Best Exhaust for C6 Corvette

The stock Chevrolet Corvette C6 exhaust system leaves many owners wanting more. The factory system is a compromise between performance and quiet manners to keep your neighbors happy. Swapping out the cat-back portion of the exhaust can unlock hidden horsepower and give your Corvette the race car sound you want without impacting emissions.

Picking the best exhaust for C6 Corvette vehicles means that you’ll need to sift through dozens of different products and determine whether the claims made by manufacturers are backed up with facts. Our top pick is the Corsa 14169 cat-back kit (>>> Check on Amazon). It offers the ideal sound and is easy to install without any quirks. We’ve also found some other top products that you might decide suit your build better.

Best Exhaust for C6 Corvette – Top Picks:

• Corsa 14169 Cat-Back Kit
• SLP Loud Mouth 31077
• Borla S-Type Cat Back 11815
• Borla S-Type Cat-Back Kit 11744
• Borla 11822 Axle Back Kit
• SLP Loud Mouth 32001 Cat-Back

The following cat-back exhaust kits fit the C6 Corvette. We’ve got lots of great options for the 2005-08 models, but we also found a couple options for the 2009-13 models.

Corsa 14169 Cat-Back Kit

This is the best quality exhaust kit on the market right now for the 05-08 model years. Corsa’s patented Reflective Sound Cancellation technology ensures that you’ll have clean and pure exhaust sound without the annoying drone that tends to happen at freeway speeds. This kit replaces the stock system and uses the factory mounting locations for ease of installation.

The stainless steel, double-walled design ensures that the exhaust won’t distort even under the harshest of conditions. Dual twin exhaust tips use a double-cut design that not only looks great but also ensures that the tips stay clean and free of soot.

The sound of this system is best described as “exotic.” it doesn’t give you that muscle-car burble and it won’t rap like many of the less well-designed systems on the market. Keep in mind that loud and annoying doesn’t equal fast.

Pros

• Perfect sound for the Corvette
• Easy installation using basic tools

Cons

• Fairly expensive compared to other products
• May require modification of stock exhaust with automatic transmission cars

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Best Budget Option: SLP Loud Mouth 31077

Owners looking to get a louder, more aggressive exhaust tone from their Corvette C6 but don’t want to spend too much can get a good quality, loud exhaust system from SLP. The Loud Mouth kit does just what you think it will- it increases the sound drastically over stock.

This kit includes the axle-back pipes, mufflers, and dual tips. The mufflers are bullet-style and will provide a more aggressive idle and a mean, nasty growl under acceleration. The low back pressure design will induce some droning at cruising speeds.

The dual twin exhaust tips have cut-back lips that prevent soot build-up and look great. One of the things that is sacrificed buying a less-expensive kit is that some modifications will need to be made to get this kit to fit correctly. Several buyers noted that the modifications were easy for a muffler shop to make and typically involved hangers that aren’t properly located.

Pros

• Affordable option for getting a more aggressive sound
• Cool appearance factor amps up the performance look of the car

Cons

• Some issues with misaligned muffler hangers
• May create unacceptable drone when cruising

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Borla S-Type Cat Back 11815

This is a great option for drivers that want a performance sound without an annoying too-loud experience. It significantly improves the sound over the factory exhaust, but won’t induce drone when cruising.

The entire kit is made from 303 stainless steel that will outlast you and your car. The kit installs easily using slip-fit connectors and the factory muffler hangers. The mufflers are unique in that the exhaust tips are true dual exit designs rather than a single exit that splits.

Each of the four-inch round exhaust tips feature a back cut angle to reduce staining and add to the overall cool factor. This exhaust kit is also guaranteed for one million miles and is 50-state emissions legal.

Pros

• Durable construction that will last forever
• Excellent option for drivers looking for performance sound

Cons

• Some issues reported with incorrectly shaped pipes replaced under warranty
• On the edge of too loud for some drivers

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Borla S-Type Cat-Back Kit 11744

This “tangle of snakes” exhaust kit is as exotic sounding as it looks. This is a perfect option for drivers who want that cool Euro sound and aren’t trying to be heard from two miles away. The stainless steel exhaust is easier to install than it looks.

The straight-through transverse aligned muffler design not only improves the sound of your Corvette, but it also reduces back pressure so you can get the most from other modifications you make like long tube headers or a cold-air intake kit.

The exhaust tips are a full four-inch design with slant cut openings. The fully polished tips look amazing and fit the factory openings perfectly. It installs easily without the need for modifications and most buyers had no trouble with fitment.

Pros

• Gives the car the perfect exotic car sound
• Super durable construction will last even in harsh environments

Cons

• A few buyers had issues with receiving incorrect parts
• May produce some droning sound

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Best Options for 2009-13 Corvette C6

The next two products are the ones we think are the very best for the redesigned C6 introduced in 2009.

Borla 11822 Axle-Back Kit

This is a nearly identical design to the S-Type kit for the early cars but is designed to fit 2006-13 Corvettes. The transverse mufflers are straight-through designs that enhance sound and can help unlock the power potential when combined with other power modifications.

The massive 4.25-inch exhaust tips look cool poking out from the factory bumper cut-out and let everyone know you’ve got a slick, custom-style exhaust system. The entire kit is made from T-304 stainless steel and features precision mandrel bends to prevent air flow resistance.

The kit is only designed to fit cars with manual transmission and with no NPP valve. It installs in the stock location without major modifications and is considered by BOrla to be the loudest street-legal system they sell.

Pros

• Looks awesome when installed
• Ultra-durable construction that can easily be polished for a custom look

Cons

• May be excessively loud for some drivers
• A few reported issues with pipes that don’t fit properly

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Budget Pick: SLP Loud Mouth 32001 Cat-Back

We didn’t want to leave the folks running the later models of the Corvette C6 on a budget out of the fun. SLP brings you this Loud Mouth kit that will give your Corvette the brutally aggressive sound you want from idle all the way to redline.

The system is constructed entirely of stainless steel and includes straight-through design mufflers that reduce back pressure to give you the opportunity to gain power when combined with other modifications. It installs in the stock location and uses the stock hanger brackets to make for a simple and fast installation process.

The exhaust tips feature a double rolled, back cut slant angle that flows nicely with the rear fascia of the Corvette. The tips are highly polished and easy to maintain, a real bonus over some designs that get grubby quick.

Pros

• Gives the Corvette an unmistakable growl and snarl
• Awesome looking exhaust tips enhance the appearance of the car

Cons

• May be too loud for casual drivers and produces some drone at cruising speeds
• Heavier than some options

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What to Look for When Buying a Cat-Back Kit

There are a few key things to look for when you are buying a cat-back kit. Even the budget options on our list represent a significant investment in your Corvette, so it’s important to understand why some of the really cheap options are not a good buy.

Construction

Many stock exhaust systems are made from low-grade stainless steel or inferior steel components. When you are shopping for an exhaust system for your C6 Corvette, it only makes sense to buy the highest quality materials you can. That’s why we really like the construction of the Corsa system on our list. The high-grade stainless is perfect for the Corvette because it won’t rust and rot, even when you are running high-performance modifications that introduce corrosive particulates.

Welds

One of the most important things to consider about any exhaust system is the quality of the welds. If the welds are poorly done, which is common on budget designs, they will leak and eventually cause the system to fail. All of the products on our list have quality assurance checks to ensure proper welds.

Fitment

You’ll notice that some products have a reputation for misaligned hangers, pipes that don’t line up, and a number of other quality-control issues. Most of these problems can be corrected, but it often requires specialized tools that muffler shops use to make the adjustments. One of the main reasons the Corsa kit is our top pick is because of the reputation for consistent fitment without modification.

Conclusion

Adding a cat-back exhaust kit to the C6 Corvette can significantly change the sound of the car, making it seem more powerful than stock. These kits are also a great way to enhance the appearance of the car by adding polished stainless steel tips to your car. They look great and are easy to care for.

While a cat-back exhaust won’t significantly improve power on its own, this is one of the first modifications many people make when looking to improve their Corvette. That’s because the stock exhaust makes the Corvette sound a little like a family car rather than the exotic sports car that it really is.

Finding the balance between an exhaust that provides the sound you want without drone and rattling sounds can be tough. Many systems focus on the sound at idle or at wide open throttle, but only a few are tailored specifically for all-around sound. That is the main reason that we really love the Corsa kit at the top of our list.