Chevy Sonic Tired Of Econobox Life, Switches To LS3 V8 And Rallycross

In what has to be one of the most unexpected engine swaps we’ve seen lately, someone has fitted an LS3 V8 and all-wheel drive to the Chevy Sonic subcompact.

American Rally Association rallycross driver Pat Moro and his PMR Motorsports crew have likely created the world’s most bonkers rallycross machine. They shoehorned a 6.2-liter LS3 V8 engine in an all-wheel-drive Chevrolet Sonic rally car.

Details remain scarce at this point, as the team is currently teasing the vehicle before an official launch next year. The car was on display recently at the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show in Indianapolis but the crew didn’t disclose any information.

They did say, however, that the Sonic V8 will go racing at various American Rally Association events across the United States next year.

Assuming the LS3 V8 is in stock form, then the Sonic boasts 430 hp and 425 lb-ft (576 Nm) of torque — more than three times as much power and torque than the standard production car. That should be enough to make it really quick and way noisier than the average turbocharged four-cylinder rallycross cars.

Along with the eight-cylinder engine it shares with the Chevy SS and various Holden performance models, the Sonic also got a wide-body kit, a massive rear wing, racing front seats with six-point harnesses, as well as the obligatory roll cage and fire extinguisher system.

The Sonic V8 rally car will be driven in ARA rallycross events in 2019 by team co-owner Pat Moro assisted by Ole Holter in the co-driver’s seat.

Via Motor1