Daily Recap: Friday, March 27, 2026
36 episodes · If you only listen to one: Episode 245: Meyer Shank Racing Owner Mike Shank, Cars & Culture with Jason Stein
Chevrolet pulled the wraps off the new Corvette Grand Sport with a 6.7-liter V8, while a persistent technician shortage continues to strain service capacity across the industry despite hiring gains at GM franchises. The shows also covered World Car Awards predictions where the BMW iX3 is expected to dominate, China's expanding EV export numbers, and rumors about large-displacement truck engines coming from GM, Ford, and Stellantis.
New Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Debuts with Sixth-Generation 6.7L V8 Engine
Chevrolet has unveiled the 2027 Corvette Grand Sport featuring a new sixth-generation LS6 V8 engine that displaces 6.7 liters and produces 535 horsepower and 520 pound-feet of torque.
The engine is almost entirely new with only the 4.4-inch bore center spacing carried over from the original 1955 design, and it features dual fuel injection with a 13-to-1 compression ratio.
Is This Engine Rumor A HOAX? What's The Perfect Truck Engine? | Ep. 324
"The engine itself is making about 535 horsepower, 520 pound feet of torque. Yeah, those are the numbers officially from Chevrolet."
A Grand Sport X hybrid variant combines 186 horsepower from a front electric drive unit with the rear LS6 engine for a combined 721 horsepower output.
Secrets of the 2027 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport
"A new six generation V8, 6.7 liters...it makes lots of torque...535 horsepower, 520 foot-pounds of torque"
Headlines
Technician Shortage Persists Across Industry Despite GM Hiring Gains
General Motors dealers have employed 23% more technicians than in 2021, with apprenticeships up 18% and the number holding GM's highest certification level doubled. The shortage persists broadly at independent shops and non-GM franchises, where those gains don't apply.
Episode Spotlights
On the BMW iX3's predicted sweep at the 2026 World Car Awards:
"If the IX3 wins next week, it's like BMW's victory lap. CEO honored, car crowned."
On the Xiaomi SU7's first facelift after two years in China:
"Xiaomi has given the SU7 its first facelift after two years on sale in China. The electric saloon launched in 2024 as a rival to the Porsche Taycan."
Is This Engine Rumor A HOAX? What's The Perfect Truck Engine? | Ep. 324
On the rumored displacement of the 2027 Silverado's new V8 engine:
"This was the 2027 Silverado. Yeah, I think it's one of these stories. And the number that was thrown around, this is unofficial, and it's slightly lower displacement. So 6.6 liters V8, that's the current rumor for the truck versus 6.7 for the Corvette. In the truck, the rumor is it's 475 horsepower."
On the Genesis G90 as a Mercedes S-Class competitor:
"I grabbed the Genesis G90. If you're not familiar with that, that's their flagship sedan. That's kind of their competitor to the S-Class Mercedes or the 7 Series BMW."
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE BUYING YOUR NEXT FAMILY CAR
On preserving a mother's identity during family car purchases:
"I feel so passionately about keeping like a mother's preferences and choices in her car buying process. Because they just feel like when you become a mom you give up so much of your identity... I just want to try to keep like the car, something that you still have a choice in to some extent."
If You Only Listen To One
Episode 245: Meyer Shank Racing Owner Mike Shank
Mike Shank talks through building Meyer Shank Racing from a grassroots operation into a championship-winning organization, including the technical alliance with Chip Ganassi Racing that helped accelerate that growth.
By the Numbers
Most-Discussed Cars
| Car | Mentions |
|---|---|
| Chevrolet Corvette | 14 |
| Ford Mustang | 8 |
| Porsche Taycan | 7 |
| Jeep Wrangler | 6 |
| Honda Civic | 5 |
| Chevrolet Camaro | 5 |
| Porsche 911 | 5 |
Trending Terminology
| Term | Mentions |
|---|---|
| EV | 8 |
| tariffs | 4 |
| NASCAR | 4 |
| depreciation | 3 |
| convertible | 3 |
| torque | 3 |
36 episodes. 523 car mentions. 839 terms explained. Browse every episode with searchable annotations and plain-language term definitions in the Car Curious app.