General Motors sought out any means of retaining the Corvette’s performance acuity. This desire ultimately gave rise to the company's illustrious LS5 454 cubic-inch big-block. The 454ci LS5 is remembered as one of the final GM big-block offerings to have come out in the 60’s and 70’s.
Was the 454 cubic-inch LS4 one of General Motors’ most powerful big-blocks? Absolutely not. However, it is historically significant nonetheless. The LS4 served as the end of the road for the big-block Corvette, as America’s sports car returned to its small-block roots. Today, many collectors seek out LS4 equipped Corvettes.
Finally, in 1973, consumers were left with only three available engine options, two of which were of a small-blocks. The third was the 454 cubic-inch LS4, would only survive for two years, serving as the final big-block to grace the Corvette’s engine bay. By 1975, the Corvette was only offered with one of two engines, of which, the 350 cubic-inch L82 was the most formidable.
The Vette’s performance dropped significantly during the early to mid-1970s, at the hands of newly implemented federal emissions standards, yet it remained relevant. At a point in which many iconic American performance cars fell by the wayside, the Corvette soldiered on. This served as a true testament to many of the memorable Corvette powerplants that were developed during the C3 era.