For reasons beyond us, General Motors actually considered the idea of placing the LS3 V8 under the hood of the 2014 Camaro Z/28, instead of the LS7. While we know The General went with the better choice, there are definitely some positives and negatives to look at when comparing the two motors.
Reasons to use the LS3:
- Lighter weight
- Better mileage (who cares, right?)
- Utilization of existing components (no new fabrication)
- Keeps costs down
Reasons to use the LS7:
- It has over 500hp and is hand-built
- There’s bragging rights to having a 7.0-liter engine
- The most powerful motor is always the best choice for a track car
- The LS3 is for sissies
While Chevy had kicked around the idea of using the LS3 in the Z/28, it would not have been in its current. The 6.2-liter mill would have been tuned, bringing the total to about 450hp, and the vehicle would have been equipped with dual-mode exhaust. Still, it would be no LS7, that’s for sure.
Comments
The weight savings of 25lbs. is not worth the drop in HP/Torque, or the expense of tuning the LS3 to increase it’s numbers, The LS7 has already proven it’s self. Why would GM spend time and money on an outgoing (other then as a crate) engine when the gen V’s are on their way.
http://www.chevroletperformance.com/_res/pdf/CrateEngineQRC2010.pdf
The most powerful motor is always the best choice for track car. Then they should have used the LS9. the LS3 is for sissies. Then these are cars for girly men. 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP 2010 through 2014 Camaro SS 2014 Chevrolet SS 2008 through 2013 Corvette.
In the world of satire, yes. They are in fact girly cars.
Roy, is it the ZR1 or the Z06 that is the “track car”?
just say’in!
If this car was a emblem and sticker car the LS3 would have been fine but with all the other parts put in and the elevated price it would have been a grave mistake to have put in any engine less that could not take full advantage of this package.
Not I think Ford realized they made a mistake with the Boss 302 Laguna package by not stepping up the engine more then than they did.
GM did this right. It matches the Z06 and Z07 package well as a track car. These are the Vettes that are most often the choice of people doing track driving.
A few other comments about this:
– 2010-2013 Corvette Grand Sport Coupes with manual transmissions had LS3’s with a dry sump oiling system that were also “hand” assembled at the PBC in Wixom.
– Using the LS7 in the Z/28 is also “usage of existing components”. These are the same engines used in the Z06 and then 2013 427 convertible Corvette. The exhaust manifolds are different for the Camaro, the fuel rail covers are obviously specific, but essentially these are surplus inventory left over from C6 Corvette. Speaking of the 2013 Corvette 427 Convertible, 2552 of that model were built, 19% of the total production for the year! This is proof to me that there was/is a surplus of componentry for the LS7 and what better place to use it than the ’14-’15 Z/28.