Crate Engine

The 10 Biggest GM Engines In History (Infographic)

The recently-announced Chevrolet Performance ZZ632 Crate Engine is officially the biggest and baddest. There has never been a Chevy crate engine more potent than this one. But that got us thinking about other GM motors as the automaker has a history of building some monsters. Back in 2016, GMPartsCenter.net made an infographic that highlights the 10 biggest GM engines in history. The graphic ranks the “big ten” engines in cubic inches, horsepower, and torque with a pre-war Cadillac V16 and Chevy 572 crate engine serving as the bookends.

“We thought it would be fun to republish this infographic on the biggest GM engines again,” said Carl Anthony, Managing Editor here at Automoblog. “GM’s big displacement production dates back to the 1930s when Cadillacs featured V12 and V16 engines, which is where this infographic starts.”

“In 1938, the 7.1-liter V16 Cadillac Series 90 engine was state of the art, producing 185 horsepower. Three decades later, the Olds 455 was producing 400 horsepower with eight fewer cylinders,” explained Matt Mylan, GMPartsCenter.net Director. “Three more decades and Chevy’s 572 crate motor can produce 720 horsepower, nearly twice the power of the Olds 455.”

What is your favorite big displacement GM engine? Let us know on Twitter. Since the original infographic below was published, GM has given us a lightning-fast Camaro, a mid-engine Corvette, and a newly redesigned Silverado

10 Biggest GM Engines Infographic

Biggest GM Engines infographic.
  1. When I heard about the Big Blocks, I understood these engines has been considered old and buried, in the name of the better efficiency and lower fuel consumption. Some months ago, a friend from Texas (source of informations ‘cos I’m in Europe) told me someway these powerful engines will have a new tech and “fashion” trend.

  2. My favorite huge American V8 has to be the 1969-1970 472 Cadillac engine. 200 pounds lighter than a big block Chevy, with an external oil pump, the two big HP years were the 1969 and 1970, the 1969 having 10.5 to one compression, the 1970 having 10 to one compression. 550 ft,lbs. of torque at 3800 rpm, and 368 horsepower at 3900 rpm made the big Caddy engine a tire smoking beast. Warmed over with a relatively mild camshaft, headers and an even bigger carburetor put the 472 up into the five hundred horsepower range, along with 600 pound feet of stump pulling torque. My 1970 Coupe DeVille was of the warmed over variety, and made quick work of Corvettes and Porches. The two best looking years as well.

    1. Thank you for the observations and insight Matt. Thank you for reading our site.

Comments are closed.