GM Announces Plans for 50 New Powertrain Variants By The End of The Decade

New turbo V-6, FWD V-8 and compact 6-speeds are cited as examples

Le Castellet, FRANCE September 19, 2004; General Motors today announced the company will introduce more than 50 new engine and transmission variants around the world by the end of the decade.

Tom Stephens, GM Powertrain group vice president, made the announcement to journalists here at a global press event.

Included in the 50 plus variants are plans for more than 40 new engine variants over the next three years and 10 new 6-speed automatic transmission variants within the next five years.

"If you average the number of new engine variants we're bringing to market during the next three years, we'd average more than one new engine variant per month," said Stephens. "This is just one example of the many actions GM is taking to continue global leadership in bringing new powertrain technologies to market."

In his presentation, Stephens said the continued refinement, advancement and application of internal combustion engine and transmission technology, and the roll out of hybrids are part of GM's advanced propulsion technology strategy. Through these advancements, GM continues to reduce smog-forming emissions and improve fuel economy as the company marches towards the ultimate goal of producing hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles to remove the vehicle from the environmental debate.

New engines demonstrate refinements in efficiency and performance

Among the more than 40 new engines, Stephens announced the planned introduction of a new turbo global V-6 variant and a front-wheel-drive Gen IV V-8 with displacement on demand.

The 2.8L V-6 Turbo is a new variant of GM's advanced global V-6 engine family, which features all aluminum construction, dual overhead cams, variable valve timing and a host of additional technologies and refinements.

First to be introduced in the 2006 model year Saab 9-3, the 2.8L V-6 Turbo will produce 250 hp (184 kw) of power and 258 lb.-ft. (350 NM) of torque.

The new engine will be produced at Holden's Port Melbourne engine plant, where a 3.6L version of the global V-6 is currently produced.

Stephens said turbo charging is just one of many ways GM is increasing engine performance and efficiency. Another method is displacement on demand, which improves engine efficiency by seamlessly deactivating half the engine cylinders when they're not needed.

In 2004, GM launched displacement on demand on the new Gen IV Vortec 5300 V-8 used in the Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT and GMC Envoy XL and XUV. In 2005, Stephens said GM plans to introduce displacement on demand technology on a new, front-wheel-drive 5.3L Gen IV V-8.

This new V-8 is the first engine in the 50-year history of GM's famed small block V-8 that has been designed and produced for front-wheel drive, transverse mounted application. It is expected to deliver 290 hp (216 kw) and 325 lb-ft (440 Nm) of torque.

Additional details will be provided at a later date.

Transmission technology shifts to 6-speed automatics

In 1939, GM set the stage for transmission leadership when it introduced the industry's first automatic transmission. Sixty-five years later, GM plans to continue the heritage of transmission leadership with the introduction of a host of new 6-speed automatic front- and rear-wheel drive transmissions.

"Over the next five years, GM will launch 10 new automatic 6-speed transmission variants," said Stephens. "In fact, by 2008, GM will be producing more than one million 6-speed transmissions per year."

Six-speed automatic transmissions use a wide gear ratio spread to improve both performance and fuel economy over traditional 4-speed automatics.

GM will launch seven of the 6-speed automatic variants in North America and Europe. Additionally, Stephens announced that GM Powertrain and GM Daewoo will jointly design and develop three new compact 6-speed front-wheel-drive transmissions for GM Daewoo use in global applications. These transmissions will have a maximum engine torque capacity of 258 lb.-ft. (350 Nm), providing improved fuel efficiency and performance for GM Daewoo small cars and sport utility vehicles (SUVs).

Additional details on each transmission will be released at a later date.

"In the last 30 years in North America, we've improved our gasoline car fuel economy by as much as 130 percent and our truck gasoline fuel economy by as much as 75 percent," said Stephens. "We'll continue this trend of significant improvements by applying these and other engine and transmission technologies around the globe."

Engine, transmission advancements improve hybrid capabilities

While GM already has fuel saving hybrid technology on the road today, Stephens said the company plans to do more.

"The refinements GM is making to internal combustion engines and automatic transmissions today provides added efficiency benefits to GM's future hybrid technology," he said.

One example is the AHS2 hybrid system GM plans to launch in full size SUVs in 2007. This strong hybrid system will combine low-speed electric motor propulsion --- to improve city fuel economy -- with a Vortec V-8 engine with displacement on demand to improve highway fuel economy. Stephens said the net result would be a full-size SUV with both a 25 percent increase in fuel economy and uncompromised performance and towing capability.

GM currently produces hybrid technology for diesel transit buses - 300 of which will be on the road in the United States by the end of 2004. The company also produces the Silverado and Sierra hybrid trucks -- the world's first full-size hybrid pickup trucks.