cksrick

How are they rating the HP of the new LS3? And with the same rating what will be the HP of the LS2?

talon90

The LS3 is rated under the new SAE certified testing procedure (same as the C6 Z06). The base car for 2008 with the LS3 is rated at 430 hp. With the new optional variable exhaust they claim an additional 6 hp making 436 hp.

I have no idea on how the LS2 would (or has) fair based on the new test. I have seen speculation that it would be higher than 400 and speculation that it would be lower than the current 400. Anybody's guess.

Paul

tscales

Where have you been for the last week??

430hp
436hp with optional exhaust

shopdog

The main difference between the old rating system and the new one is that the new tests have to be independently witnessed and verified by a third party testing engineer who is not an employee of the manufacturer. What that means is that it is no longer as easy for a manufacturer to fudge the numbers. A majority of cars tested under the new system have seen their numbers go down, a few have gone up.

GM hasn't formally released certified numbers for the LS2, so we don't know for sure what they might be. However, at the bash they showed a comparison graph between the LS2 and LS3 (which is tested under the new system) that showed the LS2 at 395 hp. We don't know if that is the result of an actual test under the new system or just an estimate of what it would be under the new system. But it is curious that GM would show the engine making less power than they have previously claimed unless there is some reason to believe it wouldn't test the same in a witnessed test as what they have previously claimed.

jimmie jam

i thought that i read a post stating that the LS2 would be rated at 412 under the new method. sounds about right to me. that's one of the reasons that i can't get excited about a 430/436 LS3. not much difference IMHO. (hp that is)

djfullshred

With all the competition using horsepower as a major marketing aspect of cars, I would think any previous tests that differ from current standards with neutral 3rd party observer were probably exaggerated as opposed to conservative estimates. Why would Chevy market the LS2 Corvette at 400 hp, if it was really 412? I doubt this motor has more than 400 hp stock, if it was marketed as such. I'm sure they squeezed it for all it's worth so they could hit 400 hp on a test.

jimmie jam

i don't disagree. my comment wasn't about the true/actual hp of the LS2, just the comparison of the "rating system" old and now new. they market whatever sells.

Marina Blue

Great question, but one that I do not even want to attempt to answer.

M6 Vetter

There are countless Ls3/2008 Vette threads here

BLU-BY-U

don't drink the kool-aid!

Minkster

I believe that graph stated a "2008 LS2" which is a truck engine (no LS2s in Vettes in '08). The truck engine is probably rated lower and would be cammed for torque vice horsepower.

CorvetteRL

My 07 LMB 3LT is fast... it's real fast stock.

An extra 36 horses, in my opinion, wouldn't be a major difference. I'll keep my 07 until the C7.

JVM225

Irv

Now this is a different issue. Even if the LS3 has 45hp more than the LS2 in reality, that's not enough to make me take the $10-15K bath necessary to trade up. No way. It would be far cheaper to put heads, a cam, and maybe an intake on the LS2 and get that improvement and more. If the new MN6 is superior, the new steering is better, and the 4LT interior irresisible I might trade, but just for 45hp at the crank? No.

Some of my friends and I were presented with a similar dilemma when the 2001 BMW M Coupe was released with 315hp, and our 1999-2000 cars, which were ostensibly identical otherwise, had only 240hp. That was a huge difference, but trading up cost $10K+ Did I? No. If I were taking a hit on the C6 it would likely be for a Z06 or a C7.

User 020720

The LS2 in the SSR pickup was rated at 395 with automatic and 400 hp with the optional manual transmission. Who knows.

CHASLS2

I went from a 04 Z51 a4 to a 06 a6, and i can tell a huge diff in the power! Maybe the gearing in the A6 has something to do with that feeling.

Even my 05 LS2 GTO felt alot stronger than my 04 Z51.

'06 Quicksilver Z06

I hear ya. And since my car has not been stock for a while now, it does not play as big a role in my situation.

For those of you whose LS2 based C6s are stock, the difference in horsepower between the LS2 and LS3, no matter the system used to rate either, might be an issue.

But for those with minor to mild modifications, it is not.

Sven

bunk22

Big thing with the LS3 might be how it responds to mods. Might get greater results with it's stock heads, cam and intake when adding headers or intakes.

jimmie jam

[QUOTE=CHASLS2;1560056160]I went from a 04 Z51 a4 to a 06 a6, and i can tell a huge diff in the power! Maybe the gearing in the A6 has something to do with that feeling.

i did the same 04, A4/Z51. my 07, A6 is a COMPLETELY different driving/feeling car. but again thats 50 hp and the gearing.