GM Indefinitely Postpones 4.5L Duramax Diesel

[nailhead425]

Do not write profanity in a way to avoid the censorship function.

It is not necessary to post in the same manner in which we speak.

[ogg vorbis]

i found this on sae.org today. it's not the whole article

G*eneral Motors**’ mu*ch anticipated 4.5-L Duramax diesel V8 program slated for MY2010 light-duty trucks broke new ground in design, packaging, performance, and program management. But the program fell victim to the prospects of even tighter future global emissions regulations, explained GM Vice Chairman for Global Product Development Tom Stephens.*

*“As the regulations get more stringent, the cost of certifying diesels for passenger-vehicle applications at reasonable cost, compared with other alternatives, makes it difficult to justify moving forward,” Stephens told AEI in a mid-July interview. He described the 4.5-L diesel’s status as “more than just on temporary hold.”

As a former powertrain engineer and an “engine guy” at heart, Stephens said he deeply understands the disappointment of the 4.5-L V8’s engineers led by Director of Diesel Engineering Charlie Freese. Along with Chief Engineer Gary Arvan, they whisked the program literally from sketches on napkins to production-ready status in record time during 2006-2008.

The team used genetic algorithms to optimize the combustion process before reaching the single-cylinder test stage—a key to getting the first development engines up and running quickly.

“Diesels are fuel-efficient, yes, but in the long view I’ve got to get to something that will really help get us off of petroleum,” Stephens explained. “It’s not OK to be 96% dependent on petroleum as we are today.” He said GM currently has more powertrain technology options on the shelf than can be implemented at the moment, many of them focused on advanced gasoline engine solutions mated with various types of hybridization. Stephens also indicated many learnings from the 4.5-L program, including cylinder block and head design, software controls, and packaging, will be passed onto other engine programs.

[WilliamBos]

I really hope they bring it back. I would love to have one!!

[DetroitIron]

Cuts like this are inevitable when you lie down with dogs.