GM Invests Nearly $1B In New V8 Engine Development

GM still considers the V8 engine to be very important.

Although GM is going all-in on its EV future, replacing many of its mainstream crossover offerings with EVs. Even the Silverado gets in on that action, with a full-sized Silverado EV coming in a few months. Still, that doesn’t mean the internal combustion engine, namely the V8, is dead at GM, in fact, the brand is investing millions of dollars in new V8 development.

GM is investing nearly $1 billion in manufacturing infrastructure, much of it aimed at supporting its sixth generation of small-block V8 engines. To GM, these V8s are essential. Although we don’t have any details on what the new engines will entail, these engines will see service in its full-sized trucks and SUVs, like the Tahoe, Silverado, and Yukon.

$864 million of the $918 million earmarked for upgrades are earmarked for V8 manufacturing development. Some $579 million of that will go to improvements to the Flint, MI engine plant, with another $216 million going to the Bay City, MI engine parts plant. $47 million and $12 million will be allocated to Defiance, OH, and Rochester, NY plants, respectively. Currently, the Flint, MI plant is producing the 3.0-liter inline-six diesel, and the plant will continue to manufacture these engines as renovations are made to support the new gas-powered V8.

Some may say that this is short sided, and antithetical to the brand’s EV push. But, EVs aren’t left out, though. Defiance gets an extra $8 million, and Rochester an extra $56 million, to manufacture parts for future EV vehicles. Although small, only part of GM’s plan to invest $35 billion in EV development. By comparison, the $800 million or so to revamp its V8s, is a drop in the bucket.

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