For the second consecutive year, The Chevrolet LT1 Small Block 6.2-liter V-8 has won a spot on Ward’s 10 Best Engine list for 2015. That’s thanks to its highly respectable power numbers combined with its fuel efficiency numbers. SAE-certified to make 460 horsepower, the V-8 makes enough power to move the Corvette C7 Stingray to 60 mph in just 3.8 seconds yet still get an EPA-estimated 29 mpg highway.

Wards reviewed some 37 engines and other propulsion systems from 12 separate manufacturers in this year’s competition. The criteria not only includes power and fuel efficiency, but also new technology->ke1701 and refinement.

“The 6.2L LT1 V-8 is the heart and soul of the seventh-generation Chevrolet Corvette, and it proudly upholds the 60-year legacy of small-block engines from General Motors,” says Tom Murphy, executive editor of WardsAuto World digital magazine. “This one’s been re-engineered from head to torque converter, and the LT1 is the crown jewel of this massive engine family.”

The family Murphy refers to is the Gen 5 family of Small Block engines that include the 4.3-liter V-6, the 5.3-liter V-8, and the 6.2-liter V-8 from the GM->ke1024 truck->ke1311 lineup. Like the Corvette’s LT1, all three engines have the EcoTec3 list of advancements that include direct fuel injection, variable valve timing, and Active Fuel Management.

All Gen 5 engines benefit from the direct fuel injection’s precise control of fuel and the cooling effect it has on the combustion chamber, the variability of the intake and exhaust valvetrain in producing power, and the engines’ ability to cut fuel to cylinders when under light load.

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Why it matters

Ward’s 10 Best Engine list is a rather prestigious one to make. Only powertrains with a huge advancement in design and technology make the cut. Now having made the list in two consecutive years, Corvette owners and those on the fence about purchasing a Vette can rest easy knowing the 6.2-liter is an excellent engine.

Chevrolet Corvette

The 2015 Corvette C7 Stingray is now entering its second year of production and times are good. Vette sales are up, the awards keep rolling in, and the car’s big brother, the Z06, just hit showrooms. At the heart of the C7 is the 6.2-liter V-8 that makes 460 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque. Backing up the engine is a seven-speed manual transmission and a new-for-2015 eight-speed automatic.

The car’s backbone is an aluminum chassis with a carbon-fiber hood and roof for added lightness. Pricing starts at $51,995 and exceeds $62,800 for the top trim package with the performance Z51 package.