Corvette: Axle-Back Exhaust Reviews
An axle-back exhaust system will change the sound of your Corvette without sacrificing emissions compliance.
This article applies to the C5, C6, and C7 Corvette (1997-2019).
Being a Corvette owner, you are likely an aficionado of high-performance engines as well as that distinct high-performance sound. One very popular mod to achieve that sound with is the axle-back exhaust modification. A new exhaust system can drastically change the sound of your car from something mild to wild. Upgrading the stock exhaust with an aftermarket, high-performance, screaming set of pipes will make your 'Vette belt out just the tones you were looking for. When shopping for a new exhaust, it's important to listen to as many different systems as you can before making a purchase. While reading reviews and listening to sound clips on YouTube are both a good idea, hearing an exhaust in person is the only true way to know if it's what you like. Some pipes are loud all the time and some are loud only when you get on them, while others have high resonance on deceleration or loud drone inside the car while touring. It's all really subjective to the listener. It is also worthy to note that the sound of these pipes will vary greatly depending upon the cams and headers that are installed on the car, as well as whether or not the car is a manual or automatic. Here are four of the most popular brands compared along five points to help make your decision a little easier.
Axle-Back Exhausts
Borla ATAK |
Corsa Sport |
B&B Bullet |
GHL LeMan Series |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
Price |
$1,599 | $1,749 | $1,019 | $899 |
Sound |
Loud | Medium | Louder | Loudest |
Drone |
Medium | Mild | Medium | High |
Warranty |
Limited Lifetime | Limited Lifetime | Limited Lifetime | Limited Lifetime |
Best Quality: Corsa Sport
Best Value: B&B Bullet
Borla ATAK
Price – $1,599
Sound – Loud
Drone – Medium
Warranty – Limited Lifetime
The Borla ATAK is a great sounding setup. It's definitely loud, but only in the higher RPM ranges. The exhaust is mild at idle, but louder than stock. For daily driving the drone isn't too bad. Yes, you'll hear it when going down the interstate, but it's acceptable for long drives. This is one of the Corvette community's favorites due to it being louder than stock without being offensively noisy. Recommended if you want a nice sounding exhaust that you can live with everyday.
Featured Video: Corvette Borla ATAK Exhaust
Corsa Sport
Price – $1,749
Sound – Medium
Drone – Mild
Warranty – Limited Lifetime
This system is a bit closer to the stock sound levels. The noise it makes is frequently described as "European" because it's not a very bass-y exhaust. It's loud enough to be heard, but not loud enough to become an annoyance. For those looking for minimal drone or with strict neighborhood rules, this is a good choice. The Sport exhaust gives you that good trade off between low drone and still having a good sound. The price is a bit high compared to others on the list, but it offers the best of both worlds when ditching the stock setup. Recommended if you want a more aggressive sound without the extra noise.
Featured Video: Corvette Corsa Sport Cat Back Exhaust
B&B Bullet
Price – $1,019
Sound – Louder
Drone – Medium
Warranty – Limited Lifetime
The B&B Bullet exhaust system will be considerably louder than stock and somewhat louder than the Borla ATAK system. If waking up the neighbors in the morning is a concern, this probably isn't the setup for you. Alternatively, if the main concern is how the car will sound when going all out, the scream of redlining this exhaust should be satisfying. This setup will definitely complement a mild to fully built motor with a custom tune to really help open it up some. Recommended if you drive your Corvette hard regularly.
Featured Video: Corvette B&B Fusion Exhaust System
GHL LeMans Series
Price – $899
Sound – Loudest
Drone – High
Warranty – Limited Lifetime
The GHL axle-back LeMans will give your Corvette the traditional muscle car exhaust sound. Pair it with a big, lopey cam for the full effect. They suffer from slight drone at around 1,500 to 1,700 RPM, but it's easily avoidable by shifting or accelerating. They're also fairly inexpensive at $899. Recommended if you want that classic, all-american V8 rumble.
Featured Video: Corvette Stock with GHL LeMans Series Axle-back
Pro Tip
Axle-back systems are great for giving a normal Corvette an aggressive attitude adjustment, but they won't make the car noticeably faster. If performance is a real concern, upgrading to long-tube headers or to a full cat-back exhaust will be a better option. Compared to axle-back units, cat-back exhaust systems will flow better and have a deeper sound. Corvette owners with built motors and other horsepower modifications should look at upgrading the entire exhaust track in order to support their engine mods for maximum gains.
Related Discussion
- What's the Best Sounding Corvette Exhaust System? - CorvetteForum.com
