US: GM readies 14 new engines for MY2008

24 August 2007 | Source: just-auto.com editorial team

General Motors on Friday said it would introduce 14 new or significantly revised powertrains during the 2008 model year - including five one- two-litre small-displacement engine variants -focused on saving fuel and improving performance in its cars and trucks on both sides of the Atlantic.

GM's new 2008 powertrain line includes hybrids, clean diesels and fuel-saving technologies such as active fuel management, direct injection, variable valve timing, six-speed transmissions and flexfuel options.

"We're leveraging our global capability to build powertrains that do more with less fuel," said GM powertrain and quality group vice president Tom Stephens. "Our 2008 powertrain lineup demonstrates how we're using advanced technologies to provide customers with many fuel-saving options."

Two-mode hybrid

New for 2008 is what GM claims is the industry's first two-mode hybrid system, which makes its debut with a new six-litre V8 in GM's full-size sport-utility vehicles.

The Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon hybrids will deliver up to a claimed 40% improvement in city fuel economy over non-hybrid versions and up to a 25% improvement overall. GM will also extend availability to the Cadillac Escalade luxury SUV and GMC Sierra and Chevy Silverado crew cab pickup trucks during 2008.

GM will offer three hybrid models - the Saturn Vue Green Line compact SUV, and the Saturn Aura Green Line and (redesigned) Chevrolet Malibu hybrid sedans. These all have a unique electric motor/generator combined with a 2.4-litre 'Ecotec' VVT four-cylinder engine and 4T45 four-speed automatic transmission.

Next year, Saturn will unveil the 2009 model year Vue Green Line that uses the automaker's new front-wheel-drive two-mode hybrid system, expected to achieve up to a 45% improvement in composite fuel economy compared to the non-hybrid Vue.

GM also plans to build a Vue Green Line plug-in hybrid, and said it was working hard with suppliers to make the necessary battery technology available. This vehicle has the potential to achieve up to double the fuel economy of any current SUV.

For 2008, GM will offers 17 diesel engine variants in 45 vehicle lines around the world, including a new 1.9-litre I4 for the Saab 9-3 and Cadillac BLS in Europe.

GM also is launching five new one- to two-litre engines for Europe, Asia and Latin America in 2008:

• · 1.1-litre dual-overhead cam petrol engine used in SAIC-GM Wuling Hongtu and Sunshine commercial vehicles.
  · 1.2-litre dual-overhead cam 84hp/63kW engine for the front-drive Chevrolet Aveo/GM Daewoo Gentra in Europe and Asia-Pacific markets.
  · 1.6L turbocharged engine for the Opel/Chevrolet/Vauxhall Astra and Opel/Vauxhall Meriva sold in Europe and elsewhere. In the Astra, this engine (132kW/180hp) replaces a two-litre turbo (125kW/170hp) and improves fuel consumption and reduces C02 emissions by 14%.
  · 1.9-litre diesel for the Saab 9-3 and Cadillac BLS, with two-stage, intercooled turbocharger and common-rail direct injection, producing 132kW (180hp) and 400Nm (295lb-ft) of maximum torque. A diesel particulate filter is fitted.
  · 2.0-litre 'Ecotec' with E85. This turbocharged, intercooled, E85 engine for the Saab 9-3 and Cadillac BLS is the first E85 application in the Ecotec family. Running on E85 (85% ethanol/15% petrol), the engine delivers 14% higher maximum power (149kW/200hp vs 131kW/175hp) and 13% higher torque (300Nm/221lb-ft vs 265Nm/196lb-ft).

Direct injection

For 2008, also GM has three engine variants with petrol direct injection fuel saving technology in 17 models.

These include a new 3.6-litre V6 with direct injection for the Cadillac STS and CTS sedans said to deliver improved fuel economy and performance - in the redesigned STS, fuel economy improves by 1mpg (US gallons) on the city test cycle and 3mpg on the highway, a boost of up to 13% in highway fuel economy. The new engine develops 47hp (35kW) more power, an 18% improvement (302hp/225kW and 272lb-ft/369 Nm) over last year's engine. In the CTS, the improvements are similar.

GM also aims to boost production of flex-fuel-enabled vehicles by 25% to over 400,000 units a year, supplementing the c2.4m already on the road in the US (though few owners actually use the fuel due to supply constraints).

GM will this year launch nine new six-speed transmissions globally for front-, rear- and all-wheel drivetrains said to provide up to a 4% improvement in fuel savings and a 7% improvement in performance.