How Chevy Coaxed 40 Extra Ponies Out of the C8 Corvette’s New LT2 V8

GM’s new 495hp LT2 isn’t just a tuned LT1. It boasts a larger intake,  freer-flowing exhaust, new cam, and new dry-sump oil system!

Much ado has been made about the C8 Corvette and its incredible performance. Not to mention its fancy new Tremec dual-clutch transmission and bargain-basement base price. But other than the new Vette’s mid-engine configuration, nobody’s really saying much about the car’s 6.2-liter LT2 heart. Heck, we’ve already moved on to dreaming about things like a possible flat-crank, twin-turbo engine in the forthcoming C8 Z06. But Chevrolet would like to remind you that the base Stingray’s new engine isn’t exactly a slouch, thank you very much.

This much was evident when the automaker released performance data for the new C8 recently. Of course, they sang the praises of the many attributes that work in harmony to make the Z51 rocket from 0-60 in 2.9-seconds. Things like the aforementioned lightning-quick-shifting transmission, optimal weight distribution, aerodynamics, chassis tuning, and aerodynamics. But GM was also quick to remind us that the car’s LT2 engine has a lot to do with this groundbreaking performance as well.

LT2 Performance Upgrades

Autoblog was able to visit the GM Performance and Manufacturing Center in Pontiac, Michigan recently, where they received a detailed breakdown of what makes this new engine so great. Right off the bat, GM engineers were quick to point out that the LT2 isn’t just some revised version of the LT1. Even though the two share displacement and many other similarities. For starters, the intake manifold is taller and larger (14.1 liters vs 11.1). And the intake runners are now of equal length, which improves airflow and power in the upper rev range.

The LT2’s camshaft features more exhaust valve lift (14mm vs 13mm), and lift duration is up on both the intake and exhaust side. A new wide-range air-fuel sensor (WRAF) smooths out the idle. And as you can clearly see from the pictures, the exhaust system is all-new. Those headers look a lot like aftermarket pieces, and offer up 1% more power than the LT1’s manifolds. A new catalytic converter design reduces emissions by 25%, yet flow better than the outgoing units.

GM is also quick to tout the LT2’s new dry-sump oil system, for obvious reasons. In fact, they told Autoblog that they managed to only blow up one engine due to oil pressure loss during testing, which is pretty impressive. But that’s to be expected with a system capable of maintaining adequate pressure while pulling 1.25 g’s of lateral force. The system also uses 2.25 quarts less oil than the LT1, which saves a nifty 3.3-pounds in weight. And the entire engine sits 25mm lower, which obviously helps on the performance side of things.

Finally, Chevy spent a great deal of time dressing up their new small block. It’s quite the looker, painted up in Venetian Red and fitted with a nice and edgy top cover. Also, keep a lookout for the Tonawanda Pride badges. Recognize the name? Tonawanda is a little town near Buffalo, New York where Chevy built the original small-block V8s. And, now, they’re making the LT2 there, too. It’s a nifty little throwback, for sure. But when you’ve got an engine this special, why not celebrate and brag about it?

Photos: Chevrolet

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