Chevy's 350 Is BACK_ Why GM's V8 Comeback Is Bad News for Hyundai

The 350 small-block is back. On September 17, 2026, General Motors revealed an all-new 5.7-liter pushrod V8 at Flint Engine Operations in Michigan. The L76 makes 402 horsepower and 428 lb-ft of torque, it replaces the 5.3 in the 2027 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, and GM rates it to tow up to 13,700 pounds. GM is putting $854 million into four plants to build it, at the same moment Hyundai has dropped its Tau V8 completely and is moving its engineering money into batteries, turbos and hybrids.

This documentary starts with the 4.40-inch bore spacing that Ed Cole's team set in 1954. That one measurement got the small-block through the 1973 oil embargo, emissions rules, fuel injection and the turbo downsizing years. Next we look at why turbo engines burn extra fuel under heavy towing, why the new engine has no oil dipstick, and why the bigger 6.6-liter V8 is rated to tow 4,000 pounds less. Last, we look at what all of this means for Hyundai, which plans to launch its first body-on-frame pickup in America before the end of the decade, and for its Santa Cruz, which tows 5,000 pounds.

Tell us in the comments: would you trust an electronic oil sensor on your dashboard, or do you want a steel dipstick in your hand?

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