GM investing $109M in Mich plants to support 1.4L Ecotec engines
13 May 2011
General Motors will invest $109 million in its operations in Flint and Bay City, Mich., to support engine production for current and future fuel-efficient small cars produced for the US market.
Of the $109 million, $84 million will be used at Flint to increase 1.4-liter engine capacity. Bay City’s investment of $25 million is for connecting rods and camshafts used in the engine.
In November 2010, GM announced plans to invest $151 million and protect 143 jobs at the Flint and Bay City plants. The latest investment is part of a $2 billion investment to create or retain more than 4,000 hourly and salaried jobs at 17 facilities in eight states.
The Ecotec 1.4-liter turbocharged engine for the Chevrolet Cruze Eco model helps achieve EPA-estimated 42 highway mpg. The 1.4-liter naturally aspirated engine enables range extension for the Chevrolet Volt electric car.
Later this year, the 1.4-liter engine will be installed in the Chevrolet Sonic, which will be built at GM’s assembly plant in Orion Township, Mich.
As GM learnt how to produce a high quality small 4 cyls ICE?
Posted by: HarveyD | 13 May 2011 at 06:30 PM
It sounds like a good little engine. They are more or less betting the farm at the low end with this.
Posted by: SJC | 13 May 2011 at 08:22 PM
Good move for the General. It would be impossible to meet upcoming CAFE standards with the small block V8, or even the new family of direct injection V6 engines. And, with gasoline approaching 2008 pricing (and shortly to exceed it, in my humble opinion), this will make GM's small cars much more attractive to future buyers, especially young ones who grew up with 4 cylinder engines, and are not afraid of turbochargers.
Posted by: Multi-Modal Commuter Dude (formerly known as Bike Commuter Dude) | 14 May 2011 at 07:00 AM