Chevy Forums
02-19-2009, 04:15 PM
Filed under: Aftermarket (http://www.autoblog.com/category/aftermarket/), Tuners (http://www.autoblog.com/category/tunertuesdays/), Chevrolet (http://www.autoblog.com/category/chevrolet/), GM (http://www.autoblog.com/category/gm/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/02/gm_ls9_580.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/detroit-2008-the-chevrolet-ls9-v-8/536170/)
Click above for high-res image gallery of the LS9 engine
General Motors did power junkies a solid when it announced at this past year's SEMA show that the famed LS9 engine will be offered as a crate motor (http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/28/sema-preview-gm-performance-parts-638-hp-ls9-crate-engine/). Because the LS9 was designed to live within the tight confines of the Corvette ZR1 engine bay, this engine should fit nicely into all manner of undeserving machinery, a fact that has made our minds reel with endless possibilities.
All that was before we heard the price. As much fun as it would be to drop a ready-made 630-hp supercharged whale-of-a-motor into, say, a Volvo 240 wagon, the $21,000 price tag is a bit of a buzzkill. To put it another way, the LS9 crate motor costs about the same as a base 2010 Ford Mustang (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/19/2010-ford-mustang-starts-below-21-000/). The high price isn't all that shocking, especially considering that Ford charges $17,699 for the 500-horsepower, supercharged 5.4L crate engine that's offered through its Ford Racing Catalog (http://www.fordracingparts.com/parts/part_details.asp?partkeyfield=9560).
As our friends at Autofiends (http://www.autofiends.com/index.php/2009/02/gms-ls9-is-filthy-expensive/) point out, though, anyone with a modicum of experience would be able to eke out even more ponies from a less exotic, standard LS-series engine, which can be had for a song if you're willing to look hard enough. Oh well, like many of the finer things in life, this crate motor is something to be enjoyed by only a limited few with deep pockets.
Gallery: The Chevrolet LS9 V-8 (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/detroit-2008-the-chevrolet-ls9-v-8/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/12/x09pt_8c005_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/detroit-2008-the-chevrolet-ls9-v-8/536187/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/12/x09pt_8c006_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/detroit-2008-the-chevrolet-ls9-v-8/536160/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/12/x09pt_8c007_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/detroit-2008-the-chevrolet-ls9-v-8/536170/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/12/x09pt_8c008_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/detroit-2008-the-chevrolet-ls9-v-8/536192/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/12/x09pt_8c009_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/detroit-2008-the-chevrolet-ls9-v-8/536140/)
[Source Autofiends (http://www.autofiends.com/index.php/2009/02/gms-ls9-is-filthy-expensive/)]LS9 crate motor costs more than most cars (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/19/ls9-crate-motor-costs-more-than-most-cars/) originally appeared on Autoblog (http://www.autoblog.com) on Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds (http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/).
Read (http://www.autofiends.com/index.php/2009/02/gms-ls9-is-filthy-expensive/) | Permalink (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/19/ls9-crate-motor-costs-more-than-most-cars/) | Email this (http://www.autoblog.com/forward/1465318/) | Comments (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/19/ls9-crate-motor-costs-more-than-most-cars/#comments)
Read More... (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/19/ls9-crate-motor-costs-more-than-most-cars/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/02/gm_ls9_580.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/detroit-2008-the-chevrolet-ls9-v-8/536170/)
Click above for high-res image gallery of the LS9 engine
General Motors did power junkies a solid when it announced at this past year's SEMA show that the famed LS9 engine will be offered as a crate motor (http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/28/sema-preview-gm-performance-parts-638-hp-ls9-crate-engine/). Because the LS9 was designed to live within the tight confines of the Corvette ZR1 engine bay, this engine should fit nicely into all manner of undeserving machinery, a fact that has made our minds reel with endless possibilities.
All that was before we heard the price. As much fun as it would be to drop a ready-made 630-hp supercharged whale-of-a-motor into, say, a Volvo 240 wagon, the $21,000 price tag is a bit of a buzzkill. To put it another way, the LS9 crate motor costs about the same as a base 2010 Ford Mustang (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/19/2010-ford-mustang-starts-below-21-000/). The high price isn't all that shocking, especially considering that Ford charges $17,699 for the 500-horsepower, supercharged 5.4L crate engine that's offered through its Ford Racing Catalog (http://www.fordracingparts.com/parts/part_details.asp?partkeyfield=9560).
As our friends at Autofiends (http://www.autofiends.com/index.php/2009/02/gms-ls9-is-filthy-expensive/) point out, though, anyone with a modicum of experience would be able to eke out even more ponies from a less exotic, standard LS-series engine, which can be had for a song if you're willing to look hard enough. Oh well, like many of the finer things in life, this crate motor is something to be enjoyed by only a limited few with deep pockets.
Gallery: The Chevrolet LS9 V-8 (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/detroit-2008-the-chevrolet-ls9-v-8/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/12/x09pt_8c005_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/detroit-2008-the-chevrolet-ls9-v-8/536187/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/12/x09pt_8c006_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/detroit-2008-the-chevrolet-ls9-v-8/536160/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/12/x09pt_8c007_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/detroit-2008-the-chevrolet-ls9-v-8/536170/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/12/x09pt_8c008_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/detroit-2008-the-chevrolet-ls9-v-8/536192/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/12/x09pt_8c009_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/detroit-2008-the-chevrolet-ls9-v-8/536140/)
[Source Autofiends (http://www.autofiends.com/index.php/2009/02/gms-ls9-is-filthy-expensive/)]LS9 crate motor costs more than most cars (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/19/ls9-crate-motor-costs-more-than-most-cars/) originally appeared on Autoblog (http://www.autoblog.com) on Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds (http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/).
Read (http://www.autofiends.com/index.php/2009/02/gms-ls9-is-filthy-expensive/) | Permalink (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/19/ls9-crate-motor-costs-more-than-most-cars/) | Email this (http://www.autoblog.com/forward/1465318/) | Comments (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/19/ls9-crate-motor-costs-more-than-most-cars/#comments)
Read More... (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/19/ls9-crate-motor-costs-more-than-most-cars/)