GM weighs building high profile V-12 engine to enhance image

[NFS4]

http://autoweek.com/cat_content.mv?port_code=autoweek&cat_code=carnews&loc_code=index&content_code=06042666

 

[vi edit]

Screw engines...start making a car that doesn't look like ass and interior that looks like it was put together by a three year old.

 

[sohcrates]

<< $200,000-plus mid-engine Cien >>



oh yeah, sign me up for that!

 

[PG]

I just wish they would let that 8.2 L V8 truck engine breath a little. It has a lot of untapped potential. Sure, it's big and heavy, but they could cast the block and heads in aluminum. Then go ahead and slap it into a vette or something just for some fun. 😀

 

[LAUST]

<< I just wish they would let that 8.2 L V8 truck engine breath a little. It has a lot of untapped potential. Sure, it's big and heavy, but they could cast the block and heads in aluminum. Then go ahead and slap it into a vette or something just for some fun. 😀 >>


The block they will never do in Aluminum on a torque truck, but heads yes I agree fully... GM already has em too, Gen IV heads, same one's for the 454... it opens up about 80HP and 70lbs of torque in heads alone.... kinda the same symtom the old 440's had, slap on Indy heads

 

[Pennstate]

To enhance what image??? Image of American cars that are big bulky, ugly, non-agille, and fuel ineficient?

 

[LAUST]

<< To enhance what image??? Image of American cars that are big bulky, ugly, non-agille, and fuel ineficient? >>


you can buy small one's, good looking one's, agile one's and ones that get great milage. Open your eye's and stop being bias.

 

[NFS4]

<<

<< To enhance what image??? Image of American cars that are big bulky, ugly, non-agille, and fuel ineficient? >>


you can buy small one's, good looking one's, agile one's and ones that get great milage. Open your eye's and stop being bias. >>


Speaking of which...the Corvette is an EXTREMELY fuel efficient car for the power it throws out

 

[SagaLore]

<<

<<

<< To enhance what image??? Image of American cars that are big bulky, ugly, non-agille, and fuel ineficient? >>


you can buy small one's, good looking one's, agile one's and ones that get great milage. Open your eye's and stop being bias. >>


Speaking of which...the Corvette is an EXTREMELY fuel efficient car for the power it throws out >>



Unfortunately you have to be going 150mph for it to be efficient!

 

[LAUST]

<< Speaking of which...the Corvette is an EXTREMELY fuel efficient car for the power it throws out >>


Yep, Z06 pachage gives you 405HP now with awesome emissions, milage, killer handling, awesome breaks, and it's not a huge car.... guess that covers everything 😉

 

[NFS4]

<<

<<

<<

<< To enhance what image??? Image of American cars that are big bulky, ugly, non-agille, and fuel ineficient? >>


you can buy small one's, good looking one's, agile one's and ones that get great milage. Open your eye's and stop being bias. >>


Speaking of which...the Corvette is an EXTREMELY fuel efficient car for the power it throws out >>



Unfortunately you have to be going 150mph for it to be efficient! >>


WTF? Clearly someone who doesn't know what they're talking about. Cars normally get LESS fuel efficient the faster they are going. So at around 150 MPH, most cars would be high up in the RPM's and hence drinking gas like a pig.

Highway mileage figures for cars are done at 55 MPH. At 55 MPH, a Corvette is averaging close to 30 MPG b/c the engine is spinning at lower RPMs. Crank it up to around 60 - 70 MPH and you may see it dip to around 25 - 26 MPG.

 

[LAUST]

<< WTF? Clearly someone who doesn't know what they're talking about. Cars normally get LESS fuel efficient the faster they are going. So at around 150 MPH, most cars would be high up in the RPM's and hence drinking gas like a pig.

Highway mileage figures for cars are done at 55 MPH. At 55 MPH, a Corvette is averaging close to 30 MPG b/c the engine is spinning at lower RPMs. Crank it up to around 60 - 70 MPH and you may see it dip to around 25 - 26 MPG. >>


Yep, Not sure about the Z06 but the most common gear in a Vette was always the 3.73, that is a terrific highway gear, and being behind a T-56 just makes it even more awesome.

<--- gets 19 from a Supercharged LM7 (Iron LS1) with 4.10 gears. and 3X the weight.

 

[Evadman]

I get aprox %20 drop in Fuel Efficency in my truck from 55 to 85.

A V-12 would be a great Booster for their image even if no one can afford it. They will be doing it for the attention they will be getting in the press.

A guy where I work bought a Z06 the first week they were available. He is already looking at buying some speed parts from Callaway ( A supercharger ) but he has to wait for the stockmarket to go up a little more. He has it at the track and said he broke into the 11's stock ( I did nto see a time slip, so no proof yet. ) We are going to 66 raceway the beginning of may, so we shall see.

 

[fastz28]

<<

<<

<<
Speaking of which...the Corvette is an EXTREMELY fuel efficient car for the power it throws out >>



Unfortunately you have to be going 150mph for it to be efficient! >>


WTF? Clearly someone who doesn't know what they're talking about. Cars normally get LESS fuel efficient the faster they are going. So at around 150 MPH, most cars would be high up in the RPM's and hence drinking gas like a pig.

Highway mileage figures for cars are done at 55 MPH. At 55 MPH, a Corvette is averaging close to 30 MPG b/c the engine is spinning at lower RPMs. Crank it up to around 60 - 70 MPH and you may see it dip to around 25 - 26 MPG. >>



WTF is right. Do you know how much drag there is at 150mph?

Can't believe I'm agreeing with NFS4 here. :Q 😉

At 55 mph, it's probably turning barely 2k with 3.73 gear. I have 3.42 and I'm at exactly 2k going 80mph.
😀 That's how you get 28mpg on the freeway.

 

[vi edit]

<< At 55 mph, it's probably turning barely 2k with 3.73 gear. >>



The 3.4 in my Z34 is barely breaking a sweat at 1500 RPM's @ 55 MPH 😀

 

[Bulldozer]

I don't see how building a V-12 would help their image.

I don't know much about the new inline 6 and whether or not this is feasible but I think they could have a real winner if they put that engine in a rear wheel drive car slightly smaller than the camaro.

 

[vi edit]

<< I don't see how building a V-12 would help their image.

I don't know much about the new inline 6 and whether or not this is feasible but I think they could have a real winner if they put that engine in a rear wheel drive car slightly smaller than the camaro. >>



I've thought the same myself 🙂 I'm not really sure how much engine space it takes up though. I wondered why they didn't use that in the new Cadillac CTS. 276/276 in a RWD 4 door sports sedan would make for a fun ride 🙂

 

[N8Magic]

<< The fourth-generation small-block V-8 will debut in 2004, with increased power and introducing cylinder deactivation, which
conserves fuel by using a variable number of cylinders depending on power needs. >>



Didn't Cadillac try this a decade or two ago? IIRC, it failed miserably. Kudos to GM for going with the things that work!

As for the V12, I think it would be a good idea. GM has been lagging behind in modern engine design for some time and this would show that they are taking a step in the right direction.

 

[Bulldozer]

There is nothing modern about a 12 cylinder engine. They've been around a long time. If they want to impress people they need to improve horsepower to displacement ratios (speaking strictly drivetrain) while improving mileage. These kinds of accomplishments are impressive engineering. Getting 300 horsepower out of a small displacement inline 6 might not impress your grandmother, but neither will a v12. They need to think about what kind of customer they are trying to attract with the V-12, and think about what they really want.

I'm not familiar with the particulars of the I6 but I see no obvious reason for why they couldn't build a car around it. It certainly wouldn't be the first car with an inline 6.

 

[ElFenix]

gm's inline 6 requires some really odd mounting in order to pass crash tests, the engine is really long. and they could get more HP by upping the timing and requiring high octane gas, but fuel economy isn't just about mileage.

as for the toranado engine, it was promising, but, as with everything else promising in the auto industry, it was killed off by regulations. the design of engines has come a long way since then though, with the huge amounts of computing power that can be put behind there.

 

[Vette73]

The biggest problem with a V-12 or a BB in a Corvette is, GM has a rule, they will not make a Car that has to pay gas guzzler tax. Of course GM has a new CEO so this might change.

But I love GM cars. I am also a Mechanic and GM cars and trucks are very stable and when they do need fixing are very easy and cheap to get going again.

I am driving/Restoring a 1975 Monza 2+2 factory V-8 with a 4 speed, and it weighs less than a Honda Accord. 🙂

And for all those GM haters out there, open your hood, just about every car on the road has something from GM now. Honda and Toyota use a TON of parts from GM. Honda even buys V-8 truck motors for there trucks they offer in other countries.