Tenneco, one of the world’s most prominent original equipment manufacturer, will be supplying its advanced exhaust system for the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. In fact, some of the powertrain technologies are also provided by Tenneco, but for today, we’ll focus on the new cold-end exhaust system for the Corvette’s Small Block V8 LT2 engine.
Now, according to the company, the new exhaust system features up to four electronic valves, but the standard unit is equipped with two heat-resistant valves that work in tandem with the car’s Active Fuel Management system, supporting the engine’s cylinder deactivation function. These valves open and close to control the Corvette´s exhaust sound as it switches between the two engine modes.
The optional performance exhaust system, on the other hand, gets four electronic valves for a greater acoustic sound signature. The exhaust systems also feature a series of thermal solutions to more effectively manage heat generated by the mid-engine sports car. This comprises multi-layer heat shields designed to prevent unwanted heat transfer to surrounding components, as well as a new valve arrangement with decoupled design that reduces heat impact on the valve´s electronics.
Company president Patrick Guo said: “Corvette’s mid-engine architecture required creative technical solutions to accommodate the packaging and thermal requirements of the emissions system. We partnered with GM, combining our experience in system integration with Corvette’s engineering team to deliver technologies that help to enable a more efficient, high-performance vehicle with reduced emissions.”
Tenneco Clean Air’s vice president of global engineering, Dmitri Konson said: “This innovative valve arrangement, with the actuator decoupled from the valve body, is a significant step forward in actuated valve design and, when combined with our latest developments in valve materials, enables use on mid-engine and other architectures with extremely high exhaust temperatures.”
Tenneco’s Powertrain Business Group also supplies a number of engine components for the LT2 V8 engine, including pistons, piston rings, bearings, bushings, valve seats, valve guides, and systems protection products. Just to jog your memory, the eighth-generation Corvette is the first in the model’s history to boast a midship configuration. It’s powered by a 6.2 litre LT2 small-block V8 that’s mounted just behind the driver, complete with a dry sump system with three scavenge pumps.
For output, it makes 495 hp at 6,450 rpm and 637 Nm of torque at 5,150 rpm, making it the most powerful base Corvette ever. It’s also the fastest, going from zero to 60 mph (97 km/h) in under three seconds when fitted with the Z51 Performance Package. If you hadn’t heard, it even beat the Ferrari 458 at the Nürburgring with a lap time of 7 minutes 29.9 seconds. Impressive, isn’t it?
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