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Engines

C6 Corvette LS7 7.0L Engine
Josh Boyd·
C6 Corvette

A Guide to Every C6 Corvette Engine

GM’s was on mission to engineer a Corvette that built upon the line’s performance legacy. By all indications, this is a mission that was fulfilled. The Corvette’s engine bay was host to several outstanding powerplants during the C6’s run. From the base 6.0-liter LS2 to the ZR1’s beastly 6.2-liter LS9, the C6-era was never short on performance. Corvette finally caught up to European brands.
1967 L88 Engine
Josh Boyd·
Engines

1967 – L88 (427CI) Engine Guide: Specs, Features, & More

No list of formidable Corvette engines would be complete without including the 1967 L88. The L88 was a fire-breathing variant of GM’s 427 cubic-inch big-block lineup, which served as nothing short of a production race engine. Officially rated at 430 HP, the L88 was capable of propelling its C2 host to previously unattainable performance status. The L88 was nothing, if not a loosely veiled production race engine.
1981 L81 engine
Josh Boyd·
Engines

1981 L81 (350CI) Engine Guide: Specs, Features, & More

During many production years, consumers were provided with multiple engine options to choose from. This was especially true during the late 1960s. However, by the late 1970s, GM had begun to significantly scale back the number of production engines offered for the Corvette. This trend peaked in 1981, when only one engine, known as the L81, was offered to buyers.
Scott Kolecki·
Engines

LT6 Engine Guide: Specs, Features, & More

First, this engine is the most powerful naturally aspirated, internal combustion engine (by a good margin) of any production Chevrolet small-block ever produced. Boasting a massive 670 horsepower, the LT6 trumps almost all its Corvette predecessors (save for the 2019 Corvette ZR1 engine, which boasted 755 horsepower, but needed a supercharger).
1965 L78 Enginge
Josh Boyd·
Engines

1965 – L78 – 6.5L (396CI) V8 Engine Guide: Specs, Features, & More

For more than a decade after the Corvette's initial release it had small-block power. In fact, the 265 cubic-inch V8’s 1955 introduction was largely responsible for the Corvette’s validation as a sporty, performance-minded vehicle. However, by the mid-1960s, those behind the scenes at Chevrolet had begun developing a new powerplant. This engine would become the first big-block V8 to be used in Corvette production.
2013 LS7 Convertible Engine
Josh Boyd·
Engines

2013 LS7 V8 Engine Guide: Specs, Features, & More

In 2013, a revelation of sorts took place within the Corvette world. General Motors unveiled a “best of both worlds'' type offering, which paired the C6 Corvette, in its convertible form, with an indisputably fearsome powerplant. Beneath the Corvette’s hood, sat a 427 cubic-inch small-block, which carried the LS7 designation.
1973 LS4 Engine
Josh Boyd·
Engines

1973 LS4 (454CI) Engine Guide: Specs, Features, & More

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.
1963 5.4L 327CI Engine in open hood of C2 Corvette
Josh Boyd·
Engines

1963 5.4L (327CI) V8 Engine Guide: Specs, Features, & More

The 327CI small-block V8 was available to consumers in several distinct configurations, all of which produced varying degrees of output. Available in both carbureted and fuel injected forms, the 327CI small-block proved capable of producing anywhere from 250-360 horsepower, depending upon one’s choice of engine code.
Corvette LS3 Engine angle view
Josh Boyd·
Engines

LS3 Engine Guide: Specs, Features, & More

Upon the LS3’s release in 2007, this trend toward continual technological advancement was clearly evident. As the new power plant for the standard 2008 Corvette, the LS3 provided consumers with exactly what they had been craving, unsurpassed performance. With every reiteration, the LS small-block has become more powerful, efficient, and robust.
Exposed 1964 L76 engine sitting in blue Corvette with hood open
Josh Boyd·
Engines

1964 L76 Engine Guide: Specs, Features, & More

The 265 cubic-inch small-block served as the jumping-off point for further engine development. Chevrolet spent the following decade perfecting their earlier small-block, which eventually grew in displacement and became a testbed for early fuel injection technology. Further progress was made in 1964, with the release of the L76 V8. This potent small block proved quite reliable while dishing out more than enough horsepower.
1969 Corvette L88 Engine
Josh Boyd·
Engines

A Guide to Every C3 Corvette Engine

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.
1998 Corvette Pace Car LS1 Engine
Josh Boyd·
C5 Corvette

A Guide to Every C5 Corvette Engine

When the C5 Corvette was finally unveiled critics were quick to notice a thundering new powerplant. It carried the LS1 designation, serving as the C5 Corvette’s base engine for the duration of the production run. Ironically, the C5 Corvette would only ever leave the factory with one of two individual engines. This included the aforementioned 5.7L LS1, as well as the all-powerful 5.7L LS6, which powered the C5 Z06.
1982 L83 Engine
Josh Boyd·
Engines

L83 Engine Guide: Specs, Features, & More

Offered for only two years (1982, 1984), the L83 featured GM’s newly designed Cross-Fire Fuel Injection system and is often referred to by critics as being one of the most unworthy engines to ever find its way under the Corvette’s hood. However, this begs the question of whether or not the L83 was truly deserving of this mockery.
1973 L82 Engine
Josh Boyd·
Engines

1973 L82 Engine Guide: Specs, Features, & More

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.
Front view of LT5 engine bay
Josh Boyd·
Engines

LT5 Engine Guide: Specs, Features, & More

At the heart of the ZR1 Corvette resides the supercharged 6.2L LT5. GM’s engineering department was also tasked with producing the ZR1’s engine, which would have to perform at a higher level than that of the Z06’s supercharged LT4 small-block. The 755 HP supercharged LT5 would elevate the Corvette’s performance to a level never before achieved.