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GM applies for LT5, LTX trademarks... are new small block variants coming?

Recently discovered General Motors trademark applications for LT4, LT5, LT88 and LTX have observers wondering what kind of high-performance offerings could be on their way. A new LT4 would mark a return of the engine designation first used on the Corvette Grand Sport, SLP Pontiac Firehawk and SLP Chevrolet Camaro SS from 1996 and 1997. Supposition at Corvette Forum - which provided advance intel on the C7 like these leaked images - believes a new LT4 could go into the high-performance trim of the next-gen, 2015 Camaro that would be more powerful than the 580-horsepower Camaro ZL1.
Seeing an LT5 again would also be déjà vu - in its former life it was a 5.7-liter V8 for the C4 Corvette ZR-1 from 1990-1994 designed by Lotus, producing from 370 hp to 405 hp. A mix of rumor and hope is that the new LT5 will be a supercharged evolution of the 6.2-liter LT1 (pictured) placed in the new C7 Corvette, and that it will go into the C7 version of the ZR1 pumping out something like 700 hp.
The LTX trademark is, as with that last letter, a complete mystery. If the "X" isn't a generic way to denote the whole LT family, it's wondered if it LTX could refer to a crate motor offering like the LSX.

Sunday Drive: Tracking Tokyo's top performers

The big news of the week mostly came from Tokyo. All of Japan's biggest automakers made waves at the Motor Show, but the winner of the event has to be Mazda. The big Vision Coupe and little Kai Concept stole the show, won our hearts, and earned a ton of attention for the automaker. We can't wait to see how these two concepts impact the design, engineering, and technology of future production models. Take a look at our mega image gallery post below to see everything in high-resolution glory. Interestingly, the single biggest click-magnet of the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show was the BMW X2. We shouldn't be surprised. Crossovers of all shapes and sizes dominate the American marketplace, and the X2 is clearly the most attractive of BMW's even-numbered, coupe-influenced X models. Plus, it's headed for production, with sales starting in the spring of 2018. Moving past the Tokyo Motor Show, Autoblog readers are apparently very interested in the 2019 Chevy Camaro. Spy shots of just about every iteration of Chevy's muscle car lit up the 'net last week, leaving us very interested in seeing what's hiding behind all that camouflage. As always, tune in to Autoblog next week for a front-row seat to all the happenings worth following in the automotive industry. 2017 Tokyo Motor Show | Mega Gallery Mazda Vision Coupe | Tokyo Motor Show's big, sensuous 4-door Mazda Kai concept hints at a more muscular, refined Mazda3 2018 BMW X2 crossover revealed, adorned in gold and silver 2019 Chevrolet Camaro: 1LT, SS, ZL1 all spied with updated styling

The Chevrolet Camaro 1LE returns with V6 or V8 power

The Chevy Camaro's performance variants are legendary, and enthusiasts have long lusted after the Z/28 and ZL1. But there's a lesser-known model that shouldn't be overlooked: the 1LE. It's Camaro code for performance on the track. The 2017 Camaro 1LE debuts this week at the Chicago Auto Show and goes on sale late this year. The 1LE package will be offered for the first time on V6 Camaros, as well as the traditional V8-powered SS. The cars have upgraded suspensions, better brakes, aerodynamic treatments that create more downforce, and improved cooling features. The goal is simple: faster laps. "This is all grip and handling and cooling," said Todd Christensen, Camaro marketing manager. It's an enthusiast special, transforming your basic Camaro into a more capable track machine. The 335-horsepower V6 and 455-hp V8 are unchanged (and only come with six-speed manual gearboxes), because the focus is on improving the Camaro's reflexes. That means different things, depending on the engine choice. Here's how they break down. V6 1LE The V6's 1LE package is based on the LT trim and it pilfers the best chassis pieces from the V8 model, including the FE3 suspension with stabilizer bars. It also has a mechanical limited slip differential (3.27 ratio) and four-piston Brembo brake calipers in front. The fuel system is also borrowed from the SS, and it all rolls on 20-inch forged aluminum wheels wrapped in Goodyear Eagle F1 rubber measuring 245/40R20 in front and 275/35R20 in back. Christensen says Chevy added the 1LE pack for the V6 because customers actively wanted it, and for a reasonable price (we hear the 1LE will cost about the same as the fifth gen's $3,500 option) they can transform their V6 into a car that's as track capable as the SS. While it's giving up 120 hp, a V6 Camaro 1LE will also be more than 200 pounds lighter than the eight-cylinder 1LE. Chevy noticed the customer interest for a V6 1LE and will study offering the pack on Camaros with the turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Consider the V6 a test case. "I'm anxious to get some customer feedback [from the V6]," Christensen said. SS 1LE Even though it's heavier, the SS 1LE offers a lot of goodies that make it three seconds faster than a normal SS, according to Chevy's testing at Willow Springs Raceway in the California desert. The spotlight features in the SS are Magnetic Ride Control for the FE4 suspension and electronic-slip differential (3.73 ratio).