LT4 is how GM calls the blown V8 of the Camaro ZL1, and it’s a serious piece of small-block engineering thanks to roto-cast aluminum heads, larger combustion chambers than the LT1 on which it’s based, titanium intake valves, sodium-filled exhaust valves, and dry-sump oiling.
The party piece of the LT4, however, is the 1.7-liter supercharged that was developed specifically for this engine. Powered by the serpentine belt running off the crankshaft, the Eaton R1740 helps the 6.2-liter motor belt out a massive 650 horsepower plus 650 pound-feet (881 Nm).
Rolled out for the 2017 model year, the Camaro ZL1 matched the official torque rating of the Hellcat-engined Dodge Challenger back then. But as it’s often the case in this particular segment, Chrysler and Ford pushed the envelope well beyond General Motors with the Demon and Shelby GT500.
Given these circumstances, the aftermarket is much obliged to upgrade the Camaro ZL1 into a strip-slaying monster. Lingenfelter Performance Engineering is one of the companies that specializes in GM products, and for the LT4, the 720-horsepower and 730-lb.ft. go-faster package is more than adequate for the not-so-princely price of $4,695.
As demonstrated in the following video, the upgrade package actually develops more suck-squeeze-bang-blow than advertised. After a sonorous run on the in-house dynamometer, Lingenfelter Performance Engineering is much obliged to report crankshaft figures of 779 horsepower and a heavy-duty diesel truck-rivaling 748 pound-feet (1,014 Nm) of torque.
The package includes a 9.17-inch supercharger drive damper pulley, drive belt, dry-sump damper, crankshaft bolt, iridium spark plugs from NGK, and a high-flow air intake. Of course, your hard-earned bucks further buy the diagnostic and programming tool, assembly and installation, ECU reprogramming, a certificate of authenticity, and a full tank of gas.
Lingenfelter Performance Engineering rounds off this list in a similar fashion to Hennessey Performance Engineering. More to the point, every build flaunts a personalized stainless-steel engine plaque, various exterior badges, and a warranty on the aftermarket components which covers them for a year or 12,000 miles (19,312 kilometers), whichever of the two comes first.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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