The Chevrolet Corvette LS3 is renowned for being one of the most beloved engines in automotive history. It has been...
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.
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.
In the midst of the Z06’s development, engineers knew that something truly remarkable would be needed to best the base Corvette’s 400 horsepower LS2. In its production form, this new small-block V8 came to be known as the LS7. The LS7 was nothing short of all-powerful, featuring a displacement of 427 cubic inches and an output of 505 horsepower.
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.