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NOTE: To fully understand the 2002 LS6, you need
to know about the 2001 version.
If you haven't read the first part of the "Ruthless Pursuit Of
Power" please
click here. |
Ruthless Pursuit of Power:
The Sequel
’02 LS6: More
Power. More Torque.
by Hib Halverson
For 2002, "more
performance" is part of the mission statement of the Corvette
folks at GM’s Powertrain Division. That was made obvious to the
staff of The Idaho Corvette Page in a media briefing at
Irwindale Speedway in California on May 10, 2001 when
"Doctor" John Juriga, Assistant Chief Engineer for Gen
III Passenger Car Engines announced: LS6 for ’02 will generate
405 horsepower and 400 pound/feet torque,
20 more hp. and 15 more lb/ft. over the ’01. |
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On
the outside, an ’02 LS6 is pretty hard to distinguish from
an ’01. In fact, other than the engine number stamped on
block, most people will not be able to tell the engines
apart. Image: GM Powertrain Division.
[ Click Image for Larger View] |
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Can you feel the difference?
Heck yeah–but only if you’re driving a Z06 as
it’s supposed to be driven: real hard. The LS6’s extra power is
all up top and it makes the ’02 Z06 the quickest production
Corvette ever. Some intel we’ve developed about GM’s in-house,
’02 Z06 testing suggests an astonishing, 3.85-sec. 0-60 and
quarter mile performance at 12.45/118.0 mph. That’s using timing
with no roll-out (rather than drag strip clocks), on a typical road
surface and at the hands of a driver who understands how to launch
in a manner that won’t run afoul of the "antipowerhop"
algorithms programmed into the engine controls software.
The revised LS6, with 405hp@6000 rpm and 400
lbs/ft.@4800 rpm, makes the ’02 Z06 a couple tenths quicker than
last year’s model and a full, half-second quicker than the last of
the ZR1s, which also had 405hp but carried almost 400 more pounds.
At a ripe old age of 11, the ZR1’s only remaining title is
"Fastest Production Corvette" at 180 miles per hour.
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’02
LS6 vs.’01. Below 3750 rpm there is no practical
difference between the two, but get on the loud pedal and
let the motor rev through 4000 rpm and, trust us–you’ll
feel the difference. Chart: GM Powertrain Division
[ Click Image for Larger View] |
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LS6
Evolution: Bigger Cam–Again
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