From GM...
-Five plants receive work: Tonawanda, N.Y.; Defiance, Ohio; Bedford, Ind.; Bay City, Mich. and St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
-Investment creates or retains about 1,600 jobs
-New engines to save more fuel through direct injection technology and advanced combustion system design
General Motors will invest more than $890 million which will create or retain more than 1,600 jobs in five North American plants to produce a new generation of fuel efficient small block truck and car engines. The investment consists of the following:
Two plants will support the engine production:
Tonawanda, N.Y. – an investment of $400 million resulting in more than 710 jobs
St. Catharines, Ontario – an investment of $235 million resulting in approximately 400 jobs (click here for Canada release)
Three plants will support engine casting and component production:
Defiance, Ohio – an investment of $115 million resulting in up to 189 jobs
Bedford, Ind. – an investment of $111 million resulting in about 245 jobs
Bay City, Mich. – an investment of $32 million resulting in over 80 jobs
The investments include facility renovation and installation of new, highly flexible engine machining and assembly equipment and special tooling designed for manufacturing efficiency and engine quality. At the casting facilities, investments include expansion of semi-permanent mold and precision sand casting technologies that result in a high degree of dimensional accuracy and material strength properties needed to support the newer, more efficient engines in GM’s product portfolio.
“GM is investing in our plants, restoring and creating jobs and making progress toward our vision of designing, building and selling the world’s best vehicles,” said Mark Reuss, president of GM North America. “These latest investments show our commitment to improving fuel economy for buyers of every GM car, truck and crossover and giving them the best possible driving and ownership experience.”
The next generation small block engine family will have unprecedented fuel efficiency through direct injection and an all-new advanced combustion system design. The new engine family will rely exclusively on aluminum engine blocks, which are lighter and contribute to the improved fuel efficiency. In addition to being E85 ethanol capable, these engines are being designed with the capability to meet increasingly stringent criteria emissions standards expected throughout this decade.
Specifics about the engine capabilities as well as product applications will be shared at a later date.
Since the launch of the new GM last July, the company has announced investments of more than $2.3 billion at 22 facilities in the U.S. and Canada. These investments restored or created more than 9,100 jobs, and they demonstrate a strong commitment to GM’s future and to the United States and Canada.
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-----The orginal Mr.Goodwrench on the JBO since 11/99-----
Related news from GM...
Gen 4 Small Block Engines Feature Refinements and Advanced Tech
GM’s $890 million investment to produce cleaner and more efficient next-generation small block engines builds on a heritage of innovation and technology – and nearly 100 million engines produced.
The current fourth-generation small block engine powers the Chevrolet Corvette, Cadillac CTS-V and the GMC Yukon as well as many other models.
Gen IV engines are characterized by refinements and advanced technology such as variable valve timing and Active Fuel Management. Variable valve timing enables improved torque, fuel economy and emissions. Active Fuel Management disables the combustion process of half the engine’s cylinders in certain driving conditions, enabling fuel savings of up to 5 percent in trucks and 12 percent in cars.
Many Gen IV variants can run on gasoline, E85 ethanol or any combination of the two.
Contemporary demands for efficiency and performance refinements were the very demands that pushed the original small-block’s development 55 years ago. Although a new engine was on the drawing table when Chief Engineer Ed Cole transferred from Cadillac to Chevrolet, he soon dismissed the original design and challenged his engineers to develop a more compact engine that would be easier to manufacture.
In the early ’90s, the Gen II small-block was introduced in cars including the Corvette. Known as the LT1 and, later, the LT4, the Gen II featured new, low-friction internal components and reverse-flow cooling to enable the efficient and great performing small-blocks. Some Gen II features, including the low-profile, high-flow intake manifold, previewed technology that would be incorporated into the all-new Gen III.
The Gen III was introduced as the LS1 5.7-liter engine in the 1997 Corvette, while Vortec versions of the Gen III for trucks were introduced in 1999, with displacements ranging from 4.8 liters to 6.0 liters. The Gen III engine benefited from new technology, including replicated cylinder head ports, six-bolt mains, gerotor oil pump and composite intake manifold, but its design drew upon more than 40 years of research and continuous improvements from the Gen I and Gen II small-blocks.
>>>For Sale? Clicky!<<<
-----The orginal Mr.Goodwrench on the JBO since 11/99-----
