Chevrolet is discontinuing the 755-horsepower LT5 crate engine for the ZR1.
Chevrolet has discontinued the LT5 crate engine - the most powerful General Motors production engine - after only one year of availability.
The news was first reported by Motor Trend and later confirmed to Motor Authority by Chevrolet Performance spokesman Trevor Thompkins. However, Thompkins did not comment on why the LT5 was discontinued or how many crate engines were sold.
The LT5 used in the C7 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is a supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 that produces 755 horsepower and 715 pounds of torque. Chevrolet Performance announced at the 2018 SEMA Show that the LT5 is available as a crate engine in the 1973 Chevelle Laguna.
The LT5 made the C7 generation ZR1 the most powerful production Corvette ever and the ultimate front-engine "Vette." Chevrolet then moved on to the mid-engine C8 Corvette, but the LT5 would never find its way into that engine compartment.
Chevrolet is believed to be planning the next-generation ZR1 and has already confirmed that the new Z06 will be unveiled in October; the Z06 will use a new flat-plane crank V-8 engine similar to that found in the Corvette C8.R racing car. The next ZR1 is expected to use a twin-turbocharged version of that engine, and a new performance flagship named Zora will reportedly add hybrid assist.
Chevrolet's crate engine catalog is also going electric; the Bowtie brand still offers other V8 crate engines, but it also shows electric options named Electric Connect and Cruise. As seen in the E-10 and Blazer-E restomods, it has everything needed for an electric powertrain swap, including a motor, battery pack, and all necessary control electronics.