[POLL] How Much Horsepower Will the New 6.7L LS6 V8 Engine Make?

By
Alex Sommers
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15
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[POLL] How Much Horsepower Will the New 6.7L LS6 V8 Engine Make?

Photo Credit: Grok/X.com


We’re only about a month into “LS6 watch,” after Rick Conti kicked off the rumor-mill in a since-deleted vlog and our very own Keith Cornett teamed up with connected forum members to unearth conformation of not only the 6.7L LS6, but the powerplant’s involvement in the resurrection of Corvette Grand Sport through deep cuts from the online parts book – which were also subsequently scrubbed by GM.

Since the last morsel of information trickled out in early January – the 6.2L LT2 being on its final stand as the LS6 will power all cross-plane Corvettes in 2027 – things have gone quiet on arguably the most exciting GM news cycle since the buildup to the reveal of the midengine Corvette in 2019. That’s understandable, as we never expect power or pricing numbers to get out until Chevy pulls the silk off the 2027s, but that doesn’t stop us from dreaming, speculating, and posting about the possibilities.

LS/LT Historical Displacement and Power

Those possibilities begin with the most tantalizing slice of the unknown: horsepower. We know that half a liter of displacement will be added to the tried and true 6.2, but, even with the context of history, it is difficult to estimate how many ponies will come along with that .5. In recent memory, the 5.7L of LS1 grew to 6.0 to become the LS2, gaining 50 horses along the way. An additional 36 HP was unlocked when the LS2 gave way to the 6.2L LS3. The LT1 and LT2 would keep the LS3’s displacement while ringing it out from 436 to 460 and eventually the 495 horsepower of the current C8 Stingray.

Where It Could Be with 6.7L

LS and LT Small-Blocks have been good for anywhere from 61.4 to 79.8 horsepower per liter, which, based on the LT2, would leave the upcoming 6.7L around 535 naturally aspirated horses. Ahh, but GM’s legendary V8 has been adding steadily to its specific output with each successive model, and the powertrain engineers have made a habit of excessively overdelivering with their most recent efforts. The benchmark for the C8 Z06’s LT6 was 600 horsepower; it arrived at 670, shattering the previous record for production NA V8s. The twin-turbo LT7 version was shooting for around 850… it overachieved on that goal by more than 25% to a stonking 1,064 HP. This begs the question: how high can the same team take its shiny new 6.7L architecture?

What About the Z06 and E-Ray?

And how high will they be allowed to reach in their first effort? This is the interesting new wrinkle presented by the C8 Corvette’s unique model ladder. The new 6.7L is the third V8 to earn the fabled LS6 moniker, but it is supposed to slot in below the Z06 on the pyramid. The 670 HP of the high-revving flat-plane 5.5 would be safe in the traditional lineup of Stingray – Grand Sport – Z06 – ZR1, but, since 2024, there’s been a wildcard in the deck; the hybrid E-Ray. The E-Ray combines the base car’s internal-combustion engine with another 160 HP from an electrified front axle. That potent combination is already encroaching dangerously close to the Z06 with a combined stable of 655 horses. There’s already an upgraded front axle on the parts bin shelf from the ZR1X. It’s rated at 186 HP, which could help the E-Ray blow past the Z06 to 681 ponies, so how far in the E-Ray’s wake is Chevy willing to leave the so-called purists’ choice? If the likely conservative 535 figure were true, that puts the E-Ray at 721 HP, pumping the LS6 to 550 gives the E-Ray 736 system horsepower: respective premiums of 51-66 horses above the Z06. Are they willing to scramble what’s already been built, or, to reconcile the new reality, should we think of the AWD hybrids as their own category of Corvette, separate from the original RWD versions?

Where Do You Think the Cards Will Fall?

From so many thinking points and variables, a simple question for Corvette Nation: How much Horsepower will the 6.7L LS6 produce? Will it fall between 500 and the mathematical guess of 535? How about 536 to an optimistic (but not crazy at 83.6 HP per liter) 560? Can the propulsion team continue their unbelievable hot streak and exceed 560 HP? Or will it be something we didn’t even want to consider, a more relaxed tune that holds steady in the LT2’s neighborhood, just shy of 500 HP? Pick a range and chime in with your thoughts and a specific guess below, and thanks for overthinking with us!

The LS6 will make this much power:

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Related:
New LS6 Leak Confirms 6.7-Liter Engine Will Power the Stingrays in 2027
GM Scrubs their Parts Book for Any Reference to the 2027 Corvette Grand Sport’s LS6 Engine
Twice Confirmed: GM Parts Book Leak Shows 2027 Grand Sport LS6 V8 to be 6.7 Liters!

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15 COMMENTS

  1. Typically in the past, and updated engine in the base car usually adds a relatively small amount of HP, like 30 or so, but then this one is also adding half a liter of displacement, which makes me think it will be a bit higher, maybe 40 or so additional HP?

  2. Ok, now that we have had our chance at speculation of the hp. Let’s hope that the torque value will exceed the hp. Wouldn’t that be grand!

  3. If the E-Ray is more powerful than the ZO6, then let it be. The E-Ray already smokes the Z06 in raw TORQUE!!!

  7. Remember back in 1992 when the 300HP LT1 was introduced. Not nearly the 375 ZR1 HP but make a significant dent leading to the ZR1 demise.
    Chevy did counter with a messaged ZR1 to 405 HP in an attempt in keeping the gap.
    Will they do that with the 2027 Z 06?

  10. If the GS is available with a proper manual transmission, I don’t care if that 6.7 only makes 300hp. It will still be more enjoyable for most to daily than any C8 currently sold.

  11. I think you’ll see minimal gains from the new engines. I get the feeling the increase in displacement is to offset the loss of power the engines are going to experience now that gasoline particulate filter (similar to diesel particulate filters) are part of the standard emission system in 2027.

    Ford started to add it on certain models in 2026 and had to re-rate the power level off all those engines to a lower amount.

  12. Why in AMERICAN muscle cars are we speaking in liters and using metric bolts? Shouldn’t the displacement be in CUBIC INCHES? This 🐂💩 really annoys!

  13. I think that no matter how much horse power that Ford puts in the mustang it will never top out a vett so my opinion is stuff as much horse power in under the hood as you can eat as many mustangs as you can. Gm for ever

  14. I wonder is there anyway Chevy can squeeze out an extra 30hp for the z06 too 700 and the 6.7 get 550 and the Eray gets the same 700 as the z06! Now this will be perfect!

  15. This new LS6 6.7L has AFM (aka cylinder deactivation). After the lifter issues I had on a Silverado with AFM, that is not a design I want on a performance engine. The Z06 does not have AFM.

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