today. It’s all about what power fits for what you’re using it for, and can you manage it?” — Howard Tanner, Lead Calibrator for Vengeance Racing

Ultimate Power: 1,200 To The Wheels

As fans and owners, we all know how magical a seven-liter LS is in a sixth-generation Corvette. But trust us, the Carbon VR1’s 427 cubic inch mill isn’t just some random Z06 transplant. According to Tanner, the LS-based small block has been built with the best components on the market and topped with a completely custom twin-turbo setup that was hand-fabricated at Vengeance Racing. The result is an extremely streetable car that, with the help of E85, can easily be dialed up to a hearty 1,200 rear-wheel horsepower for trips to the track. That power effectively meets the pavement thanks to a sophisticated MoTeC system, which manages traction as well as ignition and fueling. According to Tanner, “That 1,200 was still not turning the screws to it… The motor and the turbo system are probably capable of close to 1,500 wheel.” That said, the car and the engine will likely be the most reliable and pleasing as a total package at 1,200 rear-wheel horsepower, so that’s where Vengeance wisely left it.

Of course, there’s more to great performance than hot air and big numbers. To achieve that impressive feat, the team at Vengeance positioned this Chevy’s turbos just below its exhaust manifolds. The heat from those manifolds lights the turbos quicker, which, when combined with custom charge pipes that run straight into the car’s frame rails, ultimately creates less lag. The whole system is clean, very compact, and highly efficient. The LS feeds a sequential transmission, which means no dropping power to hit shifts. At the front of the car, the MoTeC system receives plenty of flow thanks to twin throttle bodies that Tanner admits were as much an aesthetic enhancement as a performance addition.

Levers inside Carbon VR1’s cockpit can adjust front and rear sway bar bias on the fly.

Ultimate Handling: Adjust On The Fly

The athleticism afforded by Carbon VR1’s sequential transmission and MoTeC-guided twin-turbo 427 would completely overwhelm a factory chassis. That’s why Vengeance Racing installed a full coil-over suspension that’s finished with adjustable front and rear sway bars. Levers that are conveniently located inside the Corvette’s cockpit can independently change the bias of both the front and rear sway bars. Additionally, lightweight carbon wheels increase both appearance and performance. But perhaps the most impressive thing about the bottom of this Corvette is simply the builder’s attention to detail. Late-model Camaros and Corvettes haven’t quite made it to the ‘preservation and restoration’ stage of their classic counterparts. So, when we tell you things like every component under this C6 has been fully Cerakoted, it’s notable commentary on the quality of Vengeance Racing’s builds.

Ultimate Attitude: Carbon Is Cool

With the Carbon VR1, the vision was to create a functional and balanced performance icon that also looked the part. There’s no denying the cool factor of carbon, and the fact that adding carbon components generally nets an overall weight advantage is just icing on the cake. In addition to the carbon roof, fenders, hood and aero bits that came standard on the C6 ZR1, Carbon VR1 features carbon quarters, carbon doors, a carbon wing and lightweight carbon seats that cradle both the driver and front passenger.

The Carbon VR1 isn’t just another high-horsepower Corvette, it’s an outrageous and equally functional reimagining of America’s last analog supercar. By blending brutal twin-turbo power with refined handling, cutting-edge electronics, and an obsessive attention to detail, Vengeance Racing has created a one-of-a-kind custom that’s just as comfortable turning heads as it is tearing up the track. In a sea of dyno-focused builds, Carbon VR1 stands out as the total package, and then some.