Is Akrapovic worth it?
Not a vendor dyno that has a vested interest.
And unless the Corvette is a magical unicorn just like all other modern cars and motorcycles the ECU has to be re-calibrated to account for the new exhaust in order to realize any gains.
Furthermore the restrictions are really at the catalytic converters and until those are replace/removed there are no significant gains to be had.
Not a vendor dyno that has a vested interest.
And unless the Corvette is a magical unicorn just like all other modern cars and motorcycles the ECU has to be re-calibrated to account for the new exhaust in order to realize any gains.
Furthermore the restrictions are really at the catalytic converters and until those are replace/removed there are no significant gains to be had.
So you are saying with an intake and exhaust the car gained a total of 63rwhp?
What was the mass flow before/after and the car went 6mph faster at the track?
There are tons of dyno games that are played, by everyone.
Your talking an almost 80hp gain at the crank. Sorry that is impossible to believe.
I'd rather know what the MAF was reading before the parts and after.
Does the Akrapovic eliminate one or both of them?
And yes any vendor claiming a 60+ rwhp gain from an intake and catback system with no tune (heck even with tune) is making numbers up.
My last platform I fell into this trap.
Very well known and high quality vendor was making claims of gains with their header (which even eliminated one of the two catalytic converters).
Lots of people drank the koolaid.
Then independent dynos were performed by customers after getting their parts.
NO ONE even came close to the claimed HP figures, even after getting custom tunes they still could not match it.
So yes, I am skeptical, very skeptical.
Akrapovic has no magic in their exhaust system. Its very high quality but nothing that makes it provide more HP than some other vendors.
If these figures were even close to true then vendors (like yourself) and/or Akrapovic would offer money back guarantees on the HP claims.
Even if you offered a money back guarantee on more conservative numbers of 17rwhp and 20rwt I would consider buying.
But we all know vendors and Akra wont do that, and some of us know why.
What was the mass flow before/after and the car went 6mph faster at the track?
There are tons of dyno games that are played, by everyone.
Your talking an almost 80hp gain at the crank. Sorry that is impossible to believe.
I'd rather know what the MAF was reading before the parts and after.
Does the Akrapovic eliminate one or both of them?
And yes any vendor claiming a 60+ rwhp gain from an intake and catback system with no tune (heck even with tune) is making numbers up.
My last platform I fell into this trap.
Very well known and high quality vendor was making claims of gains with their header (which even eliminated one of the two catalytic converters).
Lots of people drank the koolaid.
Then independent dynos were performed by customers after getting their parts.
NO ONE even came close to the claimed HP figures, even after getting custom tunes they still could not match it.
So yes, I am skeptical, very skeptical.
Akrapovic has no magic in their exhaust system. Its very high quality but nothing that makes it provide more HP than some other vendors.
If these figures were even close to true then vendors (like yourself) and/or Akrapovic would offer money back guarantees on the HP claims.
Even if you offered a money back guarantee on more conservative numbers of 17rwhp and 20rwt I would consider buying.
But we all know vendors and Akra wont do that, and some of us know why.
So now what?
Does the Akrapovic eliminate one or both of them?
And yes any vendor claiming a 60+ rwhp gain from an intake and catback system with no tune (heck even with tune) is making numbers up.
My last platform I fell into this trap.
Very well known and high quality vendor was making claims of gains with their header (which even eliminated one of the two catalytic converters).
Lots of people drank the koolaid.
Then independent dynos were performed by customers after getting their parts.
NO ONE even came close to the claimed HP figures, even after getting custom tunes they still could not match it.
So yes, I am skeptical, very skeptical.
Akrapovic has no magic in their exhaust system. Its very high quality but nothing that makes it provide more HP than some other vendors.
If these figures were even close to true then vendors (like yourself) and/or Akrapovic would offer money back guarantees on the HP claims.
Even if you offered a money back guarantee on more conservative numbers of 17rwhp and 20rwt I would consider buying.
But we all know vendors and Akra wont do that, and some of us know why.
I can understand your skepticism. The Akrapovič system for this car makes a considerable amount of power which is quite rare to find in just an exhaust system, but I can assure you that a manufacturer like Akrapovič does not and will not inflate dyno numbers/power gains just to sell product.
You mention that your last platform you fell into a trap, and I apologize that you had a particular set of circumstances where you were left burned. I'm sorry that you were left feeling like the lies of other manufacturers lead you to believe that you were expecting a huge power gain and you did not see that after you had the parts installed. After something like that I would be skeptical of every company as well and it doesn't mean your not justified in thinking that way, but I want to make sure that just because you were burned before, does not mean that every company in the aftermarket industry should be downplayed for trying to give honest data, or that the brand itself should be disqualified because you feel the gains are not achievable.
So to help alleviate some of your skepticism I have some info which you can use to compare against other exhaust manufacturers if you'd like or just for your own informational purposes (the point of which is to have a conversation about Akrapovič and to update you with honest information). The R&D team for example, where it all starts, has a total of 50 employee's, three of which have a PhD, 36 of them are engineers (The entire Akrapovič company itself has over 900 employee's just FYI). Testing is extremely important which is why for a large quantity of vehicles that Akrapovič makes a system for often go through a prototype phase where you could see several different generations of mufflers being used to accommodate the platform that they are developing it for. They do this to see which makes the most power, which makes the best noise and so forth. When the final prototype is developed the vehicle, Akrapovič will dyno the vehicle bone stock for 3 runs which then gets averaged, then after the exhaust is installed another 3 dyno runs which then again get averaged, then a comparison is made to get your power gains. I understand you're skeptical about that, but that's honestly how they conduct their business and how they get those power gains recorded properly and accurately. To lay out a time frame, Month 1+2 are typically R&D, Month 3,4 and 5 are for tooling and creating the jigs for optimization and production. Month 6 and 7 are usually for quality control and analyzing demand for the product itself.
If that doesn't help substantiate a bit more of how Akrapovič can produce a system that makes this kind of power, maybe the World Championships that Akrapovič has in MotoGP, WEC, DTM and other world championship series could potentially help.
Akrapovič participates in the following series with the following partners:
FIA WEC - Audi Sport and Aston Martin Racing
DTM - Audi Sport and BMW Motorsport
Cross Country Rally - X-raid Team
Racing achievements
2008 - Nürburgring 24h Race Winner (Team Manthey Racing)
2009 - Nürburgring 24h Race Winner (Team Manthey Racing)
2009 - German Porsche Sports Cup Winner (Team Akrapovič a-workx)
2010 - 24h Le Mans Race Winner (Audi Sport North America)
2011 - 24h Le Mans Race Winner (Audi Sport Team Joest)
2011 - Nürburgring 24h Race Winner (Team Manthey Racing)
2012 - FIA WEC Manufacturers World Champion (Audi)
2012 - DTM Drivers Champion (Bruno Spengler - BMW)
2012 - DTM Manufacturers Champion (BMW)
2012 - DTM Teams Champion (BMW Team Schnitzer)
2012 - 24h Le Mans Race Winner (Audi Sport Team Joest)
2012 - FIA WEC Drivers World Champions (Audi Sport Team Joest)
2013 - FIA WEC Drivers World Champions (Audi Sport Team Joest)
2013 - FIA WEC Manufacturers World Champion (Audi)
2013 - 24h Le Mans Race Winner (Audi Sport Team Joest)
2013 - DTM Drivers Champion (Mike Rockenfeller - Audi)
2013 - DTM Teams Champion (Audi Sport Team Phoenix)
2013 - DTM Manufacturers Champion (BMW)
2014 - DTM Teams Champion (BMW Team RMG)
2014 - DTM Manufacturers Champion (Audi)
2014 - DTM Drivers Champion (Marco Wittmann - BMW)
2014 - 24h Le Mans Race Winner (Audi Sport Team Joest)
2014 - Rally Dakar 2014 Winner (Monster Energy X-raid Team)
2015 - FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup Winners (X-raid Team)
2015 - DTM Manufacturers Champion (BMW)
2015 - Rally Dakar 2015 Winner (Qatar Rally Team)
I would love to be able to list for you all the Motorcycle achievements they have as well but with over 100 World Championships already, there's quite a lot to post, so I'll hold off. Point is, Akrapovič has already substantiated their power gains to manufactures like Audi, BMW, Porsche, and virtually every single Moto GP bike that's on the grid today which uses Akrapovič in racing applications. Again, I understand your skepticism, I know where you're coming from, but Akrapovič isn't an exhaust company that works out of a hole in the wall, it's not a small operation which is a fly by night business looking to make a quick buck. Akrapovič is a legitimate manufacturer not just for aftermarket applications as we're discussing here, but also World Championship winning vehicles and motorcycles because manufacturers who have extremely stringent requirements are using Akrapovič to make the most power and to ensure that they win that Championship.
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
I can understand your skepticism. The Akrapovič system for this car makes a considerable amount of power which is quite rare to find in just an exhaust system, but I can assure you that a manufacturer like Akrapovič does not and will not inflate dyno numbers/power gains just to sell product.
You mention that your last platform you fell into a trap, and I apologize that you had a particular set of circumstances where you were left burned. I'm sorry that you were left feeling like the lies of other manufacturers lead you to believe that you were expecting a huge power gain and you did not see that after you had the parts installed. After something like that I would be skeptical of every company as well and it doesn't mean your not justified in thinking that way, but I want to make sure that just because you were burned before, does not mean that every company in the aftermarket industry should be downplayed for trying to give honest data, or that the brand itself should be disqualified because you feel the gains are not achievable.
So to help alleviate some of your skepticism I have some info which you can use to compare against other exhaust manufacturers if you'd like or just for your own informational purposes (the point of which is to have a conversation about Akrapovič and to update you with honest information). The R&D team for example, where it all starts, has a total of 50 employee's, three of which have a PhD, 36 of them are engineers (The entire Akrapovič company itself has over 900 employee's just FYI). Testing is extremely important which is why for a large quantity of vehicles that Akrapovič makes a system for often go through a prototype phase where you could see several different generations of mufflers being used to accommodate the platform that they are developing it for. They do this to see which makes the most power, which makes the best noise and so forth. When the final prototype is developed the vehicle, Akrapovič will dyno the vehicle bone stock for 3 runs which then gets averaged, then after the exhaust is installed another 3 dyno runs which then again get averaged, then a comparison is made to get your power gains. I understand you're skeptical about that, but that's honestly how they conduct their business and how they get those power gains recorded properly and accurately. To lay out a time frame, Month 1+2 are typically R&D, Month 3,4 and 5 are for tooling and creating the jigs for optimization and production. Month 6 and 7 are usually for quality control and analyzing demand for the product itself.
If that doesn't help substantiate a bit more of how Akrapovič can produce a system that makes this kind of power, maybe the World Championships that Akrapovič has in MotoGP, WEC, DTM and other world championship series could potentially help.
Akrapovič participates in the following series with the following partners:
FIA WEC - Audi Sport and Aston Martin Racing
DTM - Audi Sport and BMW Motorsport
Cross Country Rally - X-raid Team
Racing achievements
2008 - Nürburgring 24h Race Winner (Team Manthey Racing)
2009 - Nürburgring 24h Race Winner (Team Manthey Racing)
2009 - German Porsche Sports Cup Winner (Team Akrapovič a-workx)
2010 - 24h Le Mans Race Winner (Audi Sport North America)
2011 - 24h Le Mans Race Winner (Audi Sport Team Joest)
2011 - Nürburgring 24h Race Winner (Team Manthey Racing)
2012 - FIA WEC Manufacturers World Champion (Audi)
2012 - DTM Drivers Champion (Bruno Spengler - BMW)
2012 - DTM Manufacturers Champion (BMW)
2012 - DTM Teams Champion (BMW Team Schnitzer)
2012 - 24h Le Mans Race Winner (Audi Sport Team Joest)
2012 - FIA WEC Drivers World Champions (Audi Sport Team Joest)
2013 - FIA WEC Drivers World Champions (Audi Sport Team Joest)
2013 - FIA WEC Manufacturers World Champion (Audi)
2013 - 24h Le Mans Race Winner (Audi Sport Team Joest)
2013 - DTM Drivers Champion (Mike Rockenfeller - Audi)
2013 - DTM Teams Champion (Audi Sport Team Phoenix)
2013 - DTM Manufacturers Champion (BMW)
2014 - DTM Teams Champion (BMW Team RMG)
2014 - DTM Manufacturers Champion (Audi)
2014 - DTM Drivers Champion (Marco Wittmann - BMW)
2014 - 24h Le Mans Race Winner (Audi Sport Team Joest)
2014 - Rally Dakar 2014 Winner (Monster Energy X-raid Team)
2015 - FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup Winners (X-raid Team)
2015 - DTM Manufacturers Champion (BMW)
2015 - Rally Dakar 2015 Winner (Qatar Rally Team)
I would love to be able to list for you all the Motorcycle achievements they have as well but with over 100 World Championships already, there's quite a lot to post, so I'll hold off. Point is, Akrapovič has already substantiated their power gains to manufactures like Audi, BMW, Porsche, and virtually every single Moto GP bike that's on the grid today which uses Akrapovič in racing applications. Again, I understand your skepticism, I know where you're coming from, but Akrapovič isn't an exhaust company that works out of a hole in the wall, it's not a small operation which is a fly by night business looking to make a quick buck. Akrapovič is a legitimate manufacturer not just for aftermarket applications as we're discussing here, but also World Championship winning vehicles and motorcycles because manufacturers who have extremely stringent requirements are using Akrapovič to make the most power and to ensure that they win that Championship.
What the hell kind of statement is that???
Congrats, you've cracked the code of how vendors stay in business.....they buy things, Mark them up and sell them, the difference between the two numbers is called profit.
you must have an advanced business degree....
Buying a system like this is like buying:
Hublot, Panerai, Patek Phillipe watches
Louis Vuitton products
MWE Hardware
Sometimes it's not about the benefits or better performance. It's about having things most people just can't afford...
Last edited by Steve Garrett; May 21, 2016 at 03:03 PM. Reason: Merged Posts
To each his own. I guess anyone willing to pay 5K for a custom VIN would see 4500 for an exhaust cheap.
Last edited by Steve Garrett; May 21, 2016 at 03:04 PM. Reason: Merged Posts-please use the Multi-Quote button in the lower right hand corner of each post (middle icon).
Akrapovic is not a brand intended for the middle class so I understand why you are against them.
There are many goods and services priced at a premium that do not necessarily reflect their cost to produce or benefit received by an end user and they sell every single one anyways.
Go buy a flowmaster muffler and have you local exhaust shop weld it in and be happy with your new noise on the cheap.
Akrapovic is not a brand intended for the middle class so I understand why you are against them.
There are many goods and services priced at a premium that do not necessarily reflect their cost to produce or benefit received by an end user and they sell every single one anyways.
Go buy a flowmaster muffler and have you local exhaust shop weld it in and be happy with your new noise on the cheap.
Last edited by NinjamanZ51; May 21, 2016 at 12:23 AM.

It's not all about one or the other. There is a market for both, don't resist the inevitable, it's like punching brick walls. You only hurt yourself. People will buy and love the Akra and the Corsa and there's nothing wrong with that.
Have a good night, man. 
It's not all about one or the other. There is a market for both, don't resist the inevitable, it's like punching brick walls. You only hurt yourself. People will buy and love the Akra and the Corsa and there's nothing wrong with that.
The Akra is a high quality system that sounds amazing and is built with the highest quality parts.

But this is not about Halltech's intake. I read the whole Katech thread and lots of good information but they were talking about Z06's, not NA C7's. Bringing that into the discussion doesn't do anything for your argument.
The question was is it worth it. If your buying it to have the prettiest, shiniest, best looking, best made exhaust and that's what you find value in, then to you yes it might be.
For any other reason spending $4,500-$6,000 elsewhere will get you a lot more and there is absolutely no value in it.
To Higg's point about the type of customer, at these price points you'd find most buyers in a different price point of a car entirely.
I don't think any of the Chevy V8's, LS1 or LT1 sound all that great, and no cat back I've seen has fixed that.
Last edited by NoOne; May 21, 2016 at 07:59 AM.
And I would agree that Chevy doesn't have the best sounding firing order. Fords old 302 still sounds best to me, their new firing order of the coyote isn't super awesome either.





















