About 6 weeks ago or so, it was announced that Buick's 3800 V-6 would be in production a few years longer than suspected, until about 2008 (as I recall). That "meager" 200 horsepower will really get the job done too. Check the road tests and it'll usually put the Regal to 60mph in the mid-7 second range or close to it. A really great blend of performance, mileage, power, and durability.
The 3.5L V-6 in the new Malibu is an upgrade from the existing 3.1/3.4L Chevy V-6 and is now called "Vortec". The design upgrade has given it a really good infusion of power and torque. The 3.9L should be similar. In the end, all of the GM engines will have DOD, as I've read somewhere, but that's still a year or so off as it all gets phased into production.
The other reason the 3800 might have gotten an extension is due to supply issues with the 3.6L DOHC V-6. Plus the fact that continuing the 3800 and doing some evolutionary improvements and updates are much less expensive and easier to do than replace a whole engine plant facility for the sake of change. The fact that it's a less expensive engine to produce is definitely a factor too as that lets GM spend money in other parts of the car other than the powertrain and still hit their targeted selling price.
HIDs and HUDs might be neat, but as for the HID, it's the beam pattern that makes a headlight instead of just the light source. The Cadillac people told us that GM had taken pains to get as much of the blue spectrum light out of the HIDs on the SRX as they could, so that same orientation might also extend to the rest of the GM line that will offer those lights. HUDs can be neat too, but if you really know your vehicle, why do you need to look through a display to see the road? Plus, it takes a special windshield with a more satiny surface (where the HUD will project the images) to get an image from the HUD to reflect as desired.
By the same token, I priced an HID bulb for an Escalade. How about $300.00 retail and NOT something you'll find at your local auto parts store and not at many GM dealers. If it's a transformer that's needed, it's complete headlight assembly time, which is over $1000.00. On the Escalade, HID is only on the low beams. I would certainly hope their increased life span will be equal to their increased price over a normal 55W halogen bulb.
Just some thoughts,
NTX5467
