As you may know, both the engine control unit (ECU) and the transmission control unit (TCU) are encrypted on the current Chevrolet Corvette generation, hampering all tuning efforts. U.S.-based HP Tuners managed to decrypt the former several months ago – and has now succeeded in decrypting the latter as well.
Ever since 2020, tuners have been trying to work around the fact that the mid-engined sports car had its drivetrain locked and protected from tampering. In order to squeeze more than the stock 503 PS (496 hp / 370 kW) out of its 6.2-liter V8, they resorted to alternative approaches like racing fuel and external control modules.
All such workarounds came with tradeoffs of some kind. For example, most custom tunes imposed artificial limitations on engine RPM counts and gear switching. Some even threw the car into the so-called “limp mode” a.k.a. emergency mode in an attempt to prevent damage to its eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.
It all seems in the past now that HP tuners have apparently gained full access to the transmission control module. The company boasts that its partners from Elite Tuned managed to switch gears normally with the engine sending north of 1,000 horsepower to the wheels.
The relevant firmware update should be obtainable from HP tuners at their workshop in Illinois soon.