Wagoner gives Kalamazoo Newspaper details on 1.4L turbo

[HoosierRon]

GM's Rick Wagoner has hopeful words for Flint in reflecting on company's 100th

Gazette News Service: The mayor of Flint has said a new GM engine plant will be built near Flint Engine South. What more can you say about this plant, what types of engines will be produced and how many people might end up working there?

Wagoner: The new engine we would like to build in Flint is a great example of GM's global strength bringing new benefits to customers, employees and communities here in the U.S.

As the newest member of one of our global four-cylinder engine families, this turbocharged 1.4-liter engine achieves a superb balance between fuel efficiency and power. It will be the mainstream engine for the next generation Chevy compact car scheduled to go into production in mid-2010 at our Lordstown, Ohio, plant. When teamed with a manual transmission, the new engine will offer customers a 9 mile-per-gallon increase in fuel economy over Chevy's current entry in this segment.

This new engine is tentatively scheduled to be built in Flint, subject to satisfactory negotiations with local and state officials. We'll announce specifics of the new facility, such as location and manpower requirements, when plans are finalized.

The Cobalt XFE gets 25/36, or combined 30.5 mpg. Will the Cruze get 34/45, for a combined 39.5 mpg?

[member12]

Aveo gets 34mpg...so this would put it at 43mpg? Nice. I'd like to see what the 1.4L Turbo and 2.0L Turbo would do in a Malibu.


I can't wait for the Cruze....to be honest, I would probably go for the 2.0L turbo in a sedan with a good six speed manual and a loaded interior, but I'd be tempted with the 1.4L. I love my Silverado, but when I move back to Houston..I'm getting a nice car.

If the 2.0L makes 260 horses, would 150 horses out of a 1.4L be that out of reach?

[Inchworm]

How much do you want to bet the local in Flint (almost) blows the deal by hardnosed 'negotiation'?

[Ambalanche]

I can't believe this is two years away. It's not mid 2008, Wagoner is talking about mid-2010!! Hope they make it that long....

[Rocket 88]

Originally Posted by Ambalanche

I can't believe this is two years away. It's not mid 2008, Wagoner is talking about mid-2010!! Hope they make it that long....

Two years does seem like a long way off, and then you have to figure it will take time for this to work its way into products. At least it seems like the right type of product so it is uber important.


While I feel a bit skeptical about the fuel efficiency increases Wagoner stated, I will pray GM really does deliver a world class engine...

[mjd1001]

9mpg increase is all well and good with a manual equiped car..but what difference will it make with an Automatic equiped car? (where most of the sales come from).

After all, I would think the difference would be even great with this new engine and going from a 4 speed auto to a 6 speed auto than it would going from a 5 speed manual to a 6 speed manual.

[mikest00]

Originally Posted by Ambalanche

I can't believe this is two years away. It's not mid 2008, Wagoner is talking about mid-2010!! Hope they make it that long....

GM could always rush it into production like the 350N (350 engine converted to run on diesel). That went over well! I would rather take two years and be done right than to have a recall nightmare. And yes GM will be around...bet the farm on it.

[jkennedy293]

Originally Posted by member12

If the 2.0L makes 260 horses, would 150 horses out of a 1.4L be that out of reach?

I read somwhere where they are expecting 125-140hp out of this motor, so getting to 150hp shouldn't be that hard.

[Cortazzo]

Good, hopefully this will be the mainstream engine across the car portfolio, enabling GM to beat those tough cafe standards. Though i'd bet that the 9 mpg increase would be above the auto-cobalt 24/33.

[t-rex]

Originally Posted by jkennedy293

I read somwhere where they are expecting 125-140hp out of this motor, so getting to 150hp shouldn't be that hard.

It shouldn't be. Volkswagen are getting over 200 horsepower out of their new TSI 1.4-litre.

Interesting powerplant, that new VW TSI. The higher models employ both a supercharger and turbocharger. Demand for the new engine is through the roof.

[Ambalanche]

Originally Posted by mikest00

GM could always rush it into production like the 350N (350 engine converted to run on diesel). That went over well! I would rather take two years and be done right than to have a recall nightmare. And yes GM will be around...bet the farm on it.

I'm not advocating rushing it to market, I'm simply complaining that it's still 2 years away. Doesn't anybody high up within GM have any forsight anymore?

[goblue]

Originally Posted by t-rex

It shouldn't be. Volkswagen are getting over 200 horsepower out of their new TSI 1.4-litre.

Interesting powerplant, that new VW TSI. The higher models employ both a supercharger and turbocharger. Demand for the new engine is through the roof.

VW / Audi seems to be in the lead on fuel economy. DSG transmissions, DI turbos, supercharged-turbos, diesels in compact / midsize cars with DSG transmissions....

[1487]

even if mileage gains with the auto arent as high they just need to be respectable. The cobalt gets 24/33 with the auto for 2009. Boost that by 10% and you have 27/36 for the auto which is better than corolla and civic and 10% sounds very conservative. Remember, the corolla was new for 2008 so it wont be redesigned for another 5-6 years.

[tomcat_cool17]

Definately good news, and those MPG numbers should make the cars sell better. The UAW here has softened with the city losing so many jobs. This area is in need of a better future.

[TheWraith]

Originally Posted by mjd1001

9mpg increase is all well and good with a manual equiped car..but what difference will it make with an Automatic equiped car? (where most of the sales come from).

After all, I would think the difference would be even great with this new engine and going from a 4 speed auto to a 6 speed auto than it would going from a 5 speed manual to a 6 speed manual.

if a lot of people do start migrating to smaller 4 cylinder cars, i'd expect to see a lot more widespread sales of stick. if people are really going to start making every penny count on gas mileage, people are going to start closely watching and realizing that automatic transmissions are much less efficient.