I'm not so sure either of these points really come into play.

Comparing to the Z06 is irrelevant, since the LS1 and LS2 engines in base Corvettes do not have DOD anyway... not like Z06 differs here.

Also, DOD is supposed to be totally transparant performance wise, which means it would not affect "reving ability".

Ahh.. the old 8-6-4 Cadillac setup. It's hard to even compare the two... computers make a little difference, but ya, the prinicpal is the same. The 8-6-4 was a disaster, but DOD should be a success.

 

In Motor Trend, they asked Dave Hill about why didnt the DOD system find its way into the vette. He said because they couldnt hide the sound of the 4cyls. There is some sort of double-backing of exhaust that enhances the sound so that you dont know if your in 4cyl or 8cyl mode.
Also, he said that it cut down the red line by over 500rpm and Hill didnt want that.

 

I knew of the exhaust sound (mentioned it earlier in the thread), I had not heard it lowered the redline by 500+ RPM's though.

Everything I have read repeatedly used the words "completely transparant"...

Do you have a link to that statement by Mr. Hill in MotorTrend?

 

While it's true most consumers wouldn't care about losing 1 mpg or so, GM CAFE rating certainly would.

As to the sound, perhaps they could make it idle on all 8 cylinders and just use 4 cylinder mode for low-power cruising when you can't hear the engine that much anyhow. Also, I'm sure the programmers (LS1 Edit, HPP2, etc.) will be able to cancel DOD if you wanted. Or a new set of lifters would definitely do it.

 

I wonder what it would cost if manufacturers put in an option to shift between 4 and 8 cylinders whenever desired.

 

From what I hear DoD requires substantial re-engineering on a car or truck. It's not just a plug in technology. Things like steering columns (for example), need to stiffened and re-engineered to prevent things like shudder.

Has anyone noticed that DCX only uses it's system on their Hemi cars and not trucks. The trucks would eat up alot of engineering dollars right now, to make this feature "invisible" to the consumer.

 

Why not just let DOD be turned off if the driver so desires like traction control currently is?

But getting back on subject, you are correct. GM is making better cars and trucks, but they're not making exciting cars. The C6, while an amazing machine, is not ground-breaking enough to turn the company around on and the SSR has been around for 4 years now. They really need a kick *** halo car just to say "This is what we can do." Ford has the GT to do this and I think it would great if GM could do this with a Caddy.

 

The SSR has only been around a short while. We've known about for quite some time but its only been available since what, last year?

Also I tend to think that the C6 Z06 is gonna be able to play the "halo car" role just fine for chevy. From the sound of it, this car is gonna whoop some serious booty when it comes out. And if those "super-vette" rumors have any shred of truth to them, then the Corvette will certainly not have any trouble playing that role.

I do agree though that Cadillac should build a mid-engine v12 supercar. It would fit their image like a glove right now. They're already planning to get a super sedan (sixteen type car) into their lineup, why not add a super sports car into the mix? That way you can fight the heavy hitters on all fronts.

And CamaroJim, about the gas prices. My current job doesnt exactly lather me with cash, but I'm doing just fine on gas driving my v6 around. Well last time I checked, the LS1 was 1mpg worse in the city and I believe something like 2 mpg worse on the highway than my v6. Not bad for a v8 "gas guzzler"!

 

2 things

Thanks for the 4 cyl info I was gonna post a thread in a couple minutes.

Also, I'm pretty dumb wtf is DOD?

 

ok, I had posted this...or so I thought...from motor trend.

oh, DOD= Displacement on Demand. It cuts off 4 cyls in crusing mode so you consume less fuel.

ok, here is the MT quote from the mag.
"Engineers have so far dismissed DOD for the LS2, reportedly after resonance problems with teh Vette chassis made it obvious the car was running on 4cyls. Besides, GM says customers are happy with the c5's fuel economy- MT managed nearly 30mpg on long trips--and the extra cyls shut down hardware adds valvetrain inertia that would cut the engine's rev capability. But one insider reports that a DOD C6 in early trials netted 35mpg on the highway."

As for CAFE, if DOD 3.9 and 5.3's were available, on top of the very fuel savy LS2 sans DOD, I think CAFE will stay off GM's back. If the 3.9 can get near 30mpg, with DOD it could do better. Have 250hp, 35+mpg, and in a hot Camaro for around 20k!! DONE DEAL! Why get a gas-guzzling mustang v6!!

GM will hit the markety harder with its DOD not only for V8's but for V6's and in cars and trucks. I think GM releasing it for trucks is much better then a few niche sedans. 60% of GM's production is trucks, so it would make a larger impact on the market then Dodges few 300C's. Just cause you came out with it first doesnt mean you will be known for it. DOD mixed with the hybrid motor in the Silvarado could net over 30mpg, and have generating power for work sights.

 

You may be right about that, when I was a little kid growing up, at my best friends house they had a older fridge and it was made by GM, yes thats right a General Motors fridge. It had a little blue GM emblem on the door handle and across the freezer door it had General Motors in block letters, from what I can remember.

I doubt GM is still in the fridge business, but it was a pretty funny thought.

 

A lot of large companies were in the "make everything the household needs" business. I know that International Harvester used to do just that. Now, I think, they only make over the road trucks, but after WW2 (maybe even into the 60s and 70s) they made fridges (grandparents had an ancient one that only died maybe 5 yrs ago, it was way older than I was at the time). They made a/c units, tractors from personal (Cub Cadet) to full size farm use ones.

I knew that there had to be other companies that did this, just never knew GM was one of them.

 

GM used to own Frigidaire but they sold it to Electrolux. GM has a rich history of owning divisions, then letting them decline, then selling them off. Other examples include Euclid, Terex, Detroit Diesel, city bus manufacturing, Electro-Motive, etc.

 

sombich!!! it is a frigidaire...hahaha...damn GM!

 

What were the specs on those beasts.