Recently, on its Instagram account, Chevrolet Performance posted a tight shot of the top end of an engine, with an unfamiliar intake manifold, and the caption: “Something BIG is coming…” While the response in the comment section was a mix of excitement and the usual internet trolling, it does lead to some interesting speculation about this potential new Gen-6 engine.
First, is the announcement coming so soon after the new LS6 announcement for the Corvette Grand Sport. Could it be an aftermarket variant of the LS6? That would be pretty cool to have it hitting the shelves for enthusiasts immediately with the OEM release. Or, could it be something with even more displacement? The LS6 is already 409 cubes, but could it be even bigger? Something to take on Ford’s 7.3L Godzilla, maybe? Or, could the big-block (or a reasonable facsimile, anyway) be coming back?
There are a lot of commenters who think it is a supercharged truck engine, but dissecting the photo a little bit, it doesn’t look like it could be a positive-displacement supercharger, as there is no way it could be integrated into the front drive, based on the photo.
But there is always a rear-drive jackshaft arrangement that could make a positive-displacement supercharger a possibility. Conversely, with the apparent slashing of CAFE emissions standards, could we see a turbocharged Gen-6 engine? That would sure qualify as “BIG news”…
Also, the following post three days later teased a Corvette GT3.R model, so, potentially, the news is the powerplant for that. Currently, we’re all just guessing, but it’s exciting nonetheless, as it seems the era of the OEM performance engine is back in full swing. It wasn’t long ago that the wild high-revving, flat-pane 5.5-liter dual overhead cam LT6 was announced, followed by the twin turbocharged LT7 variant.
Will this be kin to the LS6, or something completely different? Only time will tell.
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