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Next-Gen Chevy Camaro: What Base Engine Should It Get?

With the discontinuation of the sixth-generation Chevy Camaro following the conclusion of the 2024 model year, speculation is rampant over what lies ahead for the iconic GM nameplate. Currently, the most likely scenario is a pivot to all-electric power, but that doesn’t mean ICE-based power is completely off the table. Which leads us to ask – if GM chooses the ICE route, what would the automaker use for the next-gen Chevy Camaro base engine?

The sixth-generation Chevy Camaro.

As GM Authority exclusively reported last week, GM intends to make the next-generation Camaro significantly more affordable than its predecessor, suggesting that a smaller, more efficient engine could be in the cards. With that, let’s dive into some potential candidates:

Turbo 2.0L I4 LTG Engine

Although the LTG is no longer produced, it was last available under the hood of the 2023 Chevy Camaro delivering 275 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. However, the LTG was later either discontinued or replaced across GM’s lineup.

Turbo 2.0L I4 LSY Engine

One of the engines that replaced the LTG was the LSY, which delivers between 228 and 237 horsepower, depending on application, as well as 258 pound-feet of torque. While peak output aligns with affordable competitors like the Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86, it falls short of the Ford Mustang EcoBoost’s 315 horsepower. Even so, the LSY might keep costs low enough to justify a spot in the Camaro lineup.

Turbo 2.7L I4 L3B Engine

The turbocharged 2.7L I4 L3B can be found in a variety of GM products, including several different pickups and even the Cadillac CT4 sedan. Output is rated up to 325 horsepower with 380 pound-feet of torque in the CT4-V, and 310 horsepower with 430 pound-feet of torque in the trucks. The L3B is also compatible with the GM Alpha platform, the same underpinnings as the sixth-gen Camaro, which could streamline validation and development.

Twin-Turbo 3.0L V6 LGY Engine

Firts introduced with the Cadillac CT5, the LGY delivers output ranging between 335 horsepower and 360 horsepower, plus 405 pound-feet of torque. Like the L3B, the LGY is already cradled by the Alpha platform, potentially easing development costs.

Turbo 2.5L I4 LK0 Engine

The turbocharged 2.5L I4 LK0 is the newest engine option on the list, powering the latest Chevy Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Buick Enclave with 328 horsepower and 326 pound-feet of torque. As it turns out, GM developed the LK0 as a solution for the Traverse / Acadia / Enclave due to issues fitting the crossovers with the L3B in a transverse layout, but given the Camaro’s engine bay should be large to fit the L3B, the LK0 is less likely to be used for the next-gen sports car.

With GM phasing out its naturally aspirated V6 engines, the Turbo 2.7L I4 L3B seems to be the strongest candidate here due to its impressive performance and packaging, although the turbocharged 2.0L LSY may also be a good candidate thanks to its affordability. Ultimately, however, the choice of powerplant will reflect GM’s ongoing balancing act between performance, cost, and emissions standards – all key factors in shaping the Camaro’s next chapter.

Which engine would you prefer?

Jonathan is an automotive journalist based out of Southern California. He loves anything and everything on four wheels.

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Comments

  1. Put in the 5.3 as a base engine. Then bump up the horse power for theLT1 and LT4. No 4 cylinder or 6 cylinder. Trump is in power now and the mileage rules will be less strict. Also bring back the Z28 and Iroc.

    Reply
    1. Trump in power ? You know American oil is sludge, don’t you. Sweet Crude has to be imported. Our oil is only good for paying roads. V-8’s will never come back in mass. Have grocery prices dropped yet? Hahaha

      Reply
      1. Just like California’s recent pushback of EV mandates prior to Trump getting back into office..Hahaha

        Reply
      2. en masse: as a group

        Reply
    2. Ah no. Too many women, 17 year old girls, rental car companies, city commuters , etc. would deem it too much. If you wanna standard V8, man up and get an SS or a Vette.

      I’ll say a 2 tune 2.7 should be base with a 280 or so hp and an 330hp” light sports” model .

      Reply
  2. Trump is back in power, the v8 is making a comeback.

    Reply
    1. Really? Where? Not in America.

      Reply
      1. V8’s may be coming back at Stellantis. There’s a lot of stories floating around saying they may be reconsidering their previous decision to kill the Hemi at Ram. It seems their dealers aren’t happy with the decision (in other words the buyers aren’t).

        Reply
  3. The Cadillac 360hp/405tq 3.0L turbo V6.

    Reply
  4. Why do adds always come up talking when I want to just read articles. Annoying
    No I can’t turn it off

    Reply
    1. I wonder that as well, it’s annoying!

      Reply
  5. We all know it gonna be electric and about 4500lbs with AWD and 4 doors. But they will claim it is better then and sporty and the best thing sense sliced bread.

    Reply
  6. Make a Camaro with the basic safety options, visibility, and a decent trunk or hatch. Give it a 67-68 profile. Make a digital dash an option for those who want to drive an I-Pad. Offer two engines, a 300 hp 4 cylinder and a 400-450 hp 8 cylinder. After market bolt ons can take care of the power freaks. KEEP the THING SIMPLE!!!!!!!!!!! Too much high tech will destroy the car industry!
    Give it some exciting colors like back when!!
    Build a nice $40K car that people can afford.

    Reply
    1. Nah we’ve had plenty of the 67-69 body style. Time to make a refresh of the early 2nd gen Camaros. Bring back the Z-28 option and give it a V8.

      Reply
  7. V-8 or call it something else.

    Reply
  8. Base it 0ff of the 85-89 Camaro’s………best design yet, and give it the LT 5………DON’T SCREW IT UP!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  9. it would be cool to have all v8s, but Camaro and all in its class offer a v6/I4turbo option so I think it would be smart to keep a base engine like a turbo I4 or a v6. If I had a choice the base engine would be the 3.0L Cadillac TT v6 but the chevy 2.7L and 2.5L I4 turbo engines are also good options.

    Reply
  10. also, for the ss they should offer a 500+ HP v8 and z28 the LT4 650HP and the ZL1 should have the LT5 with at least 755HP

    Reply
  11. so it can have trims that can compete with the mustang base=base GT=SS GT350=Z28 GT500=ZL1

    Reply
  12. And please please please PLEASE no ugly SUV or 4 door car or NO EV’s please we want a real V8 Camaro

    Reply
  13. Please,no electric Camaro,that’s sacrilege.A V6 base and an assortment of V8’s!Maybe a hybrid on low end.Style it from the 70’s split bumper cars!,

    Reply
    1. What about a Camaro Z-two-eight-e to compete with Mustang Mach-e? battle of the 4-ddor hatchback suvs

      Reply
  14. C’mon man! No V-Siiick. Don’t destroy the ‘marque’ No EV VVVVVV888888 ICE! LETS GO
    …how soon.

    Reply
  15. Needs to be a real CAMARO first. Not a front-drive CUV “Camaro”.

    Reply
  16. Honestly go all EV. By the time the next Camaro comes out ICV cars will be like Dinosaurs. My wife just bought a Blazer EV and It is an amazing car. Done right an EV can blow the doors off and V8.

    Reply
    1. V-8’s won’t be coming back. Hopefully our economy will survive trump.

      Reply
      1. You will do better than survive you will thrive under TRUMP. Let’s make AMERICA GREAT AGAIN after the disaster of the last 4 years!!!!

        Reply
        1. @chevyman,
          I was hurt under Trump’s last administration.
          His revised tax plan of 2017 took money out of my pocket.

          So pardon me if I don’t believe you or all the hype.

          Reply
          1. Exact opposite here. The tax cut put about 75 bucks more take home pay every two weeks and my 403 was in much better shape from 2016 to 2019. I’m not even going to talk about the massive inflation and crazy gas prices between 2021 and 2022 and considerably higher heating costs

            Reply
  17. V6 & V8 like is was early 1990s. Never a fan of turbo systems, even though understand they have improved since the old days.

    Reply
  18. So let’s look at this from a sales perspective, because if it doesn’t sell, it won’t last. The 2 door sports car market is in its last days, and introducing a 2-door sports car in that market is guaranteed to be a money loser. Carmakers are not in the business for making product that doesn’t sell. All the high-end makers, Cadillac Mercedes, Audi, BMW, Porsche, Rolls Royce, Ferrari that have debuted SUVs that have quickly become their best-selling models…pay attention!

    GM isn’t going to offer engines that compete directly with the Cadillac sedans, so that rules out a V8 and probably a V6 also. The best recipe for Camaro success is a 4 door performance SUV/CUV styled to make it look like a 2 door, with a hybrid 4 turbo 4. Think Ferrari styling.

    Reply
    1. Except – isn’t that what the Blazer is supposed to be? (More or less)

      Reply
    2. Call it something else.

      Reply
  19. L3b and a v8 and a good looking car. I will buy one.

    Reply
  20. Leave it to GM ,they will screw this new Camaro up somehow !!!

    Reply
    1. Hoping for? A real Camaro with RWD, body-on-frame and a potent V8.

      Expecting? A rebadged Trax with a $20k premium.

      Reply
      1. @Dan,
        GM F-bodies NEVER were body-on-frame.
        The closest they got were the first 2 gens, and those were just front subframes bolted to a unibody.

        Reply
  21. Offer Camaro choice of power in a coupe and a convertible:
    — Turbocharged 4 cylinder
    — 6.2 liter V 8; Regular and Supercharged
    — Electric AWD with 500+ HP and 400 mile range.
    I’ve had 5 Corvettes and 2 Camaros, all convertibles
    Personally, I would choose a Camaro EV convertible.
    I own a Lyriq AWD and with 500 HP. It’s outstanding!

    Reply
    1. Outstanding until one cell goes bad and the whole battery pack needs replacing.
      Outstanding until you have to replace the battery after the warranty runs out.
      Outstanding until you try and hang with a real Camaro in the turns.
      Outstanding until you check out the depreciation after 3 years.

      Reply
      1. Thus the great thing about choice. With the above concerns one would choose ICE.
        For me, the performance of EV is so good I will choose EV.
        To each their own.

        Reply
  22. I’d love to see a small displacement V8. A 3.0-3.5l pushrod LT based engine would be wicked. Being small displacement and a shared block and heads to other engines, it could be both fuel efficient enough and cost effective enough to justify it. Then it makes all the right sounds and sticks with traditional performance design.
    That being said, a nearly high revving I4 like the old Honda s2000 would be fun too, even if not traditional Camaro heritage.

    Reply
    1. * Gnarly high revving I4

      Reply
  23. THE BASE CAMARO should get the best MPG engine period, That way GM can put a Massive V8 in the upper level cars and get the Cafe standard somewhat balanced.

    Reply
  24. If I’m reading between the lines, it seems as though the 2 most significant issues are “gizmo free” and “great styling”. I’d tip my hat to an early second gen reboot.

    Reply
  25. Yeah, I won’t be (ever) buying a Camaro without a V8. Fahgeddaboudit.

    Reply
  26. Must not be many Camaro fans on this post to down vote the small V8 base engine option.
    I think that’s a great idea. V8 sound, small engine economy. That’s all win!!

    Reply
  27. None of the above.

    Reply
  28. This article is wishful click bait for real Camaro owners past & present. Lower case gm has sadly killed the Car twice and a new one will be a big mistake 2 or 4 door EV and use this glorious Camaro name on it ala the use of the Blazer nameplate which is also a mistake. Be interesting to see how new Charger does on same chassis, Ice or EV, 2 or 4 door. And if it does well gm will be “Johnny Come Lately”, if at all as they continue to attempt to force EV on all potential customers.

    Reply
    1. Agree. Writers here are guilty of beating this topic and other Camaro topics to death. It’s conjecture, pure and simple. Why bait hungry faithful with talk of ICE powerplants ?
      There isn’t a suitable platform at this time for an ICE Gen 7. GM can no longer afford to develop a platform solely for a Camaro. The sales figures won’t support it. Yes, they did it over 25 years ago for Gen 4 and for many years before for previous Gens. Buyers back then bought pony cars in huge numbers. Now it’s pickups and full framed SUVs that they want. You better believe that if Ford didn’t have the existing 10 year old Mustang platform, they wouldn’t have a 2025 ICE model to sell. GM has already embarked on using EV platforms for multiple vehicles. Much like a mannequin where different clothes yield different appearances.
      The only way GM brought back Gen 5 in 2010 was because subsidiary Holden of Australia had a platform. The only way GM continued the marque with Gen 6 was the Cadillac Alpha platform.

      Reply
  29. Just do a modern Gen 6 base and offer electric as an option to satisfy the libs.

    Reply
  30. L3B’s torque makes it the best possibility with less weight up front which enhances handling. Easier to retrofit, currently used in Cadillac CT’s built in Lansing. Next generation ICE Camaro??? Very Doubtful, I’m not holding my breath, I’ll just keep my 2022 LT1.

    Reply
    1. You buy a camaro for performance and power = fun have a V8 455hp the end otherwise buy a SUV.

      Reply
  31. I make a strong vote for the 2.7L Turbo in 430 lbs/ft tune. With about 310 horsepower, too. THAT would be an engine which is already in production and for which emissions validation can be carried-over from the light-duty truck tests. Should be MUCH easier to package than the 3.0L 2 turbo engine, by a long shot.

    Before I retired, my company truck was a Silverado 1500 4dr with the “little turbo” engine THAT COULD. I never did see what it would do, but considering it had that much torque at lower rpms, no need to use much throttle at all. In some cases, I determined that a G80 rear axle should be a part of that package, too!

    Think . . . a 2.7L that has the power of an old 396/325 V-8! If they could tweak another 15 horsepower out of it, keeping the 430 torque, that could make a great tie-in ad for the new car! That would be MORE horsepower than the Chrysler 3.6L and probably most of the Ford Mustang non-GT motors. THAT would be a huge “value” situation in Chevy’s favor!

    Reply
  32. No 4 turbos Fords 2.3 beat the gm 2.7 in the 1/4 mile in the midsize trucks. Base needs the V6 turbo. Moving up needs to get the next gen V8s, if it can’t beat the Mustang it will not sell.

    Reply
  33. Quick correction for the author, the L3B and LK0 are exactly the same engine. The difference is that the LK0 is a destroked (look up difference between 4.8 and 5.3, same everything except crank and rods) the reason the LK0 is destroked to 2.5L is they’re trying to make less low end torque but keep the same HP. The L3B with 430 ft lbs would rip the guts out of the 8T60 transmission (L3B is matted to 8L90) as that tranny is maxed out ~350 ft lbs. The LK0 therefore revs a little more for the same power, and makes less torque.

    Now, as for a Camaro, unfortunately, the LK0 would be the winner here. The 2.7 might to better with fuel efficiency with the extra stroke, but the smaller crank of the LK0 would rev faster.

    Reply
  34. The 2.7 turbo in the Silverado gets worse mpg than the 5.3. Put the 4.3 with the 8 speed as the base engine. I’m a fan of mild hybrids. A 1.9 kWh battery and torque fill will make the V6 feel like the 5.3 with better mpg. The V6 would make it a front mid-engine.

    Turn the 5.3 into a 5.7 with an easy 382hp/405lb-ft. A 2.9L V4 with a 270* crank would make 200hp and sound like a Ducati. It would be good if the Camaro downsizes to 1970 proportions, but would need hybridization if it grows into a 4 seater like the Charger.

    Reply
  35. Let Chevy go back to basics. Look at what the car was in its hay day.
    A turbo 4 2.5 for base motor, next up turbo 4 2.7
    Skip the V6 motors. Then no one knows what the next Gen V8 will be. 5.0? 5.5?
    But offer two with the bigger one with HO
    Go back to Z28 as top model but skip 75,000 dollar price tag.
    He’ll bring back the T-tops. Make it have style that looks better than it drives. Make it affordable. 22-25k for base motor and 35-40 for base V8. Skip the 60’s styling. Make the interior something sporting and you can see out of.. make it a hatchback so it has a decent trunk opening.
    Make a new 4 door model maybe wagon and new El Camino to base it off of. Like a new SS Malibu to help keep cost down. But not a four door Camaro.
    I think style and value would bring cars back. Everyone has a SUV.. GM let the car guy design it with budget value style in mind ..
    do a hybrid across the board with maybe a electric down the road..

    Reply
    1. We have a good Indication what the next gen V8’s will be, and that’s 5.3 and 6.2. why? GM isn’t investing anything Into crankshaft production, so the bores and stroke will remain identical. Heads likely will also remain close to the same as well. Investments has announced is Block, CAM and Intake. Maybe a VVL system? Small blocks already make 500HP with a hot cam and a little intake work. Expect an active Intake with great low end torque and high end horsepower, and probably active thermal management for start up emissions and friction reduction.

      Reply
  36. If it’s not a V8 just let it die gracefully instead of tarnishing it’s history.

    Reply
  37. A Camaro is not a Camaro without a V8. Either put a V8 or don’t build it

    Reply
  38. Turbo 4’s are an abortions as a Camaro engine, EV also.
    “let them eat cake!” is a bad look for you V8 guys, plus it never had a base V8.

    Reply
  39. Bring back a newly revised 3.8ltre 3800 with more power and performance than it’s previous and smaller predecessor,better fuel economy features and an innovative name to go with it’s better performing emissions plus sometimes it’s better to build better brands of more of what people want for boost the industry’s profit rather than to save money on building a product that will cause industry bankruptcy,but it all depends on the balance sheet of the consumers suggested interest of the customers who like gm powerplants of the predecessors of the next generation 3800 by gm.

    Reply
  40. Who buys a camaro wanting fuel economy? It’s a sports car! It’s for kids and middle aged men wanting to be kids. How many 18 YO’s you see driving a C8? They can’t afford it working at you local Micky-D’s.

    Reply
  41. A V8 as std would be great but that is obviously not realistic especially when low cost comes to mind. gM is also killing off its 3.6 V6 leaving the 3.0TT. With that in mind a base Camaro would be fine with either the 2.5 or 2.7 turbo 4 with the option of the 3.0TT. Everything else should have some type of V8

    Reply
  42. L3B or LGY as the base engine with a 3rd-gen styled appearance. Also, offer a manual trans and higher performance V8 options. Should be a decent seller. Time’s running out for this 74yr old hotrodder – send me out with a BANG!!

    Reply
  43. The smart investment for someone who wants a V8 powered Camaro would be to purchase a low mileage, well cared and clean Carfax Gen4,5 or 6. Buy a vehicle with your trans choice with knowledge that manual trans versions will always bring more at resale time. Big names in the collector car community have said that these cars will be blue chip in a very few years.But if you believe that there will be a V8 Gen 7, holdout. In the meantime, Gen4,5 and 6 that already have the ingredients you all want will only become more in demand and therefore, more expensive.

    Reply
  44. the biggest V8 dohc twin turbo u can fit.

    Reply

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