Manoli Katakis 
When Ford announced the 7.3L Godzilla V8 engine last year for the F-250 and F-350 Super Duty, the arousal of big-displacement hot rodders could almost be heard. A cast iron block V8 built to take a beating seemed like a desert oasis in an optics-based landscape where rumors of the death of the internal combustion engine is being shouted from every post-modernist rooftop. Not to be outdone, Chevrolet, the deity of crate engines, may have given GM performance enthusiasts just what they were looking for: an L8T V8 option.
Well, it’s just the block. A sweet, sturdy cast iron V8 block. This gives the customer a clean sheet template, opening up a universe of possibilities as to how and what kinds of immense power they can harness for any project this thing will fit in. Currently, this is all Chevrolet is saying about the new offering, ahead of SEMA360:
Chevrolet Performance has introduced a L8T cast-iron GEN V engine block that is very likely completely new to even the most knowledgeable enthusiast. This 6.6L production block is the foundation for your direct-injected performance engine that may see more horsepower than a lightweight aluminum block was designed for.
The 6.6L L8T V8 can currently be found in the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado HD as well as the 2021 GMC Sierra HD as the standard engine. Pushing out a stout 401 horsepower at 5,200 RPM and a stalwart 464 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 RPM, the L8T makes just over 11 percent more horsepower and over 21 percent more torque than the 6.0L L96 V8 it replaces.
By comparison, it’s a little down from the Godzilla V8, which pushes 430 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque. But the Godzilla is an optional engine, where the L8T is standard. Ford still has its 6.2L gas V8 engine as the base unit for its Super Duty trucks. It produces 385 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque.
We hope to have much more on this exciting new addition to the Chevrolet Performance catalog in the coming days, as SEMA360 ramps up from November 2-6, 2020.
