Power to the People
Dyno-Testing The Fastest Base Vette Yet Although our test drive provided plenty of subjective evidence of the new Vette's brawn, we wanted to know exactly how the output of the '08 model stacked up against that of its LS2-powered predecessor. As we have so often in the past, we headed over to AntiVenom in nearby Seffner, Florida, to perform a series of pulls on the shop's chassis dyno. While there, we also took a closer look at some of the mechanical features that set the new car apart from last year's model.
 The '08 Vette incorporates...  The '08 Vette incorporates several new features designed to reduce induction noise. These include an intake-tract-mounted sound-deadening tank... |  ...foam insulation for the...  ...foam insulation for the fuel-rail covers... |  ...and an insulated "shell"...  ...and an insulated "shell" that sits atop the intake manifold. |
 Our test car came equipped...  Our test car came equipped with the RPO NPP exhaust, which Chevy claims is worth an additional 6 hp over the base system. |  The '08 Vette's induction...  The '08 Vette's induction system is quite similar to that of the C6 Z06, right down to its brick-shaped air filter. This piece looks restrictive for a very good reason: It is. |  Our best baseline pull found...  Our best baseline pull found the '08 to be good for 379.60 hp and 365.52 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheels. Using a conservative 15 percent correction factor to compensate for driveline losses puts the LS3's flywheel numbers at 446.58/430.02, easily eclipsing the factory ratings of 436/424. |
With the 400 rwhp mark in sight, AntiVenom's Greg Lovell decided to do a little high-performance experimentation. First, he removed the stock intake tract in an attempt to roughly simulate the effects of an aftermarket induction system. Output jumped to 392.60/377.70, or 461.88/444.35 at the crank. His second tweak involved removing the LS3's accessory belt to approximate the benefits of an electric water pump. The results were stunning: 404.03/391.4 at the wheels, or 475.32/460.47 at the flywheel! Add a set of long-tube headers and a more aggressive PCM tune, and LS7-quality output seems well within reach.