If you started salivating at the thought of shoehorning GM’s earth-shattering LS9 crate motor into your own weekend project car, you’d better start saving up those pennies. The General has released pricing for the boxed-up V8 donk, and it ain’t cheap.

$21,000 US dollars is the price, which equates to roughly $33,000 Aussie simoleons. A hefty whack to the hip pocket, no doubt, but then again it IS the very same engine that powers the mighty Corvette ZR-1.

No less than 476kW (638hp) and a chassis-snapping 835Nm (604lb/ft) are on tap from the supercharged 6.2 litre bent-eight, but given lesser LS V8s are going for far less money and are capable of supporting similar levels of power, we’re not sure how many people will pony up the cash for the fire-breathing LS9 cratey.

Not only is it an expensive mill to purchase, but buyers will also need to source their own ECU, engine harness, intercooler coolant reservoir and an oil tank for the dry sump system. Needless to say, you’re going to need deep pockets if you want to transplant the ZR-1’s heart into your own track hack.

[Autofiends]