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Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Coupes, Chevrolet, GM

General Motors has announced that the blown beastie that lives under the hood of the Corvette ZR1 will be available as a crate motor next fall and our head is spinning with the swap possibilities.

With 639 hp and 604 lb.-ft. of twist available from the 6.2-liter supercharged V8, and dimensions shared by the LS3, any number of automobiles could make a happy home for the LS9. According to GM, the engine comes fully dressed, with an ignition system, exhaust manifolds and supercharger, and only needs an external oil tank and coolant tank (for the charge cooler), an ECU and wiring harness.

So, the question is: what would you fit the LS9 into? We’ve put together a poll after the jump, but feel free to add your own recommendations in the comments.

[Source: GM via MotiveMag]

Continue reading SEMA Preview: GM Performance Parts 638-hp LS9 Crate engine

SEMA Preview: GM Performance Parts 638-hp LS9 Crate engine originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Coupes, Sports/GTs, Supercars, Chevrolet

Back at the N

Filed under: Motorsports, Ferrari

Could one unthinkable action be followed by another? It might be, if Formula 1 heads get their wish for a standard engine for the racing series. Both Toyota, a team near the bottom of the standings, and Ferrari, which is up near the top as it usually is, have expressed their concerns about such a plan, with both entities threatening to pull out of the racing series if such a path were taken. A Formula 1 world without Ferrari is practically unfathomable, as is seeing a Prancing Horse powered by a McLaren/Mercedes powerplant.

Does one knee-jerk reaction deserve another? Probably not. Our guess is that cooler heads will prevail and the FIA will come up with another alternative to lower the costs of competing in F1. This is, after all, the path that the FIA often takes when it comes to making major rules changes. Thanks for the tip, everyone!

[Source: F1-Live, Photo by Vladimir Rys/Bongarts/Getty]

Ferrari might leave F1 if standard engine approved originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Oct 2008 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Convertibles, Coupes, Sedans/Saloons, Pontiac, Rumormill

Pontiac hopes to clear things up with a post on Pontiac blog regarding the future of its current products, namely the G8 and Solstice. It was just the other day that rumors of the brand’s two rear-wheel drive vehicles possible being canceled hit the interwebs, and we dutifully reported on the story as we always do. According to Pontiac, though, those rumors are nothing more than speculation and should not be taken as gospel unless you hear it from the horse’s (or Mr. Lutz’s) mouth, which we have not. Still, the rumor in question indicates that the G8 will live on at least another five years, assuming it continues to sell that long, but would not be replaced after that. This could still be the case. Likewise, the Solstice has not been canceled, but it’s replacement in GM’s lineup still seems unlikely given the low volume of sales the vehicle attracts. In short, nobody can predict the future, but sometimes the handwriting on the wall isn’t that tough to read.

[Source: Pontiac Underground]

Pontiac: G8 and Solstice not being canceled originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Oct 2008 08:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green

AutoblogGreen got passed some confirmation that the tiny Toyota iQ will come to the U.S. as the Scion iQ, the brand’s highest-mpg model. It won’t arrive until 2010, but it looks like it’s coming. As for vehicles that are available now, we spent some time in the Audi A5 3.0 TDI 6MT. And is it the end of the Tahoe/Yukon hybrids? Signs point to yes.

• Scion iQ looking more and more likely in U.S.
• In the AutoblogGreen Garage: Audi A5 3.0 TDI 6MT
• Austin Alt Car: panel looks at the future of plug-in hybrids
• Austin Alt Car: Future Prospects for Plug-in Hybrids
• Austin Alt Car: PHEV opportunities and challenges for utilities
• Austin Alt Car: Will Consumers Buy In? Duh.
• The Last Days of the Audi Mileage Marathon: Vegas to LA
• Got a question for Zap’s Gary Starr? Ask away
• Interior Dept opens 190 million acres for geothermal power development
• Race-car-driving environmentalist forming Eco Dream Team
• As gas prices fluctuate, so do pickup and SUV sales
• AutoExpress looks at MPG myths, little impact from tire pressure
• Project Green Leaf plans “Plug In America Infrastructure”
• Carbon Trust launches algae biodiesel challenge, commercial by 2020
• Hybrid tech won’t save the full size SUV as new Tahoe/Yukon cancelled
• Hyundai has big plans for hybrids
• Royal Enfield fuel-injects its Bullet

AutoblogGreen for 10.28.08 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Oct 2008 06:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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