I'm getting old, 76, -77 in Dec, and gotten more and more sensitive with loud exhausts over the years. I used to enjoy them but not so much now.... I switched from my loud Harley to a Honda Valkyrie and put stock pipes back on it. At 80+ mph just the wind sound no exhaust. My first C5 had a broken cross over pipe and I the time none was available from GM so I put in a Flowmaster system. It was terrible, so loud I couldn't talk on the phone or to a passenger. The sound was good but just to annoying inside the car. I removed it in 6 months. When looking for my second C5 I was looking for a Bowling Green Metallic convertible and found one but it had a Flowmaster system, I fired it up and just walked away. Bought one with a stock exhaust.

Now I'm getting closer to ordering my C8 and wondering about the Performance Exhaust Option. I've done 10 years of wheel to wheel racing with the SCCA with over 100 track days and one of only a few C8 buyers who understand what it is to drive fast, flat out. If you never raced my will not know. I may do a casual track day but not a serious so really don't need a Z51 option. Since it's nearly impossible to test drive a C8 (I did a non Z51 at a Porsche dealer) my question is how much in the cockpit louder is the performance exhaust. I've read noticeably louder. You reply's will be appreciated and help me make a decision.

 

It has been commented that the C8 performance exhaust isn't as loud in the cockpit as previous generations. If you get the HTC you can put the back window down to let more of the sound in.
For you, it seems like the OEM performance exhaust is a good option since you can make it quiet as the base when you want to.

 

You need to drive a C8 with the base exhaust, virtually no gain in hp with the perf exhaust, noise is subjective. I like my base exhaust, would like to up the perf, but not at the expense of obnoxious sounding car. . Thinking Headers with factory system. (1.2hp, .8 torque GM sae numbers) https://www.sae.org/standards/conten...2corn/preview/ VS https://www.sae.org/standards/conten...2cors/preview/ Good luck on your purchase.

 

My ears have been thrashed over the years, so they don't like a lot of noise either. Loud noise will trigger my tinnitus. My ears would never last with a loud, drony exhaust. My C8 has the Performance Exhaust. There are four different modes: Stealth, Tour, Sport, and Track. Even in Track mode it is not particularly loud. You only really notice it being in Track mode when at idle and when you give it some heavy throttle. Cruising it is almost inaudible. Even with my bad ears, Track mode is fine. There is a lot of car between you and the exhaust tips, including two windows, back panel, firewall and insulation. In Tour mode, it is very quiet. Startup in loud in all modes for about 30 seconds.

Having said this, I've never tried all the different modes at full throttle, such as being on a track. Based on the short bursts in Track mode, it would be fine for my ears, so perhaps yours, too. Some people drive with the windows open. I don't. My ears would never take that.

By the way, don't buy the Performance Exhaust option for horsepower. It only increases it from 490 to 491, one horsepower.

 

Thanks, I've added NNP to my list. When I raced I had a second gen RX7 it hit 110 DBs but to the ears sounded like 130DB, Always passed the sound check even thought it sounder louder. Ear Plugs must. the C5 coupe had no insulation thus noisy, the way a sports car should be. YES tinnitus ALL THE TIME. Sounds like crickets in my head.