Chevrolet Performance has unveiled a new big-block ZZ632 V-8 crate engine with 632-cubic-inch or 10 liters of displacement, of that, produces, wait for it, a little more than 1,000 horsepower and a monstrous 876 pound-feet of torque.

Overview

Chevy has had a stranglehold on the crate engine industry for the longest time, however, it hasn’t really been in the news for a while. That changes now as the bow-tie brand is back. Over the past two years or so, the internet has been frenzied with stories of 1,000 horsepower Ford Performance’ 7.3L Godzilla V-8 and 1,000 horsepower Mopar Hellephant swaps.

With the debut of this new 1004 horsepower, 10.4 liter ZZ632 crate engine, Chevrolet Performance reminds us as to why exactly do they dominate the crate engine market. The new ZZ632 does not use forced induction, a turbo, or a supercharger, instead, the engine solely depends on the colossal displacement alone to deliver the big numbers.

So What's New on the ZZ632?

The ZZ632 features a cast-iron block construction along with four-bolt main caps, a forged steel crankshaft, connecting rods, and forged aluminum pistons, with a 12.0:1 compression ratio. What’s noteworthy here is that the iron block is based on the same mold as the ZZ572 crate engine, with the castings now machined to a whopping 632-cubic-inch displacement.

The bore has also increased by 0.040 inches when compared to the 572-cubic-inch ZZ572 V-8, with the majority of the displacement gain coming from the longer 0.375-inch stroke. In order to accommodate the extra-long stroke, the block, and connecting rods, both had to be redesigned from the ground up.

This Big Block V-8 produces peak power at 6,600 rpm and can be revved to as high as 7,000 rpm. Among the highlights are the ZZ632's fuelling system, which consists of Eight port injectors and CNC-machined high-flow aluminum heads. The heads have symmetrical intake and exhaust ports, guaranteeing that all cylinders produce the same amount of power.

These RS-X Symmetrical Port cylinder heads are named after powertrain engineer, Ron Sperry, who has developed them as one of his final triumphs after working on GM performance and racing engines for over half a century. Sperry also added symmetrical ports to Chevy's classic Small Block V-8 engine, which was introduced on the ’97 Vette.

ZZ632 Crate Engine Price

There’s no word on pricing yet, although the 621 horsepower ZZ572/620 with which it shares an engine block mold costs $16,304.82. The ZZ632 will be sold through Chevy’s Performance dealer network, beginning early next year. It will be on display at this year's SEMA Show in Vegas, scheduled between November 2nd through 5th.

To Sum it Up

Well, with the launch of the ZZ632, I guess Chevy is sticking with the old saying ‘There’s no replacement for displacement'. Oh and I completely forgot to mention the best part about this new engine. It can produce all this power while running on good old 93-octane fuel from your local gas station.

Now that's saying something, isn’t it? I wonder what kind of performance will hot-rodders and tuners alike be able to extract from this new big-block V-8. Only time will tell, but exciting times await for the ZZ632 and we can’t wait to see it hit the drag strip soon. Expect it to be reliable as Chevy ran the ZZ632 through 200 simulated test cycles and the engine didn’t break a sweat.

Chevrolet Performance ZZ632/1000 specifications

Displacement

632 cu in (10,348 cc)

Bore x Stroke

4.60 x 4.75 in

Compression Ratio

12.0:1

Power

1,004 hp @ 6600 rpm

Torque

876 lb-ft @ 5600 rpm

Maximum Recommended Engine Speed

7,000 rpm

Block

Tall Deck 632 Bowtie Sportsman, cast iron, four-bolt main caps

Cylinder Heads

RS-X Symmetrical Port, CNC-machined aluminum

Crankshaft

Forged steel

Connecting Rods

Forged steel

Pistons

Forged aluminum

Fuel

Electronic port injection