GM’s LS engines are ubiquitous in the world of performance here in America. These modern V8s get swapped into everything from Dodge Vipers to Mazda RX-7s. Why? Why are they so good?

This video from /Drive explains it all.

Rather, Tom Nelson from Nelson Racing Engines explains it all. He’s a good person to ask. If there’s anybody who knows how to make huge power out of an LS block, it’s him. If you want an , you go to him. If you want , you go to him. If you want a , you go to him.

In short, the LS is common, cheap, compact, and it breaths well. As Nelson, explains, an engine is basically an air pump. The better it cycles air, the more fuel it can burn, the more power it can make.

Watch the video and you’ll understand why an LS sits in your neighbor’s Camaro.

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