Power Bump
For the 2027 model year of the Chevrolet Corvette, the automaker introduced updates that streamline the lineup and, most importantly, add a new V8. Every new Chevy V8 is an important milestone, given that the brand takes its V8s very seriously.
The older 6.2-liter LT2 is gone, and in its place comes the bigger 6.7-liter LS6; now the question is: how much better is the new one than the old one? Luckily for us, someone decided to find out.
Chevrolet
LT2 vs. LS6
Car and Driver just released a Testing Hub report comparing the older engine to the new one. Before we get to the results, it’s worth noting that the new LS6 gives the C8 Corvette an additional 40 hp and 50 lb-ft of torque. That means in base trim, it makes 530 hp and 520 lb-ft of torque compared to the LT2’s 490 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque.
To keep things as fair as possible, the test compared the 2020 Corvette 1LT’s results with the latest 2027 1LT. The test car came with the $5,395 Z51 Performance package, which comes with stiffer springs, an electronically controlled limited-slip differential, better cooling, and Michelin PS5 tires. It posted a blistering 0-60 mph time of 2.7 seconds, but that isn’t much better than the 2020 model’s 2.8-second 0-60 run.
However, the gap widens: the new car reaches 100 mph in 6.9 seconds and hits 150 mph in 18.6 seconds. That’s much faster than the 2020 cars above, with a 7-second 100 mph time and 19.4 seconds to reach 150 mph.
The LS6 also pushes the 2027 Corvette past the quarter mile faster than the LT2 but not by much. In the quarter mile, the 2027 car reached 124 mph in 11 seconds versus the older engine’s 122 mph in 11.2 seconds.
Efficiency and Sound
Another area where the new car beats the old is the braking system. From 100 mph, the new car stopped in just 297 feet, compared to the older car’s 301 feet. The new car claws back some points in the weight department, with a 55-pound difference affecting grip on the skidpad.
With a bigger displacement, the 2027 Corvette consumes a bit more fuel than the outgoing 6.2-liter. Fuel efficiency is 1 mpg lower than the LT2 across the board, which might not sound like much but is noticeable either way. The LS6 makes up for it in noise, though; according to the test, the new V8 is 6 dB louder than the 2020 car, but remarkably quieter when cruising at 70 mph.
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