The LS1 V8 engine is potent. It produces 345 horsepower and 350 foot-pounds of torque. Automatic or stick, the new Vette is fast traffic. Its quick at the starting gate, beautifully balanced, surprisingly comfortable, and built to a far higher standard than any Corvette in history. While we prefer the 6-speed that came on our car, we have to admit that the automatic rams its shifts home with authority, and theres enough muscle in the new V8 to cover the small performance penalties associated with auto-shifters.