It appears the Chevy Corvette is in line to receive a new dual-overhead cam V8.
An internal GM document detailing 2018 model year VIN codes was posted to the forum, and down on page five is buried treasure “Passenger Car Engines for GMNA.”
The very last entry is a unicorn, the long rumored LT5 small block. GM lists the engine as “GAS 8 CYL, 6.2L, SIDI, DOHC, VVT, ALUM,” under code “Y” which denotes the Corvette family.
In the past there have been internal studies using DOHC heads on GM’s venerable small block architecture, but nothing has ever come of it, until now. On the surface it would seem the gains from adding overhead cams will be better breathing, DOHC allows GM more freedom when it comes to variable valve timing on both the intake and exhaust sides. The pushrod LT1 is limited to a set valve timing because the single cam shaft hits intake and exhaust at the exact same degree.
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Where this will get interesting is in terms of packaging. We’re not sure how GM will manage to fit the larger DOHC heads under the Corvette’s low slung hood, then again the LT4-equipped Corvette Z06 does have a supercharger and two intercooler bricks tacked on top of the heads so it might not be as tight a fit as imagined.
In other 6.2-liter V8 news, the supercharged LT4 is listed for A,Y, and K code cars, A is Alpha platform (Camaro, CTS, ATS), Y is Corvette and K is the Omega platform which currently only underpins the CT6. It’s too early though to proclaim the CT6 will get a supercharged V8, as it’s believed Omega will make its way under other high end GM products.
