Autoblog

Video: Hennessey Venom GT dyno'd at 933 RWHP

Zach Bowman — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 12:32:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Performance, Videos, Specialty, Racing

Hennessey Venom GT - Click above to watch video after the jump

By now we should all know that Hennessey isn't the kind of vaporware tuner that throws out a rendering, some wild projected power numbers and then drops off the face of the planet, but that didn't stop us from being skeptical when the Texas-based tuner/builder rolled out plans for its Venom GT. Originally, the car was supposed to get its power from a beefy V10 borrowed from the nose of a Dodge Viper, complete with a 1,000-horsepower tune in a 2,700-lb chassis. The final product, however, swapped the 10-pot for the supercharged V8 found in the mighty Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. Despite dropping two cylinders, horsepower estimates stayed the same.

Now Hennessey has rolled out a video of its creation on the dyno. How does a streetable 933 horsepower at the rear wheels sound? How about 874 lb-ft of torque at the tires? It sounds mighty tasty to us, especially considering that those numbers come courtesy of regular 93 octane pump gas (no race fuel here, kiddies) and, again, are at the wheel. Ditch the drivetrain loss and power at the crank will easily crest 1,000 ponies. Go ahead and hit the jump to see the monster pull for yourself.

Gallery: Hennessey Venom GT

[Source: Hennessey]

Continue reading Video: Hennessey Venom GT dyno'd at 933 RWHP

Video: Hennessey Venom GT dyno'd at 933 RWHP originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Jun 2010 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Video: Hennessey Venom GT spied out in the open

Steven J. Ewing — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Performance, Videos, Lotus

Hennessey Venom GT spied in public - Click above to watch the video after the jump

The insane Hennessey Venom GT won't be revealed publicly until this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed (but come back this Monday at midnight for the full scoop), however, the crew at PistonHeads have recently caught the car out in the open. We're definitely swooning over this one, what with its Lotus Elise-based body, Porsche Carrera GT proportions and Corvette ZR1-sourced powerplant.

We don't have the official details just yet, but we're told that this supercar stunner will produce around 1,000 horsepower. And when you consider that the whole car only weighs about 2,400 pounds, we're expecting some pretty impressive performance numbers. Hit the jump to see a video of the Venom GT in the flesh.

Gallery: Hennessey Performance Venom GT in the shop

[Source: PistonHeads]

Continue reading Video: Hennessey Venom GT spied out in the open

Video: Hennessey Venom GT spied out in the open originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Autoblog builds an LS9 for someone's Corvette ZR1

Sam Abuelsamid — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Etc., Plants/Manufacturing, Chevrolet, GM

Our completed LS9 V8 - Click above for high-res image gallery

When you think of brands like Aston Martin, Ferrari and AMG, the idea of their engines being built by the hands of skilled craftsmen is no great surprise. However, most people would be very surprised to learn that General Motors has its own special facility dedicated to building its highest performaning engine by hand.

The GM Performance Build Center is located in a nondescript industrial park in in Wixom, MI, not far from the company's Milford Proving Ground. The PBC is a 100,000-square foot factory that opened in 2005 and has since produced both the supercharged Northstar V8 that was used in the Cadillac STS-V and XLR-V, as well as the dry-sump small-block V8 used in the Corvette Z06 and ZR1. The most recent addition to the lineup is the dry-sump LS3 used in the new manual transmission Grand Sport. We were invited by GM to tour the facility and even build one a monster LS9 that would eventually wind up in someone's ZR1.

Gallery: Building an LS9 V8 at the GM Performance Build Center

Continue reading Autoblog builds an LS9 for someone's Corvette ZR1

Autoblog builds an LS9 for someone's Corvette ZR1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

LS9 crate motor costs more than most cars

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:58:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Chevrolet, GM

Click above for high-res image gallery of the LS9 engine

General Motors did power junkies a solid when it announced at this past year's SEMA show that the famed LS9 engine will be offered as a crate motor. Because the LS9 was designed to live within the tight confines of the Corvette ZR1 engine bay, this engine should fit nicely into all manner of undeserving machinery, a fact that has made our minds reel with endless possibilities.

All that was before we heard the price. As much fun as it would be to drop a ready-made 630-hp supercharged whale-of-a-motor into, say, a Volvo 240 wagon, the $21,000 price tag is a bit of a buzzkill. To put it another way, the LS9 crate motor costs about the same as a base 2010 Ford Mustang. The high price isn't all that shocking, especially considering that Ford charges $17,699 for the 500-horsepower, supercharged 5.4L crate engine that's offered through its Ford Racing Catalog.

As our friends at Autofiends point out, though, anyone with a modicum of experience would be able to eke out even more ponies from a less exotic, standard LS-series engine, which can be had for a song if you're willing to look hard enough. Oh well, like many of the finer things in life, this crate motor is something to be enjoyed by only a limited few with deep pockets.

Gallery: The Chevrolet LS9 V-8

[Source Autofiends]

LS9 crate motor costs more than most cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

For the kids: Help Mr. Stephens build a ZR1 engine

Dan Roth — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:29:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Supercars, Chevrolet, GM

For many, General Motors' Mr Stephens' Engine Shop online game is full of metallic looking stuff, none of it discernibly purposeful. What you're working with are extracted parts of the LS9 engine that powers the Corvette ZR1. Unless your ZR1 is in the shop for catastrophic engine failure, these components aren't usually seen out on their own. The General's little game has you correctly identify the major pieces and awards a prize after three rounds of correct answers (or lucky guesses). So many people, not just kids, are ignorant about the inner workings of the complex machine known as the car, so we applaud this effort to shed light on the mysteries that lie beneath the bodywork. Watch out for that fuel rail, we found it a little tricky to place. If anything, we're eager to get home and have the young ones begin learning auto anatomy. Thanks for the tip, Eden!

[Source: General Motors]

For the kids: Help Mr. Stephens build a ZR1 engine originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

VIDEO: Birthing an LS9

Dan Roth — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:03:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Technology, Videos, Chevrolet, GM

Automobile Magazine was invited into General Motors Performance Build Center to watch and lightly assist in the buildup of a ZR-1's internal combustion heart. It takes four-and-a-half hours of real time to go from a bare block to a fire-breathing, supercharged LS9, but through the magic of sped-up video, it only takes seven minutes of your life. You won't come away with anything productive for that time, unlike the people in the video, who get the pleasure of creating a small-block V8, but it's a neat picture of how it all comes together. We just hope that some other poor sucker gets the motor that the magazine intern fiddled with. Video posted after the jump.

[Source: Automobile]

Continue reading VIDEO: Birthing an LS9

VIDEO: Birthing an LS9 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Officially Official: Corvette ZR1 makes 638 hp and 604 lb-ft

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 00:01:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, Supercars, Chevrolet

When Chevrolet officially announced the new Corvette ZR1 just before the Detroit Auto Show this year, it hadn't yet finished the certification of its new power-plant, the supercharged LS9. At that time, all the engineers would tell us was that the supercharged 6.2L V8 would produce a minimum of 100hp/L or 620 hp. Three months have passed since we got our first official look at the LS9 and the numbers are now in. According to GM, the LS9 has now been SAE Certified at 638 hp and 604 lb-ft of twist. The official EPA fuel economy testing hasn't been finished and for people who buy a ZR1 it probably won't matter anyway. Nonetheless, GM expects the LS9 to be the most fuel efficient 600+hp engine in the world, a dubious distinction if ever there was one. A special team of technicians will be hand-building and testing the LS9 at GM's Performance Build Center in Wixom, Mich. Check out the articles below for all the details on the ZR1 and LS9.

Related stories:

Gallery: The Chevrolet LS9 V-8

Gallery: 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading Officially Official: Corvette ZR1 makes 638 hp and 604 lb-ft

Officially Official: Corvette ZR1 makes 638 hp and 604 lb-ft originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Apr 2008 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

VIDEO: GM explains tech details of ZR1 LS9 engine

Chris Shunk — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 11:25:00 EST

Filed under: Videos, Supercars, Chevrolet, GM

Click the image above for more high-res pics of the ZR1

The ZR1 Corvette is one serious piece of American metal, with the athleticism of a track star and the brute power of drag racer. While light weight materials, magnetic damping and 15.5-inch Brembo brakes sounds impressive, the real meat lies under the hood of the fastest ever production Corvette. GM's supercharged 6.2L small block V8 packs at least 620 hp and nearly 600 lb-ft of torque, and its duty is to finally put the Corvette into the supercar club. We were lucky enough to spend some time with Ron Meegan, the assistant chief of GM's small block engine program, and he gave us an engineer's view of the supercharged LS9 engine. Hit the jump to learn why GM didn't use the 7.0L V8 from the Z06, why the Eaton supercharger is so special, and whether or not GM is being modest with the ZR1's projected 620 hp rating.

Gallery: 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1

Continue reading VIDEO: GM explains tech details of ZR1 LS9 engine

VIDEO: GM explains tech details of ZR1 LS9 engine originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Mar 2008 11:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments