BREAKING: New GM luxury V-8 is first victim of new CAFE rules
by Sam Abuelsamid on Jan 3rd 2008 at 4:46PM 
A new dual overhead cam V-8 engine for General Motors luxury car applications that was scheduled for production in 2009 has been canceled. This is the first known change in future product plans to follow the recent passage of new fuel economy rules. GM had announced plans a year ago to invest $300 million in their Tonawanda, New York engine plant to build the new V-8 to replace the current NorthStar V-8 used in various Cadillac models. Production of the NorthStar is scheduled to end in 2010.Instead of the new V-8, GM will use upgraded versions of their current 3.6L V-6 with direct injection which make nearly as much power as the V-8 (304hp vs 320hp) and weigh 150-200lbs less. In addition GM also has the small-block V-8 as used in the Corvette and the CTS-V which makes over 400hp, weighs less and has a smaller package size than an overhead cam engine. GM also has a new 4.5L V-8 and the 2.9L V-6 diesel which will help it achieve a 35mpg fleet average.
[Source: Automotive News - Sub. req'd]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Wildgoosechase 9:46PM (1/03/2008)
Once again the venerable OHV small block Chevy will live on. The real question is if buyers accept the low tech V8, the V6 or diesels when they can get a higher tech engine in a Mercedes and just pay the tax.
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Tim 5:03PM (1/03/2008)
This will free up resources to work on other systems but it does limit our choices.
I've never seen the words "CAFE" in the Constitution giving the Federal Government authority to regulate, but we pretty much ignore that old rag anyway.
After all, who needs protection from government, right? They’re our friends…
History NEVER repeats itself!
Hey, you! Get out of my house! Take your boot off my neck!
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Karkus 5:04PM (1/03/2008)
Yeah for CAFE ! (even though it's watered down and lame).
(But the cynic in me says that GM was planning to do this anyway and is just using CAFE as a scapegoat)
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Domenick 5:41PM (1/03/2008)
I'm also skeptical of any claim that CAFE is responsible for killing this car. More like huge financial losses and looming recession.
@Tim: CAFE is the product of legislation, no? "Article. I. - The Legislative Branch Note
Section 1 - The Legislature
All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives."
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BlackbirdHighway 6:05PM (1/03/2008)
they didn't need this engine anyway, and with $100 oil, they don't want it, and by canceling it now they get to throw mud on CAFE. It's a win, win, win!
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Tim 6:29PM (1/03/2008)
Domenick - "All legislative Powers herein granted..."
Fair enough! So, please show me the Constitutional Amendment specifically granting this power to create CAFE.
O.K. If it is not EXPRESSLY granted then it is forbidden and left to the States. If it is not EXPESSLY granted to the states then it is forbidden and left to the people from which government power flows.
The people MUST amend the Constitution to grant this specific power to government. The president can NOT legally do it with “special executive orders” or “signing statements” and the Congress can’t change the Constitution without the States ratifying the amendment! You know, all that separation of powers stuff they obviously didn’t teach you in school. It’s a slow process. GOOD, fewer mistakes that way.
Apparently some people on this blog need a better understanding of the Constitution and how it SECURES (not grants) our rights and freedoms as their ignorance allows the elitists to run roughshod right over them.
Here’s a refresher and the truth shall set you free!
Constitution Lectures 1: The Non-Consent of the Governed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hzMHLK93TA
Constitution Lectures 2: Interpreting the Constitution
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un0wMkxq2ak
Constitution Lectures 3: The Powers of Government
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPkUGYDAfGc
Constitution Lecture 4: Democracy or Republic?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2C_YBhY11yA
This will free up resources to work on other systems but it does limit our choices.
Now, let's talk about Social(ist)(in)Security...
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oby 7:46PM (1/03/2008)
If you believe that GM nailed this V8 because of the 'new' CAFE rules then I have some beachfront property (at low tide only) in Florida for sale. GM canned it because they can't afford it. It's not a sign of GM's love affair with all things green but a sign of the approaching end for GM as we know it. Good riddance!
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Dave 7:46PM (1/03/2008)
GM can build their small block chevy (SBC) pushrod engines much cheaper than a DOHC engine. And with Toyota breathing down their necks, they need every financial advantage they can get in the pickup truck wars. So they won't be discontinuing that line any time soon.
Between the SBC, 3.6, GM's upcoming diesels, and dual mode hybrids, there isn't really a huge need for this new engine. (A dual mode DI 3.6 would provide impressive economy and performance in a large Caddy while also providing the DOHC valvetrain required by the marketing dept)
Its an understandable business decision.
In addition, GM just introduced the new ZR1 with a pushrod engine. The original ZR1 was the 80s poster child for DOHC.
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Domenick 7:59PM (1/03/2008)
@Tim: Obviously the majority of sitting congress people think that no special constitutional amendment is needed to pass CAFE legislation. These are the people you need to convince of your constitutionality argument, not me. Even if I agreed, and I'm not sure I do, there's not a whole lot I can do about it. I'm not about to begin an armed insurrection. Heck, I don't even own a gun. I can't vote in the primaries because I am an independent. I only have one vote in the general election. The only other thing I can do is write my congressional representatives and I do that on occasion when an issue of great enough importance to me arises. CAFE specifically, however, is not one of these issues.
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Mik_Cal 9:06PM (1/03/2008)
Ah, Tim, brainwashed by years of Republican hogwash!!
When will paranoia no longer be so fashionable!!
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steven 10:15PM (1/03/2008)
@7: With the new ZR1 pushing out 620+HP and getting an est. 23 MPG HWY (try that with all those European technical innovations), I wonder how little effort it will take to move the technologies down hill a bit to say a 3.5L or 4.0L V-6 that could easily get 30MPG+ and still put out 300 HP? I think folks are going to be a bit shocked when they see the recent technologies used to fuel the HP race will lead to higher MPGs.
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why not the LS2/LS7? 10:59PM (1/03/2008)
Lutz would love you to believe this. Remember when he threatened to kill the Camaro over CAFE?
The market for cheap V8s (like the LS3) is more threatened than the market for expensive V8s like DOHC models.
I can see why GM wants to cut down on spending on large output motors, because even whether CAFE sticks or not, the price of oil is high enough that V8s will become less common in mainstream cars.
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Dave 8:30AM (1/04/2008)
Question:
Is this also the first example of people losing conventional engine jobs to CAFE standards? Will the workers in Tonawanda, New York be building these engines as well? Will the factory be upgraded?
If not - I guess that is the social cost of change. I hope GM still sends work to Tonawanda.
Second Question: Did NYS legislators vote for CAFE? Is this backlash against them?
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Sam Abuelsamid 8:41AM (1/04/2008)
The Tonawanda plant already builds 3.6L V-6s and that will probably get expanded now.
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summazooma 9:10AM (1/04/2008)
One of the engine programs that got Tonawanda the added investment, I believe, was the 4.5L Diesel V8...
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steven 9:11AM (1/04/2008)
Folks... Although this is clearly breaking news, It seems the poster has done some over-editorializing and many others here have made some flawed assumptions. The source article does not say GM canceled this due to CAFE. Nor does it say people are losing jobs, nor is future work not going to the NY plant. It does say that this engine " likely would have replaced" the current V-8 that is "is scheduled to end production" in 2010. This is also not the first known future/planned production change announcement following CAFE. It's just the first one Sam knows about.
Without some stmt of fact, the CAFE reasons are simply speculation of Richard Truett and Jamie LaReau which was repeated by Sam Abuelsamid. If we needed tripe like this, we could go to T(alleged)TAC's blog.
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Tim 9:38AM (1/04/2008)
Domenick- Mik Cal makes my point exactly as only an ignorant fool actually believes that we have two separate parties! They are but 2 wings on the same bird and that is why they fight so hard to stop any competitors from forming.
Gentlemen, we have a problem!
Vigilance is the price of freedom. Ignorance and Complacency are Freedom’s mortal enemies!
History has shown over and over that the elite slowly grab power from the people by concentrating it with themselves until the Republic is replaced with a Perverse Socialist Oligarchy who controls all forms of media and production as to control and manipulate every aspect of our thoughts and lives.
We come to the point where our every aspect of our daily lives is controlled and manipulated by an alphabet soup of socialist government bureaucracy and giant multinational companies who own the very media we depend on for “programming.” At least we still have the free (monitored) internet.
The sand is deep and our necks are long. With Habeas Corpus suspended by “executive order”, the people have no relief from unlawful arrest and indefinite detention! All assets including your very freedom can be seized at will without charge, bail, trial or redress. Congress is doing NOTHING! WAKE UP!!!!!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habeas_corpus
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Karkus 10:45AM (1/04/2008)
Go read the Dec 4 story on this at GreenCarCongress to get a more complete and balanced story on what they make at this plant.
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Derek 12:08PM (1/04/2008)
Low tech V8??? Bah, hardly.
Never mind that pushrods are NEWER than OHC/DOHC.
Chevy incorporates variable valve timing in many of their currently produced pushrod V8's.
The (pushrod) Duramax V8 has 4 valves per cylinder.
Chevy pushrod V8's get better economy than similar OHC motors that they compete with. Just compare a Silverado V8 to a Tundra V8. The same or better power AND economy with pushrods. Compare a Corvette Z06 to any Ferrari. Ferrari gets similar hwy mpg to the Corvettes city mpg. Whether you want to think of it as low tech or not, pushrods are effective.
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MikeW 1:14PM (1/04/2008)
GM does NOT have variable valve timing, they have variable camshaft timing.
GM would need to have coaxial camshafts to have variable valve timing.
The new viper has variable exhaust valve timing now, and variable intake valve timing should be coming soon.
The vette does well on the fuel economy test because of skip shift, and the supercruise [tall] 6th gear.
Pushrods may be effective, but so using two tin cans and some string for communicating in lieu of a cell phone.
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