GM opened up a new front on the modern muscle car wars when it introduced its 2010 Camaro with a 305 horsepower V6 engine, stock. At the time, it was nearly as much horsepower as the 2010 Mustang V8. Since then, GM has revised the horsepower rating for the LLT V6 engine up to 312 ponies, but it seems the General is thinking that still isn’t enough for its base model pony car.

Camaro5 reports that GM may be putting an updated version of the LF1 engine, called the LFX, into the 2012 Camaro, it could make as much as 330 horsepower.

GM currently uses a 3.0 liter LF1 engine in the Cadillac CTS and SRX, as well as the Chevy Equinox. This 270 horsepower engine is a workhorse of the GM fleet and features a composite intake and integrated exhaust manifolds. According to reports, GM is going to use this as the base for its new Camaro V6 engine, punching it out to 3.6 liters like the current LLT V6 found in the Camaro. In addition, the new V6 will have dual-overhead cams, variable valve timing, spark-ignition direct injection and E85 capability (which has a higher octane rating than even premium fuel). All of these improvements could mean up to 330 horsepower, and in all likelihood much-improved gas mileage. In other words, this engine is shaping up to be a real contender.

Still, it raises a lot of questions. If GM really does bump the horsepower on the V6, does that mean the V8 is due for a power upgrade too? Will the LFX engine be the base engine, or fall between the base and V8 selections? Is more power going to cost more money? We are fans of V8 engines through and through, but with GM sinking resources into its V6 selection, it’s got us wondering about the power potential of these smaller engines. What do they have up their sleeve?