It was bound to happen at some point and it finally has. General Motors' one and only supercharged LT5 V8 engine has officially been discontinued. Motor Trend has confirmed the news. This should not come as a big shock, especially since the automaker made it clear the engine would only stick around for a single production year. Not only was the LT5 available as a crate engine, but it also powered a certain supercar: the 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1.

Sold for just a single model year and offered in both the coupe and convertible body styles, the ZR1 has a total of 755 horsepower and 715 lb-ft of torque. A total of just 4,684 C7 ZR1s were built.

Expect them to become highly sought-after collectibles in the years ahead. Those interested in only buying the LT5 itself will need to act fast. Once they're gone from Chevy dealers' inventory, that's it.

There was a time when the automaker considered dropping the LT5 in the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, but issues surrounding the dry-sump system and the shaker hood it requires made it impossible for drivers to see out of the car. Also, the LT5 was deemed as too powerful for the sedan Cadillac wanted to be a driver's car; it simply wasn't a good fit for the chassis as well. Without the LT5, the 650 hp LT4 will become the carmaker's most powerful V8 currently available.

It's the same engine used for the previous generation Corvette Z06 and remains under the hood of the Camaro ZL1. There was still some hope GM would keep the LT5 alive for a little while longer so that it could be used for the rumored sixth-generation Camaro Z/28. Unfortunately, that doesn't appear to be happening as the Camaro is also living on borrowed time. Sales continue to drop and GM apparently doesn't see a viable business case for a new Z/28. Instead, it's rumored to be developing an all-electric super sedan replacement.

Like the LT4, the LT5 is a small-block design but has a 2.65-liter supercharger instead of the LT4's 1.4-liter unit, among other modifications.