5 Crate Engines More Powerful Than Beefy Factory Motors
Airfind news item
By Mike Garrett
Published on March 10, 2026.
All three major American automakers, General Motors, Ford, or Chrysler (now Stellantis), all have significant V8 power in their arsenal. The engines power these engines are used in all manner of high-performance vehicles, including track-bred Mustangs and Camaros, track-breeding Mustangs, and super pickups. However, you don't necessarily need to purchase a new vehicle to benefit from this power. All three automakers have extensive factory performance brands that offer ready-to-run crate engine packages based on their latest and greatest V8s. The LS3-based 'LS376' crate motor, which displaces the same 6.2 liters as the familiar LS3 but with a more aggressive camshaft and other tweaks, makes nearly 100 more horsepower than the factory-issue 430-horsepower LS3. Chevrolet Performance also offers a line of factory LS-based crate offerings, ranging from mild, factory-spec engines to serious race engines geared toward racing applications. Ford Racing's 5.0-liter Coyote V8, the most powerful naturally aspirated modular crate motor ever, is the 'Aluminator' 5.2 XS, which combines elements of both the standard Coyote and the Voodoo' V8 from the old Shelby GT350 Mustang. The Aluminator combines elements from both standard and exotic flat-plane crank, and costs nearly $30,000.
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