GM touts big investment in new engine and transmission tech, keeps mum on details

By Nick Jaynes April 4, 2013

Cadillac twin turbo V6 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

It’s taken a while – along with a frightening bankruptcy and bailout – for General Motors to modernize. But now that is has and is being revitalized with vehicles like the Volt, it seems it can’t stop pushing forward.

Soon the Spark Electric will go on sale in limited markets and a Cadillac coupe Volt-variant called the ELR is expected later in the year.

In addition to those new, exciting products, GM has announced it’s investing a great deal of money into some new more efficient, eco-friendly engines and transmissions. Strangely, while the company was happy to share the investment costs of these new technologies, it wasn’t so forthcoming with the details of the products themselves.

First on the docket is a new V6 engine, which will be built in Romulus and Saginaw, Michigan with an additional $46-million behind it. What the V6 will be, as we said above, is still unclear. GM has already announced a new high-powered twin-turbo V6 for upcoming Cadillac models, will it or a variant find its way into more models?

Next, Flint, Michigan will see 215-million investment, which will be put toward new three and four-cylinder Ecotec engines with displacement spanning between 1.0 and 1.5-liters. Ford already has a 1.0-liter three-cylinder EcoBoost engine, so it’s not surprising to learn that GM is following suit.

Lastly, the American automaker will be spending $10.4-million to produce new eight-speed automatic transmissions.

The General Motors press release was sure to stress that these new technologies will not only produce more environmentally friendly engines, which will produce less CO2 but will also be more powerful and fuel-efficient.

While we see the release as a bit verbose, we’re glad to see GM excited to modernize as it works to keep up with the Jonses. We just wish they’d tell us a bit more about the products, beyond their price tag. When we know more, we’ll pass it along to you.

What kind of engine and transmission technologies do you think GM should invest in? Leave a comment.

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Nick Jaynes is the Automotive Editor for Digital Trends. He developed a passion for writing about cars working his way…

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