GM light duty 4.5L diesel V8 on indefinite hold, probably dead
by Sam Abuelsamid on Mar 11th 2009 at 9:36AM 
People who were hoping to get a diesel-powered light duty truck in the next few years are now pretty much out of luck. In a disappointing but thoroughly unsurprising move, General Motors has confirmed that its highly anticipated 4.5-liter Duramax diesel is on indefinite hold. Employees at GM's Tonawanda, NY engine plant that had been scheduled to build the engine have been informed that the new engine has been shelved. GM Powertrain spokeswoman Susan Garavaglia told Mike Levine at PickupTrucks.com that, "It's not canceled. Should the situation change, we're still very interested in adding this technology to our product portfolio."
Given GM's dire financial situation, it's not shocking that the company decided to forgo spending the money on the tooling. The move comes in the wake of similar cancelations by Toyota and Ford in the past several months. The sole light duty diesel hold-out remains Chrysler. Unfortunately, Levine was told by Chrysler VP Frank Klegon that even its new Cummins diesel would not appear before 2011.
[Source: PickupTrucks.com]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Sam 3:04PM (3/20/2009)
Unreal, They get an idea into their head that actually makes sense and then the drop it. Way to go, with this kind of management it's no wonder the big 3 are in the mess theyr'e in.
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Jimbo 10:40AM (3/11/2009)
I can understand that money is tight for GM (major understatement), but this move is asinine. How do they expect their trucks to meet the future CAFE guidelines without offering a light-duty diesel?
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jharlan 12:19PM (3/11/2009)
Gm has admitted they can't function without ongoing infusion of nearly a $billion/mo of taxpayer funds. No one is going to risk lending them any money for R&D under this situation.
Reorganize, GM, before you are bled so dry you have to liquidate. The fact is you have to reorganize to have a chance. If you can't develop new products, you are dead, but just haven't fell over yet. Where is Iaccoca now that we need him. I am still rooting for the home team, but their death throws are not inspiring great confidence!
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why not the LS2LS7? 2:00PM (3/11/2009)
GM already offers one light duty truck Diesel engine. This would have been their 2nd.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duramax_V8_engine#LMM
It's unclear what kind of market uptake there would have been on a smaller Diesel V8 in their trucks.
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stas peterson 9:40PM (3/11/2009)
Here is another example of the very valid case for the merger of Chrysler and GM.
Both managements recognize it, and would prefer to do so, even if not a single Chrysler vehicle were to be produced.
Chrysler has contracted for the output and arranged for a totally new factory to be constructed by Cummins to manufacture a line of 4.2 and 5.6 liter v6 and v8 turbo-diesel engines. But there is vast over capacity at present,as the factory is near completion.
Those dual turbo diesel engines are all clean, 50 state T2B5 compliant, and fully modern and very lightweight. The v6 weighs less than half what the standard Cummins I6 weighs that goes into 90% of Chrysler heavy duty trucks. The weight savings of almost 700 pounds would and will produce enornous fuel economy improvements.
Were a Chrysler GM merger consumated or oredere by the government, they could be populating GM trucks with ZERO or near ZERO cost to GM.
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Rain 2:38PM (3/11/2009)
The engine is just too G-d@mned complex i/e perfectly logical by 2004 standards.
More high tech parts mean higher profit margins and here is the rub,when You have to resort to drinking cheap red wine because You can't afford groceries then it follows that buying champagne is not going to improve either finances or nutrition requirements.
This silly parallel has another aspect as well that is pertinent to the state of the leadership at Detroit and in Houston,living solely on the "red" has benefits of taking off unwanted,unhealthy and unattractive pounds.
The Duramax doesn't need a bunch of systems to alter the fuel or the exhaust state,just put that sh*t on a diet.
Do You really need a 6000# vehicle that costs $25,000 dollars and full coverage insurance to buy that bottle of Chateau Vineyard Rot '07 to put food on Your Family?
The answer can only be yes if what You are driving is a status symbol rather than a work truck.
The work trucks are on the back row of the dealer lot next to the Repo's and the Loaners and if You ask a salesman then He will categorically deny the existence of them and led You to the ones on the dealer floor with all the "Bells and Whistles".
Why?
Because that is where the money is,right there in the Bells and Whistles just the same in Detroit as it is on Wall Street or worse K Street.
Because right there is where the decisions about what You will buy are actually made.
Its just a matter of common sense
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joe 10:36PM (3/12/2009)
Again, GM management shows it stupidity. Wagoner just has to go. We need someone that can save this company. Why on earth would they not invest in something that is going to sell.......Now i see why the stock is selling under two dollars. If they went bankrupt and had to change upper management and got younger, progressive thinkers in place, GM would start to produce cars people wanted and their stock would soar.
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Jason 7:08PM (3/30/2009)
Wow! Wow! Wow! I was really hoping to buy this when it comes out!! Why does GM do this? We've waited forever for the Camaro to come back and finally they are starting to produce it. They could've done great 3 or 4 years ago. No wonder they are losing money. They tease us with products and never produce!! I may still buy a 1500 pickup, but won't be as enthusisastic about it and will definately consider Toyota and Nissan now. The 4.5 liter would have sold me for sure. I don't think GM makes bad cars, I actually own a Saab, I just think they're about 3 or 4 years behind the power curve. Time to lower the nose, get some "airspeed" and get ahead of the game for once!! If they don't they are in real danger of failing.
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Juggernaut 7:44PM (4/02/2009)
In this case light duty means half-ton truck. The 6.6 Duamax is just too heavy to put in a half-ton.
As far as the market goes, the engines would have been great for the work/fleet trucks, anyone who does a lot of towing, or for someone who wanted to get better gas milage.
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Howard Lewis 4:58PM (5/10/2009)
A V-8 diesel for half ton pick-ups and Grand Cherokee sized vehicles make all the sense in the world. With 25 to 40 % gains in torque and fuel economy, it would be logical and it would sell. This one market segment would do wonders for the U.S. economy.
Europe (Mercedes / V.W.) already makes an in-line 4 cylinder 2 liter diesel, and a 3 liter V-6 diesel. Why not a 4+ liter V-8 diesel. I'd LOVE a 4+ liter V-8 diesel Grand Cherokee with 420+ ft/lbs of torque and 25+ MPG.
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John-Christopher 10:01PM (7/05/2009)
Yeah I agree -- use the Chrysler capacity and buy those engines. No brainer -- so something has to be wrong with the idea. Hmm -- Fiat?
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