New 6.2 LS3 Could Be Heading For HSV

[JoeT]

Here Comes LS3!

Terry Martin
1 May 2007
www.goauto.com.au

6.2 V8 engine debuts in US Corvette - and could turn up next at HSV.

General Motors’ new “LS3” 6.2-litre V8 engine made its offi cial debut in the Chevrolet Corvette coupe and convertible last week in the US, and is a strong candidate to be inserted into the Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) ESeries range in Australia during 2008.

It is unclear whether HSV would fi t the LS3 mill as standard across the series, or use it to provide the performance differentiation it has sought for the range-topping GTS sedan.

Superseding the LS2 6.0-litre V8 in the Corvette, the LS3 produces 321kW of power at 5900rpm and 575Nm of torque at 4600rpm. With a new dual-mode exhaust system specified, output increases to 325kW and 580Nm at the same rpm.

These are considerable improvements over the LS2, which in HSV’s VE Commodore-based range produces 307kW at 6000rpm and 550Nm at 4400rpm.

When combined with the revised six-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission (improved with new hardware and a new controller calibration that deliver quicker shifts), the LS3 can send the 1460kg Corvette from 0-60mph (97km/h) in a claimed 4.3 seconds. HSV claims its LS2 cars – which are 300kg heavier than the Corvette – can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 4.96 seconds with the manual and 5.04 seconds with the auto.

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New LS3 and HSV Clubsport

[HoosierRon]

Increase displacement.

Don't offer direct injection.

Brag about ridiculous 0-60 times.

Complain about CAFE regulations.

[Brglotus]

So this is just a bigger LS2 right? Why does GM need this? If they added DI to the LS2 i'm sure that they can get the extra 30hp they wanted. I'm all for more horespower but now they must worry about mpg too.

[aball]

"Superseding the LS2 6.0-litre V8 in the Corvette, the LS3 produces 321kW of power at 5900rpm and 575Nm of torque at 4600rpm. With a new dual-mode exhaust system specified, output increases to 325kW and 580Nm at the same rpm.

These are considerable improvements over the LS2, which in HSV’s VE Commodore-based range produces 307kW at 6000rpm and 550Nm at 4400rpm."

I wouldn't call a 4.5% increase in power and torque CONSIDERABLE. "Handy" or "nice" comes to mind.

[tgagneguam]

Originally Posted by JoeT

...the LS3 produces 321kW of power at 5900rpm and 575Nm of torque at 4600rpm. With a new dual-mode exhaust system specified, output increases to 325kW and 580Nm at the same rpm.

These are considerable improvements over the LS2, which in HSV’s VE Commodore-based range produces 307kW at 6000rpm and 550Nm at 4400rpm...

For those of you who may be interested in rough conversions:

LS2
307kW=412 hp
550Nm=406 lb./ft.

LS3
321kW=430 hp
575Nm=424 lb./ft.

LS3 (dual-mode)
325kW=436 hp
580Nm=428 lb./ft.

[Yarddawg1987]

Originally Posted by Brglotus

So this is just a bigger LS2 right? Why does GM need this? If they added DI to the LS2 i'm sure that they can get the extra 30hp they wanted. I'm all for more horespower but now they must worry about mpg too.

I think the reason they upped to 6.2L is because the Corvette SS will have a blown 6.2L, i guess they just want to keep the same displacement. does this also mean the vortecmax will grow to a 6.2L?

[peccles]

Originally Posted by Brglotus

So this is just a bigger LS2 right? Why does GM need this? If they added DI to the LS2 i'm sure that they can get the extra 30hp they wanted. I'm all for more horespower but now they must worry about mpg too.

I agree. They could have also used VVT like they did in the pushrod 3.5L V6 to get more HP.

[61BelAir]

Fot those complaining about MPG, I believe the LS3 also has better fuel efficiency than the outgoing LS2

[ogg vorbis]

the ls3 isn't 'basically' an ls2. it's a new block with larger bores. it has the ls7 as-cast heads with 2.165" hollow intake valves and 1.6" exhaust valves. new pistons/rings, intake and exhaust manifold. the ls3 has much better low/mid range torque, and better fuel economy than the ls2.

it takes a lot of power to get a 3900 lb car with driver to 60 mph in under 5 seconds...and the ls3 will improve on that. try to find a 454 ss chevelle that does that...and gets 25+ mpg highway.

i was surprised to see the hp rating is at 5900 rpm, but the ls3 redlines at 6600 rpm.

gdi is not all it's cracked up to be. it's good mainly for cold start and low rpm emissions. with 10 points compression, and better atomization, you get ~7% more power. high pressure gdi needs expensive injectors and pump - not to mention a new cylinder head. you can approach gdi with high pressure (~100 psig) port fuel injection for almost no cost. visteon even has a 'low pressure' (290 psig) gdi at a fraction of the cost of high pressure gdi. i do wish gm had put a cam phaser on the ls3 though.

[MonaroSS]

.

Call me old fashioned, call me a romantic, call me a greenie.

These monster engines are ridiculous, and that includes the Europeans.

You don't need any more than 5.0 litres for a V8 for all the performance you need - period. If you think you need more then you are carrying too much weight.

Big Block capacities are fine for Hot Rods and period Muscle Cars, but a modern sports sedan or sport car needs to use modern materials technology more often and in more components. When are they going to start making these cars lighter?

[69Firebird400]

Originally Posted by MonaroSS

.

Call me old fashioned, call me a romantic, call me a greenie.

These monster engines are ridiculous, and that includes the Europeans.

You don't need any more than 5.0 litres for a V8 for all the performance you need - period. If you think you need more then you are carrying too much weight.

Big Block capacities are fine for Hot Rods and period Muscle Cars, but a modern sports sedan or sport car needs to use modern materials technology more often and in more components. When are they going to start making these cars lighter?

Well, I can't answer for the HSVs, and I agree with you to some extent about the weight gains that we see with each successive generation of modern cars as they grow in size and add more and more features and safety equipment. However, the Corvette has actually lost weight from C4 to C5, C5 to C6, and C6 to C6 Z06. The C6 Z06, thanks to its aluminum frame, lightweight wheels, fixed roof, carbon fiber fenders, etc. tips the scales at somewhere around 3,132 pounds (1,423 kg). I believe a C4 weighed in around 3450 pounds (1,568 kg).

[Z28x]

Originally Posted by MonaroSS

.

Call me old fashioned, call me a romantic, call me a greenie.

These monster engines are ridiculous, and that includes the Europeans.

You don't need any more than 5.0 litres for a V8 for all the performance you need - period. If you think you need more then you are carrying too much weight.

Big Block capacities are fine for Hot Rods and period Muscle Cars, but a modern sports sedan or sport car needs to use modern materials technology more often and in more components. When are they going to start making these cars lighter?

Why is 5.0L such a magical number? What happens at 5.1L?

Did you know that the 6.0L LS2 gets better highway mileage than Honda's 2.0L used in the S2000. Low displacement doesn't automatically mean better fuel economy. Just look at GM's 7.0L LS7 V8 in the Z06 Corvette. It gets 26mpg hwy. Many Vette owners claim 30mpg on road trips. You will never have a 3.6L V8 Ferrari owner tell you that.

[genjy]

Why is the Corvette's LSx displacement getting higher and higher so quickly?

6.0L was a good jump from the 5.7L mark... it's only been a few years and now it's 6.2L?

What's next? 6.5 for the C7? 7.0L for the C7 MCE?

[Mikkoo]

Originally Posted by MonaroSS

.

Call me old fashioned, call me a romantic, call me a greenie.

These monster engines are ridiculous, and that includes the Europeans.

You don't need any more than 5.0 litres for a V8 for all the performance you need - period. If you think you need more then you are carrying too much weight.

Big Block capacities are fine for Hot Rods and period Muscle Cars, but a modern sports sedan or sport car needs to use modern materials technology more often and in more components. When are they going to start making these cars lighter?

Have you checked recently to see how light the Corvette is compared to it's competitors? It's actually among the lightest, even with it's monster engine.

[Mikkoo]

Originally Posted by 61BelAir

Fot those complaining about MPG, I believe the LS3 also has better fuel efficiency than the outgoing LS2

That is correct. So there is absolutely nothing to complain about. It's a win, win situation. More power, better mpg.!!