Chevrolet ZZ632/1000 Performance: Crate Engine als Big Engine

“The future of the General Motors Group will be held largely in the electric sector? Well, wait and see – now it’s our turn!” Something like this could have been the brainchild of that crazy engineer at Chevrolet Performance and Racing who had the idea for a new V8 engine. We don’t know if that person was Russ O’Blenes. But at some point the GM division director must have signed off on the project. Thanks to this decision, O’Blenes can now say: “This is the biggest, most powerful engine we’ve ever built.”

That’s saying something, because GM’s history is certainly not short on big, powerful engines. But this new V8 petrol engine codenamed ZZ632/1000 leads the way. The name describes the displacement in cubic inches, which translates to 10.36 liters. You read that right: This substance has a displacement of 10.36 liters! 1,000 represents performance, although the letter-number combination actually undercuts it: the engine delivers 1,004 horsepower, i.e. 1,018 DIN HP, at 6,600 revolutions. Maximum torque? A little thing of 1,188 Newton meters and 5,600 revolutions of the crankshaft. The maximum speed is 7,000 rpm. So Russ O’Blenes isn’t promising too much when he says: “The ZZ632 is at the top of our engine range and is the king of performance. It delivers incredible power, all on petrol.”

9.4 liter V8 as base

The body of the ZZ632 is based on that of the ZZ572 with a displacement of “only” 9.4 liters, but it has been enlarged in bore and stroke and modified in some areas. The RS-X’s CNC-machined aluminum cylinder heads feature symmetrical intake ports, unusual for a big-block V8. The exhaust positions are also similar. Chevrolet Performance wants to make sure that every cylinder delivers the same amount of power. While the crankshaft and connecting rods are made of forged steel, Chevrolet Performance manufactures the pistons from forged aluminum. Petrol injection is done electronically through eight injectors.

If you are now wondering which GM model the titan engine will be released soon, unfortunately we have to tell you: Not for nothing! Chevrolet Performance only produced the ZZ632/1000 as a crate engine. The manufacturer packs the engine directly into a box (German for “crate”) and sends it to its customers, who, upon receipt, install it themselves in the appropriate vehicle. This means preferably the quarter mile, where drag racers using the ZZ632/1000 are likely to be among the closest favorites in the future.

Premiere at SEMA Las Vegas

Fittingly, General Motors is presenting the engine genie for the first time at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. The exhibition of the story of the repair business will take place between November 2 and 5 this year. Deliveries will begin in early 2022. Chevrolet Performance has not yet disclosed pricing.

Note: In our photo gallery we show you the crate engines currently offered by GM’s competitor Mopar. Here too, some engines are represented by meaningless technical data.