[ilirg]

Originally Posted by SpeedIsLife

It's no so much a question of cost, as the LS7 is "only" about $11,000 (Summit sells the LS7 crate for $13,100 vs about $8,000 for the LS3) but is instead a question about emissions and MPG requirements.

The LS7 in the Z/28 was below 20 MPG in both city and highway, vs 14/21 for the 5.2 Voodoo.

N/A high powered motors are becoming increasingly difficult to clear emissions and meet reasonable economy requirements. Ford stated that the 5.2 was "more difficult than normal" to get compliant to various requirements, both internal and external from Ford, than normal. Keep in mind this is the same team that built the 5.8 Trinity at 662 HP for the 13/14 GT500.

People want high powered N/A motors from OEM, but that simply isn't going to possible much longer. Sure you can throw better heads, a cam, LT's and an open element intake on a LT1 and make 550-575 HP easily..but it would NEVER pass OEM requirements for anything, to say nothing of Federal regulations and CARB.

The day is coming, within the next 5 years I'm willing to bet, where V8 cars will only be halo models.

SS: TT 3.6 V6

GT: 3.5 EcoBoost TTV6

R/T: 3.0 TTV6 from the Alfa Guilia or a TT version of the current Pentastar motor.

If I had to place a safe wager..the SS, GT and R/T trims of all cars will be TT V6's and not V8's in any way by 2020.

Get em while you can folks, daylights' wastin'.

5 years is a little pessimistic, 10 I can aee