What Does 'LSA' Engine Stand For & Which Cars Have One Under The Hood?

General Motors' LS engines are special, bringing more power with lighter weights to many of the manufacturer's iconic vehicles. However, even within the LS family, the LSA engine is a standout and one of the most powerful engines ever built by General Motors. But unlike many of the acclaimed engines, the LSA doesn't have a number attached to it, so what does the acronym stand for and how does it differentiate itself from the pack?

LSA stands for "lobe separation angle," which, as the name suggests, is the measure of the distance between the intake and exhaust lobes. Changing an engine's LSA affects its power, with a tighter angle producing peak torque at lower RPMs and vice versa. However, the method of reaching peak torque faster comes with a penalty to the engine's idle state, reducing the idle vacuum and producing a noticeably louder idle performance.

General Motors' LSA engine uses the lobe separation angle to give it more power. The LSA engine shares many similarities with GM's LS3, but it was designed from top to bottom with quiet performance in mind. It is a 6.2-liter V8 Supercharged engine with high-twist four-lobe rotors delivers 6162 cc of displacement and a maximum engine speed of 6200 RPM. And since it's development in 2009, the LSA engine has appeared in a few cars across GM's many brands.

General Motors created the LSA engine with performance in mind, but naturally, the exact numbers of that performance will differ from vehicle to vehicle. However, if there's one thing the supercharged V8 is capable of, it's producing impressive horsepower and torque no matter the body surrounding it. So, which cars can you find GM's LSA engine in?

GM introduced the LSA engine with the Cadillac CTS-V. The performance-driven engine appeared in the second generation sedan, coupe, and wagon models of the CTS-V from 2008 (the 2009 model) to 2013. It produced 580 hp at 6100 RPM and 556 lb-ft of torque at 3800 RPM. From there, GM put the supercharged LSA engine inside the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 between the years of 2012 and 2015. The coupe and convertible models generated 556 hp at 6100 RPM and 551 lb-ft of torque at 3800 RPM.

The LSA engine also found success outside of the United States, with short but successful runs in both the United Kingdom and Australia. In the land down under, Holden Special Vehicles, the former subsidiary of General Motors, included the supercharged engine in the 2014 HSV GTs. And across the pond, Vauxhall Motors put the Camaro engine in the 2014 Vauxhall VXR8, taking inspiration from Holden's GTS.