[proximity_alrt]

Disclaimer: What I'm about to type up is from a place of ignorance, so please excuse anything that's off the wall or pushing long debunked myths about Pontiacs. I just have questions.

One of the complaints I used to remember hearing about Pontiacs were that they were "slow revving engines". I haven't seen it bandied up in years, but I'm only getting back into cars after a decade or more long hiatus, and I've never been more than a backyard tuner on my own stuff. I'd assume that it's because of the low-rpm/high torque (especially from the 455's) nature of Pontiacs. Engineers were moving heavy cars at low RPMs, the party was usually over at 5000-5200RPM. But that seems like what they were designed for, low end high torque with a long low power band.

Contrast this to the LS engines. Now I have no personal experience with them. At most, I've only seen them on motor trend or youtube. But something that stands out to me is how quickly they seem to 'wrap-up'. I assume this is because the LS's powerband is much higher and it's a byproduct of that same consideration of design? Or am I just hearing things in relation to the engines I'm used to? They are what I assume are usually crate motors on these shows so they must be tuned. Other posters seem to confirm the powerband question with towing at 5 grand and being able to spin the motors up to 6700 RPM.

I'd also assume the LS has a lighter rotating assembly? I know the gearing in both the overdrive transmissions and the rear end is going to make a difference. But would lighter pistons/rods/crank and maybe balancing have anything to do with how they act and how quickly they end up in their strongest power band?

It seems to me that while the Pontiacs are a good base, it's hard to keep up with the march of 40+ years of engine design and engineering. It would be interesting to see what Pontiac engineers could have done with MPFI, long tuned intake runners, knock sensors, aluminium blocks and heads, hydraulic roller cams and the like that seem to be a staple of design today.