Autoblog

Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #259 LIVE

Dan Roth — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:10:00 EST

Filed under: Tokyo Motor Show, GM, Honda, Hyundai

We record Episode #259 of the Autoblog Podcast tonight, and you can drop us your questions via our Q&A module below. Check out our discussion topics or chime in to help determine what else the crew chats about this evening. Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven't already done so, and if you want to take it all in live, tune in to our UStream (audio only) channel at 10:00 PM Eastern tonight.

Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #259

[UStream] Interact LIVE at UStream - 10PM Eastern on Monday, December 5, 2011
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
[RSS] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator

Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #259 LIVE originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

GM marks 100-millionth small-block engine built [w/video]

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:56:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Chevrolet, GM

A lot has happened in the last 56 years... mankind landed on the moon, the Cold War ended and General Motors managed to build 100 million small-block V8 engines.

First launched in 1955 with 265 cubic inches of displacement, the small block V8 has seen duty in nearly every memorable machine produced by Chevrolet in the last five decades. In addition to being the bread-and-butter engine in GM's bread-and-butter brand, the small block has also been widely seen in the engine bays of various Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick, GMC and Cadillac models in the States, as well as in Vauxhalls in the UK, Opels in the rest of Europe and Holdens in Australia.

While the current fourth-generation small-black V8 engine from GM doesn't share much at all in common with its forebears, it's still a tribute to a solid basic design architecture (4.4-inch bore centers, eight cylinders and overhead valves) that has remained a stalwart in power, affordability and efficiency.

The actual 100,000,000 engine will be a supercharged LS9 V8 that would normally be found in the engine bay of a Chevy Corvette ZR1, but this milestone powerplant will be kept and preserved by GM as part of its historical collection. Fittingly, the LS9, with 638 horsepower, is the most powerful engine ever offered by the automaker in a production vehicle.

In related news, GM has announced that its fifth-generation small block, due in the "near future" (perhaps the C7 Corvette?), will be blessed with a new direct-injection combustion system for enhanced efficiency. Naturally, it will still have 4.4-inch bore centers.

There's plenty of cool statistical information in the press release and video after the break, so we suggest you check it out for yourself... especially if you belong to the camp that believes pushrods automatically equal antiquated technology.

Continue reading GM marks 100-millionth small-block engine built [w/video]

GM marks 100-millionth small-block engine built [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Translogic takes a look back at the Chevy small-block V8

Zach Bowman — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 19:29:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Performance, Etc., Technology, Chevrolet

No matter what side of the great domestic manufacturer debate you find yourself on, there's no denying the simple beauty of the Chevrolet small block engine. Whether it be the early 256 cubic-inch forefather or the ubiquitous 350-cubic-inch that we all know and love, the 90-degree General Motors V8 has established itself as an integral part of the fabric of America. GM is set to build its 100 millionth small block this year, and Translogic decided to mark the occasion by spending some time with the vehicle that helped make the engine famous to begin with - the Chevrolet Corvette.

The episode also takes some time to chat with Jamie Meyer, the product integration manager with GM performance parts, to learn a thing or two about what has made the GM small block such a success over the years. Hit the jump to check out the episode for yourself and click over next week for a look at the face-melting Corvette ZR1. What a difference half a century makes.

Continue reading Translogic takes a look back at the Chevy small-block V8

Translogic takes a look back at the Chevy small-block V8 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Aug 2011 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Report: Next Chevrolet Corvette to get 440-hp 5.5-liter small-block V8

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 19:29:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet, GM, Rumormill

Chevrolet 50th Anniversary Corvette Stingray Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

According to Motor Trend, which is citing unnamed sources within General Motors, the next-generation Corvette will come with a brand-new engine. Despite rumors to the contrary, it seems that Chevrolet's halo vehicle will continue using its trademark V8 engine and not a V6. Still, the C7's powerplant will be downsized from its current 6.2 or 7.0 liters.

It's likely that this new engine will be the first application of GM's next-gen small block family, and we'd expect it to sport direct injection, E85 capability and a new combustion system design. One thing not to expect, though: overhead cams. You can bank on the fact that The General will stick to its tried-and-true overhead valve design, which serves to lower manufacturing costs and allows for comparatively small overall engine dimensions.

All of these technologies should make the venerable V8 more fuel efficient and cleaner, but also sufficiently powerful to uphold its sportscar heritage. In fact, Motor Trend reports that the C7's V8 will displace 5.5 liters while hammering out 440 horsepower. Though that significantly smaller in displacement, the power figure would actually be up from the current 430 ponies. We can hardly wait... but we'll have to anyway. We don't expect the next Corvette to bow before 2012 at the earliest.

Gallery: Chevrolet 50th Anniversary Corvette Stingray Concept revealed again

[Source: Motor Trend]

Report: Next Chevrolet Corvette to get 440-hp 5.5-liter small-block V8 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Jun 2010 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

GM investing $890M in next-gen small block V8s

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 13:29:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Technology, GM

Autoblog builds an LS9 V8 - Click above for high-res image gallery

Ah yes, the classic small block Chevy. No other engine in history carries as much nostalgia and General Motors looks poised to push its mouse motor well into the future by adding new technologies designed to clean up the mill's emissions and improve fuel mileage. Expect these engines to show up in applications from sportscars like the Camaro and Corvette to pickup trucks and SUVs.

According to GM, all of its next-generation small block V8s will use aluminum engine blocks in addition to being E85 compatible. We can also expect to see direct injection added to the small block's repertoire for improved efficiency and power production. Finally, the combustion chambers will see a redesign that will promote fuel efficiency.

Naturally, an update to an existing engine line requires a suitable investment, and this one is no different. GM will be investing nearly $900 million and will add or retain more than 1,600 jobs in Tonawanda, NY; St. Catherines, Ontario; Defiance, Ohio; Bedford, Indiana and Bay City, Michigan. More details can be found in the press release after the break.

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

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading GM investing $890M in next-gen small block V8s

GM investing $890M in next-gen small block V8s originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Apr 2010 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Corvette Racing boss Doug Fehan confirms new 5.5L V8 for Sebring debut

Sam Abuelsamid — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 19:55:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Chevrolet, Racing

Corvette C6.R GT2 - Click above for high-res image gallery

Back in August when General Motors introduced the all-new GT2 class Corvette C6.R, it ran downsized 6.0-liter version of the 7.0-liter V8 from the long-dominant GT1 car. At the launch, Corvette Racing program manager Doug Fehan told us the 6.0-liter was just an interim engine. With revised GT rules on tap for 2010, GM was already planning a brand-new engine for its race Vette.

Unlike the 6.0/7.0, which is a ground-up race engine that only shares basic architectural dimensions with the production small block, the 2010 C6.R's V8 is a new 5.5-liter unit that will indeed be derived from the production engine found in roadgoing Corvettes. In fact, the 5.5-liter race engine will be built at GM's Performance Build Center alongside ZR1 and Z06 V8s.

Fehan has confirmed that the 5.5 is running on the dyno and will make its race debut at the 12 Hours of Sebring in March. We don't have any additional details on the new engine yet, although we were told earlier that it is based on the next-generation production small-block, which we expect to see in the Corvette soon.

Gallery: Mid-Ohio 2009: Corvette GT2 racing

Photos Copyright (C)2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading Corvette Racing boss Doug Fehan confirms new 5.5L V8 for Sebring debut

Corvette Racing boss Doug Fehan confirms new 5.5L V8 for Sebring debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 02 Jan 2010 19:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Friday Fun: RWD Scion xB with Chevy V8 power!

Dan Roth — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 12:54:00 EST

Filed under: Tuners, Etc., Scion

click above for more high-res iamges of the V8-powered Scion xB

Forget about body kits, custom fiberglass enclosures for your woofer and LCDs in the headrests. This is the only way to make the Scion xB entertaining in our humble opinion. Oh yeah, Scion wants you to think its cars are more fun than a box of rocks, but like Flava Flav said, don't believe the hype. We'll even forgive the fact that there's a big, dumb carburetor sitting atop the Chevy-based small block. This first-generation xB is owned by a guy named Rick, who apparently knows his way around plasma cutters, nibblers and welders. It's not quite finished yet, as evidenced by the photos showing a stripped interior and lots of zip ties, but Rick's Scion is already quite the sleeper.

Peering inside the engine bay, it's the tidy dimensions of the small block FTW. A transmission hump/center tunnel had to be added, and the chassis was converted to rear-wheel drive, too. Keep in mind, this is the smaller, original xB. The overinflated second-generation would have even more space in the engine room for this sort of chicanery. There's obviously some time and money spent to give this ho-hum little box a big infusion of epic cool, and we bet that's all worth it when you can take in the looks of discongruity as you blow the doors off the unsuspecting.

[Source: Carscoop]

Gallery: V8-powered Scion xB

Friday Fun: RWD Scion xB with Chevy V8 power! originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Jan 2008 12:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

CarDomain Find of the Day: V8, mid-engined Ford Festiva

Dan Roth — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 18:19:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Etc., Ford

click above image for gallery

Festiva, mid-mounted V8 - okay, we're with you. Front wheel drive? Uh, sounds like a fine way to blow a lot of dollars adapting components in order to send the power to the wrong pair of 13-inch tires. No Festiva conversion will ever top the SHOgun, which planted the Taurus SHO's Yamaha V6 where the rear seat used to be in the diminutive Kia derivative. CarDomain member TheOne-Originals has exceeded the SHOgun's cylinder count by squeezing a small-block Chevy V8 behind the front seats. The power runs forward, with a Turbo Hydramatic transmission coupled to a BMW limited slip differential. Customized Audi driveshafts are responsible for transmitting torque to the teeny tiny tires.

We like the exhaust stacks that stick through the roof, as well as the Mad-Max patina the whole project wears. The SHOgun may have been more finely finished, but this car wouldn't have a problem drawing at least as large a crowd. It might not be tremendously amusing in a torrential downpour, but being able to crack that four-barrel open and instantly boil the front tires has its own charm. Our favorite quote from the car's description? "The stock brakes definitely need upgrading, but I'll get to that later." Or not. The car might kill its builder first. We can only imagine how evil the torque steer might be, and mid-engined cars are notorious for being wicked near their moment of polar inertia. A sleeper econobox with twice the cylinder count with which it came, mercenary unmuffled exhaust, and the pending addition of a flamethrower system for the exhaust? Yeah, that would definitely entertain us.

Thanks for the tip, Rob!

[Source: CarDomain]

Gallery: V8, mid-engine Ford Festiva

CarDomain Find of the Day: V8, mid-engined Ford Festiva originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Dec 2007 18:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Absolutely sick amounts of power for the street and track

Eric Bryant — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 11:56:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Motorsports, Technology

There are some misguided folks out there who think that big displacement and technology are somehow mutually exclusive. And then there's Tom Nelson of Nelson Racing Engines. His Project F Bomb engine (a twin-turbo 408 cubic inch small-block Chevy that threw down an evil 1480 HP and 1440 lb-ft) recently graced the cover of Hot Rod magazine, and he has plenty of other fine examples showing his ability to build huge power via forced induction.

The video above shows what happens when 522 cubes of big-block Chevy are subjected to 10 PSI or so of boost and stuffed into a classic Pontiac LeMans. We're going to warn our readers that a bit of rowdy driving occurs past the half-way point, so if you're easy upset by hot-testing a rev limiter on public streets, it's probably best to skip to the next post. On the other hand, if you want to see what happens when 1000 HP is applied in 3rd gear at 20 MPH, by all means roll the clip and prepare to receive some goose bumps. Polite words fail to accurately describe such a diabolic creation. Note, too, just how mild mannered this thing is when driving at sane speeds.

Of course, the best feature about such a setup is its adjustability. It can be knocked down to a mere 1000 HP or so for taking trips to the grocery store on pump gas, and then cranked up towards 2000 HP on racing fuel - if, indeed, the rest of your car (and your guardian angel) can handle that sort of power.

[Source: Nelson Racing Engines; a hat tip to JV]

Absolutely sick amounts of power for the street and track originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Aug 2006 11:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Shots snapped of "Blue Devil" engine

Eric Bryant — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 20:59:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet, GM

Call it what you will - "Blue Devil", "Corvette SS", or just "#%$&ing fast" - but even though we don't yet know the moniker of the upcoming ÜberVette, a clearer picture is being painted of the 650-hp supercharged lump that should propel it past most of the supercar elite. A sharp-eyed and well-connected member of the Digital Corvettes forum managed to have a camera in the right place at the right time, and grabbed three shots of the blown GenIV V8 that is said to carry the SPID designation of LS9.

Most notable is the blower setup, which puts the compressor down low in the valley, with the blower drive snout sneaking past the front-mounted throttle body. Air flows upwards through an air-to-water intercooler (note the yellow caps on the coolant fittings at the rear of the IC), and then drops straight down into the intake ports. The arrangement is similar to that of Cadillac's supercharged Northstar, but this engine appears to be significantly more compact despite providing 40% more output. There's also a bit of bling in the form of valve covers and a intercooler housing formed from polished aluminum, which is certainly more fitting to a $100K vehicle than the usual plastic or stamped steel.

Speaking of GM's luxury brand, rumor has it that a lower-output version of this engine will make its way into the Escalade. That would seem to contradict Caddy's claim that there will be no V-series SUVs.

Is it too early to start wondering when this will be available as a crate motor?

[Source: DigitalCorvettes]

Shots snapped of "Blue Devil" engine originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Jun 2006 20:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

General Motors introducing 19 new engines and powertrains

Erin Mays — Fri, 19 May 2006 09:07:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Technology, GM

General Motors announced that it will be introducing 19 -- yes, 19 -- new engines and powertrains for the 2007 model year. The powerplants span the gamut of technologies available today and include hybrids, traditional gasoline-powered engines, ethanol powerplants and everything in between. The claim to fame for every last one is better fuel economy, reduced emissions and more choice, the automaker says.

The offerings include a small-block V8 for trucks, six-speed automatic transmissions and powertrains employing GM's Active Fuel Management technology.

[Source: Auto Spectator]

General Motors introducing 19 new engines and powertrains originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 May 2006 09:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

GM Power Shop hits the road

Stuart Waterman — Tue, 25 Apr 2006 14:03:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Maintenance, Motorsports, Marketing/Advertising, GM

Both General Motors and Ford are making big inroads into the aftermarket world for high-performance parts, and now GM Performance Parts is taking it to the streets-- literally. The company has put together a mobile exhibit of its offerings called the GM Performance Parts Power Shop, which is travelling the country this summer making appearances at various racing and car-oriented events.

One of the stars of the exhibit is a fully-operational display of the GMPP ZZ572 big-block crate engine - 720 hp of off-the-shelf motivation. The drag racing and hot rod-oriented display also features a brand-new drag racing simulator that promises the "full sensory experience of rocketing down the quarter-mile."

The Power Shop debuted this past weekend at "The Year One Experience" at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia.

[Source: GM]

GM Power Shop hits the road originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Apr 2006 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments