GM's E-ROD Crate Engine Family Expands

You are, no doubt, already aware of GM’s E-ROD program, which launched with the LS3 engine straight out of the 2010 Camaro, ready for transplant into just about any engine bay that would hold a small-block Chevy. With California smog approval gained for this engine as an emissions-compliant swap into classic cars as well as OBD-I (1995 and earlier) vehicles, they set their sights on expansion – first, the most powerful naturally aspirated engine in GM’s parts bin, the Z06-spec LS7, and introduced for the first time here at the 2010 SEMA show, the 315-horse 5.3L and supercharged, 556 horse LSA borrowed from the Cadillac CTS-V.

The goal with these new engines, just like the LS3 before, is to gain 50-state legality for swaps into all manner of cars and trucks, including “special construction” vehicles (you and I might call them kit cars). To make the point, GM Performance Parts joined forces with Superformance LLC and Duntov Motor Company to build a replica of the legendary ’63 Corvette Grand Sport around the killer LSA E-ROD. Only five of the original cars were built, and we can guarantee none of them started cold, idled smoothly, or had rock solid reliability like this one.

Supercharged 6.2L
556 horsepower/551 pound-feet

To showcase the 5.3L E-ROD, GM Performance Parts turned to Lingenfelter Performance, well known for their work with Corvettes and Camaros, to build a unique ’55 3100 Series pickup based on a Dynacorn reproduction body. GMPP envisions the workhorse 5.3 finding its way into hot rod cruisers, off-road vehicles, and other projects where reliability and exceptional torque down low are the priority.