It goes the quarter-mile in the middle-9s.
FuelTech is building a twin-turbocharged Chevrolet Corvette C8 to see how fast the team can get it down the drag strip. This video shows the latest developments and the ‘Vette lifting its front wheels as it launches down the quarter-mile.
FuelTech’s twin turbo C8 produced 1,075 horsepower (802kilowatts) at its wheels. It was capable of covering the quarter-mile in 9.72 seconds, at 146 miles an hour (235 km per hour). The twin-turbo C8 covered the quarter-mile in 9.615 seconds, at 147.81mph (237.9 km/h) for this test. Another attempt took 9.667 seconds at 128.9 mph (238.24 km/h).
The ‘Vette lifts its front wheels high enough during several launches to perform a short wheelie. The car’s 60-foot times are now down to 1.38 seconds.
The team also adds nitrous to speed up the launch. The nitrous dosage drops as the turbos reach 21 psi boost. This setup does not have an intercooler, unlike most turbocharged high-performance engines. According to FuelTech , methanol fuel cools the incoming air. You can also modify the rear axles with GForce Engineering and a Dodson clutch.
FuelTech’s goal is to create the engine management and electronic fuel injection systems it sells. To control fuel and timing, the Corvette is the vehicle’s FT600 ECU. The OEM powertrain control unit can be modified by the team for shifting, transmission pressure controls and clutch adjustments. The crew can monitor many parameters including the exhaust gas temperature and various sensors with a data logger.