[Bhobbs]

Originally Posted by McRat

It would be too much to cover all the GM, Ford, and Dodge engine development. Seriously, GM has 420HP/430tq six at the dealers.

So let's just focus on the V8's the companies have used for their cars this century.

I'll get these numbers and years wrong, but you will get the point.

1997 debut of LS1 SBC. 305 to 350HP ratings.
2001 freshen to LS6 to 385HP
2002 freshen to LS6 to 405HP
2005 freshen to LS3 at 430HP
2006 freshen to LS7 at 505HP
2009 freshen to LSA at 556HP
2010 freshen to LS9 at 638HP
2012 freshen LSA to 580HP
2014 unofficial bump in LS7 power, bump in torque.
2014 freshen to LT1 at 455-460HP
2015 freshen to LT4 at 650HP


All of these engines share bore spacing, packaging, and interface. No need to mention truck engines using it, or GMPP options to push displacement to 454CI.

All are 2v V8 engines. You could fit the 650HP LT4 into a 305HP Camaro.

How many different V8 engine configurations did Ford and Dodge use from 1997 to 2015? (we won't count the failed V10 efforts).

Ford went from a new 2v SOHC V8 at 215HP, to a 3v SOHC, to a 4v DOHC, and ended up with 662HP in the end. But the DOHC was considerably different in width, heavy, and could not just drop in the early cars.

Dodge car V8's of the current generation "Hemi" arrived in 2006 at 340HP-425HP, bumped to 485 for 2015, then 707HP supercharged for 2015

While Ford and Dodge currently win the Blown HP awards, and rightly so, the idea that GM just sits there is a joke.

GM, went from 305HP naturally aspired to 505HP naturally aspired in under 8 years.

Ford, 215HP NA to 444HP NA in 15 years?

Dodge went from 340HP NA to 485HP NA in 9 years.

GM can always up the boost again, but can Dodge or Ford get a NA engine up to where GM was in 2006? And with 24hr endurance racing records to back it up?

Now, if it's just going to be blower war from here on out, don't be surprised at what GM does next.

I think you misunderstood my point. I am not saying GM doesn't build multiple engines. I am saying that when they build an engine, they leave it until it is retired. Outside of a few examples, that is the case. The LS3, 7, 9 and A all remain at the same output they did in their respective forms from the day they were released. Yes, the LSA got a bump moving from the CTS to Camaro but that was due to a more room in the Camaro, at least what I read.

How many variations of the 4.6 did they build? How many variations of the 5.0 have they built? How many engine changes did they make for the GT500?

When the Camaro was being killed off, did GM drop in the LS6 as a final farewell? No. You can't tell me the LS6 was that much more expensive than the LS1.

The LS3 in the Camaro is rated lower than the LS3 in the Corvette. The LS1 Camaros were rated way lower than the LS1 Corvettes even though they had essentially the same engine.

The LSA is nowhere near the LS9 in power output. When the GT500 came out with 662 hp, GM didn't do anything to the ZL1 to make it a little faster.

The only reason the Z/28 got the LS7 is because they had not other option.

As for Ford only having 444 hp N/A as of now, I bet the GT350 matches or beats the LS7. GM has completely given up on N/A engines for higher performance trims.