Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Autoblog builds an LS9 for someone's Corvette ZR1]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/17/autoblog-builds-an-ls9-for-someones-corvette-zr1/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/17/autoblog-builds-an-ls9-for-someones-corvette-zr1/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/17/autoblog-builds-an-ls9-for-someones-corvette-zr1/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

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

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

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]]>chevroletchevrolet corvetteChevroletCorvettecorvettefeaturedgeneral motorsGeneralMotorsgm performance build centerGmPerformanceBuildCenterLS9LS9 engineLS9 V8Ls9EngineLs9V8Wixomwixom factorywixom michiganWixom.MichWixomFactoryWixomMichiganzr1Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:58:00 EST<![CDATA[LS9 crate motor costs more than most cars]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/19/ls9-crate-motor-costs-more-than-most-cars/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/19/ls9-crate-motor-costs-more-than-most-cars/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/19/ls9-crate-motor-costs-more-than-most-cars/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



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]]>ls9ls9 crate engiinels9 crate motorls9 enginels9 engine pricels9 motor pricels9 pricels9 v8Ls9CrateEngiineLs9CrateMotorLs9EngineLs9EnginePriceLs9MotorPriceLs9PriceLs9V8Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:58:00 EST<![CDATA[For the kids: Help Mr. Stephens build a ZR1 engine]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/11/07/for-the-kids-help-mr-stephens-build-a-zr1-engine/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/11/07/for-the-kids-help-mr-stephens-build-a-zr1-engine/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/11/07/for-the-kids-help-mr-stephens-build-a-zr1-engine/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



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]]>corvettecorvette enginecorvette engine buildcorvette zr-1corvette zr1CorvetteEngineCorvetteEngineBuildCorvetteZr-1CorvetteZr1gm educational gamegm gamegm ls9 gamegm online gameGmEducationalGameGmGameGmLs9GameGmOnlineGamels9ls9 enginels9 v8Ls9EngineLs9V8Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:29:00 EST<![CDATA[VIDEO: Birthing an LS9]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/16/video-birthing-an-ls9/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/16/video-birthing-an-ls9/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/16/video-birthing-an-ls9/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



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]]>chevrolet corvettechevrolet corvette enginechevrolet corvette zr1chevrolet small blockChevroletCorvetteChevroletCorvetteEngineChevroletCorvetteZr1ChevroletSmallBlockcorvette enginecorvette engine buildcorvette zr-1corvette zr1CorvetteEngineCorvetteEngineBuildCorvetteZr-1CorvetteZr1engine buildEngineBuildls 9 v8ls-9ls9ls9 v8Ls9V8v8Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Officially Official: Corvette ZR1 makes 638 hp and 604 lb-ft]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/25/officially-official-corvette-zr1-makes-638-hp-and-604-lb-ft/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/25/officially-official-corvette-zr1-makes-638-hp-and-604-lb-ft/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/25/officially-official-corvette-zr1-makes-638-hp-and-604-lb-ft/#commentsFiled under: , ,


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]]>breakingcorvettecorvette zr1CorvetteZr1ls9LS9 horsepowerls9 v8Ls9Horsepowerls9v8supercharged ls9SuperchargedLs9zr1ZR1 horsepowerZr1HorsepowerFri, 25 Apr 2008 00:01:00 EST<![CDATA[VIDEO: GM explains tech details of ZR1 LS9 engine]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/04/video-gm-explains-tech-details-of-zr1-ls9-engine/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/04/video-gm-explains-tech-details-of-zr1-ls9-engine/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/04/video-gm-explains-tech-details-of-zr1-ls9-engine/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


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]]>CorvetteEaton SuperchargerEatonSuperchargerLS9 V8Ls9V8Ron MeeganRonMeeganSmall Block V8SmallBlockV8VideoZR-1Tue, 04 Mar 2008 11:25:00 EST