The eighth-generation Chevrolet Corvette, launched for the 2020 model year, rewrote the rulebook for America's homegrown supercar — especially when it comes to powertrains. First, the 2020 Stingray switched from a front to a rear mid-engine layout, then the 2023 Corvette Z06 switched to a flat-plane crank. Then, the ZR1 provided a shock to the supercar system in 2025, when it debuted with a twin-turbocharged V8, representing the first factory-installed turbo on a Corvette. But that's only true if we're talking about Corvettes built at a Chevy/GM factory.
Some of the biggest names in the aftermarket had begun offering turn-key turbocharged Corvettes of their own in the late 1970s, including companies like Callaway and Lingenfelter. These companies, which are still in business, occupy a sort of halfway position between the OEMs and DIY mechanics by professionally modifying new cars for standout performance. Roush is another example that may be better recognized today. Before the Callaway or Lingenfelter Vettes, however, there was a turbocharged Corvette named for the master himself: Zora Arkus-Duntov.
The Duntov Turbo Corvette was manufactured by American Custom Industries — a company that had partnered previously with Corvette racer John Greenwood. Arkus-Dontov, known as the father of the modern Corvette, retired from Chevy in 1975, and at around the same time, ACI was on the hunt for its next project. ACI proposed a joint effort to Zora, and thus was born the Duntov Turbo Corvette, which was eventually designed to live up to Duntov's personal vision for the Vette.
The main performance upgrade for the Duntov Turbo was, of course, its turbocharger. Sourced from Turbo International and running at 4 psi of boost, the unit was paired with the 350-cubic-inch small-block V8 from the C3 Corvette — the donor car for all Duntov versions — and significantly raised the motor's output. Some say the turbo squeezed out approximately 300 horsepower from the V8, but that's a big jump from the 190 hp you got from the standard Corvette engine. Skeptics doubt the size of the power increase. If it did produce 300 horses, it wasn't one of the most powerful Chevy small blocks, but it was still a major upgrade.
Other enhancements for the Duntov Turbo included Bilstein shocks specifically tuned for the car, and a re-worked steering box meant to improve steering feel. The chassis was strengthened as well, to compensate for the conversion from a standard T-top to a convertible — something Corvette didn't offer at the time. In addition, large, staggered-width Goodyear Wingfoot tires were mounted on Weld wheels and fitted to the Corvette. The tires were so big that the Duntov Turbo needed a widebody kit to accommodate them. A new hood was another case of form following function, since the original one, used on early Duntov Corvettes, didn't provide enough cooling for the turbos.
Sadly, the Duntov Turbo was only available with a four-speed automatic, and that epitomized the problem with the car. Despite its turbocharged engine, the car didn't provide a noticeable increase in performance over the factory Corvettes of the era, and that was despite its significantly higher price. At a time when you could get a base Corvette for under $15,000, the Duntov Turbo was a staggering $37,500.
We compared the Duntov Turbo Corvette to Callaway products earlier, and there's a good reason: Callaway has an especially long and strong relationship with the Bowtie brand. Founded in 1977 by Reeves Callaway, the company began its formal relationship with Chevrolet in 1987 with the Callaway Twin Turbo Corvette; it could be purchased directly from Chevy dealerships, complete with a factory warranty, by using option code B2K. The key difference between the two versions of the Corvette, of course, was that while Duntov Corvettes were all from the third generation, Callaway didn't go all-in with the 'Vette until the C4 generation.
Unlike the Duntov Turbo, the Callaway Corvette had no issues when it came to performance. Car and Driver tested one in 1989, reporting the car's 382 horsepower topped all available rivals in the United States, except for the legendary Lamborghini Countach, which checked in with 425 hp. The Callaway car also produced 562 lb-ft of torque, which contributed to a top speed of 191 mph. According to claims from Callaway, the twin-turbo Corvette could pass the quarter-mile marker in 12.9 seconds, after sprinting from zero to 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds. Callaway is still at it, too, with a tuned-up roster of terrific Chevrolet, Cadillac, and GMC vehicles.