One Of Chevy's Best V8s Is Dead—But 'Something Big' Is Coming

The long-surviving LS9 is gone, but the company should be cooking up even more V8 magic soon.

Photo by: Chevrolet

By: Jeff Perez

May 19, at 10:30am ET

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Combustion engines come and go, but most of them don’t have the staying power of Chevrolet’s iconic LS motors. The series of small-block V8s has been around for more than 70 years—but soon, we’ll lose one of the most popular ones.

Chevy is ending production of the LS9 Long Block crate motor, as first reported by Corvette Blogger. Looking at the crate motors page on Chevrolet’s consumer section, you'll find that reporting to be true; the word "Discontinued" is plastered over an image of the LS9. RIP.

C6 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1

Photo by: Chevrolet

The supercharged 6.2-liter engine was around for nearly a decade, making its production debut under the hood of the C6 Corvette ZR1. At its most powerful, the LS9 made 638 horsepower. It featured titanium connecting rods, a cast aluminum block, and a forged rotating assembly.

The LS9 became a popular option for restomodders and home builders alike. Even a few manufacturers used the LS9 to power their vehicles; the rare HSV GTSR W1 for Australia used an LS9, as did the forgotten Equus Bass 770 out of Detroit.

For Chevrolet, it marks the end of an era. While the company offers a host of other crate options for builders (nearly all of them less powerful than the LS9), don’t expect the spirit of the LS9 to be gone for very long.

Chevy Promises 'Something Big'

Coinciding with the death of the LS9, Chevy promises that it has something else on the way. The Chevrolet Performance profile on Instagram posted an image teasing 'something BIG,' according to the company's caption.

The lone image shows a close-up of an engine, with hoses, connectors, and a Chevrolet logo visible—but not much else. The layout is what you’d expect from a modern pushrod V8, and given recent news of Chevy's recommitment to eight-cylinder engines, a fresh V8 would make the most sense.

What do you think?

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Just a few months ago, GM invested $888 in its Tonawanda Propulsion Plant toward small-block V8 development. New V8 engines will power the automaker’s next-generation pickup trucks, and could even find their way into future performance cars.

Motor1's Take: The LS9 will be missed, but whatever Chevy is cooking up here has us excited for the future. More V8s are never a bad thing.