Difference In V8 Engines?
 

In the Spring time I will be purchasing a 2010-2011 Camaro, maybe even a 2012, just depends on the price. Right now I have the 1lt and will be trading it in. But what I'm wondering is what's the difference in the engines, I've heard of the LS3, L99, LS7 etc. What are the options in the engines? I am completely clueless. So please help me out. Thank you.

L99 is an auto 6.2
LS3 is a manual 6.2
LS7 is a 7.0

LS3 is the 6.2 thats mates to manual transmission.

L99 is the 6.2 thats mated to an automatic transmission.

These are your two stock options. The LS7 is your 7.0 liter big block, which is an aftermarket swap.

The LS3 vs L99 have different tuning as the auto has AFM, or active fuel management, along with other differences.

LS3 is a manual camaro ss 426hp
L99 is a auto camaro ss 400hp

No LS7 have been put in the 5th gen camaro yet from factory.

Is the LS7 the engine that is in the corvette? Why do they need to have different engines? and why can't the auto have the same hp as the manual?

yes the C6 Z06, and the lower hp in automatics is because of higher drivetrain loss, aka the "resistance" the power goes through as its transmitted from the engine , to trans, to the rear end.

What about if you drive it in "M" or "sport mode"? Still the same power?

lets make this easy, Do you want the automatic or the manual?

See that's the thing, my v6 is an automatic. I like it, it makes it easy to drink or hold the girls hand;), but i know manual's are more fun from what I have been told so either or. I don't live in a city like Seattle where its stop and go stop and go on the highway or city so manual wouldnt be a problem.

easy enough. get the manual lol especially if it gets you out of holding her hand hah.

But then it all depends on what the dealership gets in, I am not going to be buying brand new, so it all just depends. I would like to have more power though, so hopefully its the manual:sm0:

The resistance issues come into play when talking about rear wheel HP. The 400 HP (SAE certified flywheel HP) of the L99 is a result of slightly lower compression, different heads (AFM lifters) and engine computer calibration (tune) vs the LS3.

still, even if they put a LS3 into the auto cars. it still would make less WHP just the nature of the autos.

No argument there. I was just helping out with why the L99 is factory rated at 400 flywheel HP vs the 426 HP for the LS3 which was the OP's original question. ;)