Which GM Cars Are Powered By The LS3 Engine?

GM's highly-regarded LS3 is one of the company's most celebrated small-block V8 engines. It burst onto the scene in 2008 as the evolution of GM's "Gen IV" LS family and its immediate predecessor, the LS2 engine. It powered a wide range of GM cars of that era, ranging from a bunch of Corvettes to a handful of Pontiacs.

As expected of a successor, the LS3 had several upgrades over the LS2, including a revamped cylinder head design, a larger bore, a higher compression ratio, and a factory-shipped high-flow injector. At its launch, GM cars based on the LS3 engine slotted comfortably between those bearing GM's everyday V8s and the much more exotic (and expensive) LS7 and LS9 series engines. For those unaware, the LS7 and LS9 engines were the ones that powered the likes of the 2006 Corvette Z06 and the 2009 Corvette ZR1, respectively.

In its stock form in GM cars of that era, the LS3 engine displaced 6.2 liters and made around 430 hp of power. Its excellent performance and durability ensured that LS3 engines also became a favorite among tuners and modders. The LS3 engines, while popular in the U.S., also had their share of admirers outside of the States. It found its way into several muscle cars made by Holden in Australia and Vauxhall in the United Kingdom.

The first car to be powered by the new LS3 engine was the 2008 Chevrolet C6 Corvette. The new engine replaced the LS2 from the previous year and immediately gave the Corvette a 30-hp boost in power. Compared to the stock LS2 engine that made 400 hp, the 2008 LS3 made 430 horses. An optional additional dual-mode exhaust bumped the power even further up to 436 hp. The C6 Corvette continued to use the LS3 engine until 2013.

Another Corvette that used the LS3 powerplant was the Corvette Grand Sport, which was launched two years later, in 2010. The same year also witnessed the LS3 engine make it into the manual variants of Chevrolet Camaro SS, while its more tame automatic variants featured the L99 V8 engine. The LS3 engine inside the Camaro allowed it to compete against the 2010 Ford Mustang GT, which was nearly as quick. 

2009 saw GM bring the LS3 engine to the Pontiac G8 GXP, a four-door sedan that was jointly developed with GM's Australian subsidiary Holden. The GXP was an interesting car in that it was the most powerful production Pontiac car ever built. Unfortunately, it would also be one of the last cars from Pontiac before GM discontinued the brand in 2010. One of the final LS3-powered GM cars was the 2014 Chevrolet SS, released when the LS3 engine was already six years old. This car, which was also based on a Holden, made 415 hp of power and delivered 415 lb-ft of torque to its rear wheels.

While the LS3 engine was primarily used in GM's American cars, the engine did have a fair amount of success overseas. One of the major markets for the LS3 powertrain was Australia, where GM operated its Australian subsidiary, Holden, as well as its performance cars division, HSV (Holden Special Vehicles).

Soon after the LS3 engine was launched in 2008, most vehicles in Holden's muscle car lineup made the switch from the older LS2 engine. These vehicles include the ClubSport R8, Maloo R8 Ute, Senator Signature, Grange luxury sedan, and the Tourer wagon. The LS3 engine was offered in different states of tune on these models, with the engine making anywhere between 425 hp and 450 hp. In 2013, Holden launched the HSV Gen-F lineup, with all cars retaining the LS3 engine except for the HSV GTS, which featured the 6.2-liter LSA V8 engine.

2008 was also the year that GM's European subsidiary, Vauxhall, launched the Vauxhall VXR8. Given that it was based on the Holden HSV Clubsport R8. It used the same LS3 engine and became one of Britain's most outrageous four-door performance cars.

Besides cars from the aforementioned GM brands, GM also sold, and continues to sell, the LS3 as a crate engine through Chevrolet Performance. This engine is rated to produce 430 hp in stock form and has become a common choice for hot-rodders and kit-car builders seeking affordable V8 power.