Columnist says Texas oilman may have killed Caddy V16 engine
When the Cadillac Sixteen concept vehicle was introduced at the 2003 Detroit Auto Show, I was completely in awe. Gorgeous color, intriguing dimensions and a stunning 16-cylinder engine that pumped out about 1,000 horsepower. It was only a concept but Cadillac was searching for a powertrain to compete with the V12 engines in the BMW 7-Series and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. At the time, it seemed like a strategy with which no one would voice an objection.
Fast forward to 2007 on the heels of a documentary about global warming winning an Academy Award, and any suggestion of an engine that displaces nearly 14 liters would be suicidal.
In this week's Automotive News, editor David Sedgwick points out the irony of former Texas oilman and now President George Bush leading a proposal to raise CAFE standards. If passed, as explained by GM product boss Bob Lutz, the company would have to "re-prioritize" product plans. That means no V16, although GM might approve a V10 or V12 engine for a high-priced Caddy supercar.
Laments Sedgwick: "Well, life is hard. I say that with regret. My young son fell in love with the Sixteen -- frankly, I did, too -- but the world isn't geared for little boys."
The V16 in the Sixteen had Displacement on Demand (now called Active Fuel Management), but that cylinder deactivation technology wouldn't have given the engine enough fuel economy to be viable in today's political climate.
The year after the Sixteen was rolled out on stage, I interviewed GM's powertrain boss, Tom Stephens, for an engineering magazine.
"I was pretty proud of the V16," he said. "Yes, Cadillac should have an image engine. I'm totally supportive of that. I'm not sure that a 12-cylinder is enough. Maybe last year's V16 needs to be changed a bit."
Sadly, the only change that will bring this beautiful engine back is a way to get 25 mpg in the city. RIP sweet 16!
[Source: David Sedgwick / Automotive News (subscription required)]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Glenn A. 10:10AM (3/13/2007)
General Motors owns Daewoo. Daewoo build an 850cc four cylinder engine for the little Matiz city car.
Use the pistons, rods, valves, parts and build a nice 45 degree V16 of 3.4 liters. Add displacement on demand, use the Miller cycle with two interconnected belt driven supercharger-turbochargers (intercooled) (obviously with a clutch on the one side of the engine which shuts-down leaving a straight-eight when 16 cylinders are not needed).
Build the car of aluminum. Use a hydraulic hybrid system instead of transmission. (A nice big luxury car would have room for the hydraulic pressure tanks).
That'd get 25 mpg in the city. Probably EPA 30 mpg on the highway, depending upon mass and frontal area.
It'd be as smooth as glass, running, as well.
That just came out of my head, so if I can think of it, maybe the brainiacs with engineering degrees at GM need a slap on all four cheeks to get the blood flowing a little.
And then send me car #1 as thanks for the idea.
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JamesWB 6:35AM (3/14/2007)
It also wouldn't have much power.
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naggs 6:15AM (3/14/2007)
glenn, the engine your describing would be astronomicaly expensive and under powered. i dont know how a hydraulic hybrid could replace the transmission nor do i know why you would want to replace the transmission. a small engine that has to work hard gets TERRIBLE milage in a large car. even if it was made of aluminum, a caddy flagship would be heavy, no way around that.
how about a 7 liter dohc v8 with vvt and direct injection. they could get 20-25 mpg out of that.
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Dman 6:27AM (3/14/2007)
Ohh please be real. The V-16 wa smore GM vapor-ware. Just like the Volt concept.
Regardless of where CAFE goes, the Caddy 16 was never gonna happen.........
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JamesWB 6:37AM (3/14/2007)
My last comment was in reference to the first post by the way, it just took a while to appear.
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Michael Karesh 9:41AM (3/14/2007)
Cadillac needs to solidify its position in the luxury segment before attempting an ultra-luxury car.
I generally don't buy the logic behind halos, I don't think it applies to nearly the extent it did in the past:
http://www.truedelta.com/blog/?p=65
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MikeW 1:00PM (3/14/2007)
GM needs to scale engines off the V8s they already have.
Chop two cylinders off the 6.0 LS2, 4.5 liters 300hp 300ft-lbs on regular fuel for the Trailblazer, Envoy, 9-7, Rainer. Make it the standard rear drive engine for their new pickups, cheaper than the 4.2 I6, cheaper than the 3.6 high feature V6
Add two more cylinders to the LS7, super duper V10-future super vette? Lob two off, for a 400 hp 5.3 V6 for the Grand Prix.
4 more cylinders to the LS2 (split the journals for even firing) a fine V12.
Falconer did it.
http://www.falconerengines.com/prod04.htm
Didn't Boyd Coddington did it with two 'vortec' 4.2 Inline 6s?
The XV-12 went no where, and if 60 degrees is troublesome (EU pedestrian regulations), what good would a 45 degree V16 be? None.
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Afi K. James 8:37PM (6/02/2007)
I Wish they could bring the sixteen back, flex would be thrilled.
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Jack 4:03AM (6/03/2007)
I don't know about the Sixteen, but W managed to make my "new" car obsolete in short order. A couple years ago I bought a 90's car to replace my old muscle car, now I'm back in the same place on gas already.
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