GM to announce "high feature" V6 at northstar Plant
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GM to announce "high feature" V6 at northstar Plant
Posted on GMInsidenews..
Branden Farthing
10/31/02
GMInsidenews has learned that the Livonia, Michigan engine plant will anounce sometime in the coming week that it will produce the new "High-Feature" 3.6L V6 (rumored to have 260 HP) engine desitined for many applications.
The engine will replace the Northstar based 3.5L V6 that went out of production this year with the Oldsmobile Intrigue. The 3.5L, though a smooth engine, was short on GM's long term performance goals in the rabid V6 HP wars. The new engine, esentially a reengineered, larger displacement version of the 3.5L will continue to share many Northstar characteristics to save manufacturing costs. The Northstar design itself is a design loosly based off the 3.4L DOHC engine of Chevy Lumina Z34 fame. The 3.4L DOHC, GM's first DOHC V6, was based off the 3100 and 3400 pushrod engine blocks, and was at the time GM's most expensive engine ever.
The 3.6L will go into production in 2004-05 and rumored applications include the high performance versions of the Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac Grand Am (which also have an 05' production date), and Cadillac CTS among others.
This rumor is also POSSIBLY backed up by a press release from McLaren Performance Technologies yesterday.
quote:
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LIVONIA, Mich., Oct. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- McLaren Performance Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: MCLN - News) announced today that it has earned a significant piece of powertrain manufacturing business from General Motors, representing the largest, single order in the company's history.
The program calls for McLaren Performance to machine and sub-assemble special, high-performance cylinder heads and engine blocks for 2005 through 2008 production, and represents some $16 million in incremental sales over the course of the project. However, the program has the potential to run through 2010 and also increase in annual volume. The prototyping process has already begun, and the first run of cylinder heads is now on-line at the McLaren Performance machining center in Oldcastle, Ontario, Canada. Due to confidentiality concerns, the vehicle application remains undisclosed.
"As we continue to rev up as a single-source, powertrain solutions provider, this award demonstrates that between our Livonia, Michigan development center and our manufacturing base in Canada, McLaren Performance Technologies is well positioned to accelerate ahead," according to Steven Rossi, president and CEO.
McLaren Performance Technologies provides full service design, development, fabrication, manufacturing, testing, validation and certification of automotive and racing powertrains, and related components. The company was originally established in 1969 as the engine development company for Bruce McLaren Motor Racing.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The only thing that concerns me about this press release is that the $16 million in total sales numbers from the program would seem too low a volume for the production goals that the new V6 will have. Since the Northstar based XV12 is ALSO slated for production at the Livonia, Michigan plant this press reslease may concern that engine. Either way GMInsidenews is positive an announcement on the V6 will happen within the week.
More information to come....
Branden Farthing
10/31/02
GMInsidenews has learned that the Livonia, Michigan engine plant will anounce sometime in the coming week that it will produce the new "High-Feature" 3.6L V6 (rumored to have 260 HP) engine desitined for many applications.
The engine will replace the Northstar based 3.5L V6 that went out of production this year with the Oldsmobile Intrigue. The 3.5L, though a smooth engine, was short on GM's long term performance goals in the rabid V6 HP wars. The new engine, esentially a reengineered, larger displacement version of the 3.5L will continue to share many Northstar characteristics to save manufacturing costs. The Northstar design itself is a design loosly based off the 3.4L DOHC engine of Chevy Lumina Z34 fame. The 3.4L DOHC, GM's first DOHC V6, was based off the 3100 and 3400 pushrod engine blocks, and was at the time GM's most expensive engine ever.
The 3.6L will go into production in 2004-05 and rumored applications include the high performance versions of the Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac Grand Am (which also have an 05' production date), and Cadillac CTS among others.
This rumor is also POSSIBLY backed up by a press release from McLaren Performance Technologies yesterday.
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LIVONIA, Mich., Oct. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- McLaren Performance Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: MCLN - News) announced today that it has earned a significant piece of powertrain manufacturing business from General Motors, representing the largest, single order in the company's history.
The program calls for McLaren Performance to machine and sub-assemble special, high-performance cylinder heads and engine blocks for 2005 through 2008 production, and represents some $16 million in incremental sales over the course of the project. However, the program has the potential to run through 2010 and also increase in annual volume. The prototyping process has already begun, and the first run of cylinder heads is now on-line at the McLaren Performance machining center in Oldcastle, Ontario, Canada. Due to confidentiality concerns, the vehicle application remains undisclosed.
"As we continue to rev up as a single-source, powertrain solutions provider, this award demonstrates that between our Livonia, Michigan development center and our manufacturing base in Canada, McLaren Performance Technologies is well positioned to accelerate ahead," according to Steven Rossi, president and CEO.
McLaren Performance Technologies provides full service design, development, fabrication, manufacturing, testing, validation and certification of automotive and racing powertrains, and related components. The company was originally established in 1969 as the engine development company for Bruce McLaren Motor Racing.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The only thing that concerns me about this press release is that the $16 million in total sales numbers from the program would seem too low a volume for the production goals that the new V6 will have. Since the Northstar based XV12 is ALSO slated for production at the Livonia, Michigan plant this press reslease may concern that engine. Either way GMInsidenews is positive an announcement on the V6 will happen within the week.
More information to come....
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Joined: May 2002
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From: AU
it wouldnt be the same V6 the aussies are involved in ??
http://just-auto.com/news_detail.asp?art=39395&dm=yes
http://just-auto.com/news_detail.asp?art=39395&dm=yes
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It seems that the "high feature" V6 line will not only replace the now deceased "Shortstar"/Premium 3.5 V6, but also the Ecotec 2.5-3.2 liter Ecotec/MV6 engines. Considering that neither engine line has been very successful, this can hardly be a surprise.
The big question is whether the "high feature" V6s will replace the current Buick V6 and the 60 degree 3.1 and 3.4 models. We've all heard about future pushrod V6s at GM, but I can hardly believe that they wouldn't simplify the engine range a bit more than that.
Isn't the Inline-5 a good candidate for the replacement of the pushrod motors? Inline-5s work well in transverse FWD applications, as witnessed by Volvo and Fiat. If anything, a 5-cylinder should have superior torque characteristics, less vibration, lower productions costs, and beter fuel economy than a V6 (of the same technology and diplacement). Other than the potential marketing quandry (5 pots are better than 6?), why wouldn't GM proceed with this course?
The big question is whether the "high feature" V6s will replace the current Buick V6 and the 60 degree 3.1 and 3.4 models. We've all heard about future pushrod V6s at GM, but I can hardly believe that they wouldn't simplify the engine range a bit more than that.
Isn't the Inline-5 a good candidate for the replacement of the pushrod motors? Inline-5s work well in transverse FWD applications, as witnessed by Volvo and Fiat. If anything, a 5-cylinder should have superior torque characteristics, less vibration, lower productions costs, and beter fuel economy than a V6 (of the same technology and diplacement). Other than the potential marketing quandry (5 pots are better than 6?), why wouldn't GM proceed with this course?
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Originally posted by redzed
It seems that the "high feature" V6 line will not only replace the now deceased "Shortstar"/Premium 3.5 V6, but also the Ecotec 2.5-3.2 liter Ecotec/MV6 engines. Considering that neither engine line has been very successful, this can hardly be a surprise.
The big question is whether the "high feature" V6s will replace the current Buick V6 and the 60 degree 3.1 and 3.4 models. We've all heard about future pushrod V6s at GM, but I can hardly believe that they wouldn't simplify the engine range a bit more than that.
Isn't the Inline-5 a good candidate for the replacement of the pushrod motors? Inline-5s work well in transverse FWD applications, as witnessed by Volvo and Fiat. If anything, a 5-cylinder should have superior torque characteristics, less vibration, lower productions costs, and beter fuel economy than a V6 (of the same technology and diplacement). Other than the potential marketing quandry (5 pots are better than 6?), why wouldn't GM proceed with this course?
It seems that the "high feature" V6 line will not only replace the now deceased "Shortstar"/Premium 3.5 V6, but also the Ecotec 2.5-3.2 liter Ecotec/MV6 engines. Considering that neither engine line has been very successful, this can hardly be a surprise.
The big question is whether the "high feature" V6s will replace the current Buick V6 and the 60 degree 3.1 and 3.4 models. We've all heard about future pushrod V6s at GM, but I can hardly believe that they wouldn't simplify the engine range a bit more than that.
Isn't the Inline-5 a good candidate for the replacement of the pushrod motors? Inline-5s work well in transverse FWD applications, as witnessed by Volvo and Fiat. If anything, a 5-cylinder should have superior torque characteristics, less vibration, lower productions costs, and beter fuel economy than a V6 (of the same technology and diplacement). Other than the potential marketing quandry (5 pots are better than 6?), why wouldn't GM proceed with this course?
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Originally posted by formula79
The "high value" series of engines will be based off the 60 degree OHV engine block and some varients will be based off the current 3.8L block I think. "High feature" will be based off DOHC Northstar"
The "high value" series of engines will be based off the 60 degree OHV engine block and some varients will be based off the current 3.8L block I think. "High feature" will be based off DOHC Northstar"
I guess Nissan is showing the way forward with its VQ family of V6 engines (2.0-3.5 liters, 140bhp to 287bhp). However, much like GM, they have alot of hold over "low-tech" designs. When you consider they're still making a cast-iron 3.3liter for the Xterra and pickup line, and a really old 4.5/4.8liter Inline-6 for the full-sized Patrol SUV, GM isn't the only one that isn't really reducing powertrain diversity.
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Originally posted by redzed
It seem like you're saying that GM is going to maintain separate production lines for the 60 and 90 degree OHV - and revitalize the Northstar based V6. Considering that the only possible casualty of this rationization is the British produced Ecotec/MV6, this doesn't reduce powertrain diversity very much. I can only assume that the 4.3 liter truck V6 will be replaced by the new Inline-4/5/6 family, but who knows?
I guess Nissan is showing the way forward with its VQ family of V6 engines (2.0-3.5 liters, 140bhp to 287bhp). However, much like GM, they have alot of hold over "low-tech" designs. When you consider they're still making a cast-iron 3.3liter for the Xterra and pickup line, and a really old 4.5/4.8liter Inline-6 for the full-sized Patrol SUV, GM isn't the only one that isn't really reducing powertrain diversity.
It seem like you're saying that GM is going to maintain separate production lines for the 60 and 90 degree OHV - and revitalize the Northstar based V6. Considering that the only possible casualty of this rationization is the British produced Ecotec/MV6, this doesn't reduce powertrain diversity very much. I can only assume that the 4.3 liter truck V6 will be replaced by the new Inline-4/5/6 family, but who knows?
I guess Nissan is showing the way forward with its VQ family of V6 engines (2.0-3.5 liters, 140bhp to 287bhp). However, much like GM, they have alot of hold over "low-tech" designs. When you consider they're still making a cast-iron 3.3liter for the Xterra and pickup line, and a really old 4.5/4.8liter Inline-6 for the full-sized Patrol SUV, GM isn't the only one that isn't really reducing powertrain diversity.
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Re: GM to announce "high feature" V6 at northstar Plant
Originally posted by formula79
The Northstar design itself is a design loosly based off the 3.4L DOHC engine of Chevy Lumina Z34 fame.
The Northstar design itself is a design loosly based off the 3.4L DOHC engine of Chevy Lumina Z34 fame.
. Aside from possibly sharing some cylinder head technologies, the Northstar is definitely not based on the 3.4L TDC.
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Originally posted by formula79
I dont think GM's goal is powertrain diversity. I think it is more along the lines of giving them identity. Also the 4.3L is dead..it will die with the S-10
I dont think GM's goal is powertrain diversity. I think it is more along the lines of giving them identity. Also the 4.3L is dead..it will die with the S-10
it is still used in the Silverado, how much longer willl they use it in this truck? what will replace it?
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Originally posted by formula79
I dont think GM's goal is powertrain diversity. I think it is more along the lines of giving them identity. Also the 4.3L is dead..it will die with the S-10
I dont think GM's goal is powertrain diversity. I think it is more along the lines of giving them identity. Also the 4.3L is dead..it will die with the S-10
I suppose just about anything would fit under the hood of a full-sized pickup, but the vans are a different story. The old style, pre-1996 vans originally accomodated an inline-6, but the current Express and Astro are a different story.
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