2025 Corvette ZR1 Hits 1,300+ HP With ECU Unlock

by AutoExpert   |  27 February, 2026

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The new Corvette ZR1 just got a whole lot wilder. HP Tuners has become the first company to unlock the Global B E68 ECU used in the ZR1. That same unit also runs the Chevrolet Corvette Z06, which means both cars are suddenly wide open for tuning. In simple terms, the software lock that kept owners from digging deeper is gone.

Getting into the C8’s ECU has not been easy. GM’s Global B electrical system is heavily encrypted, and it took years before tuners managed to crack the Stingray.

Now the ZR1’s brain has finally been opened up. And since the ZR1 runs a twin-turbo setup, it is the one everyone really wanted access to. A naturally aspirated engine has limits, but a turbocharged one has room to grow.

2025 Corvette ZR1

To prove it, HP Tuners worked with a 2025 Corvette ZR1 owned by YouTuber Cleetus McFarland. With aftermarket downpipes, race fuel, and a custom tune, the car put down 1,180 horsepower and 1,094 lb ft of torque at the wheels.

Considering the stock rating is 1,064 horsepower at the crank, that likely means this tuned version is comfortably above 1,300 horsepower at the engine. It was already brutally fast. Now it is on another level.

2025 Corvette ZR1

HP Tuners says owners can expect around 15 percent more power in the mid-range and about 10 percent up top while staying within safe limits. With race fuel, gains of up to 25 percent are possible, though that starts pushing the limits of heat and durability.

Anyone who wants in can send their ECU to HP Tuners for 1,499 dollars to have it unlocked. After that, local shops can adjust boost, timing, torque management, and fuel settings.

2025 Corvette ZR1

For ZR1 and Z06 owners, this is the moment everything changes. The tuning world just got the green light, and the power numbers are about to climb.

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