Fuel mileage, horsepower and overall performance are key ingredients in the recipe for any successful car these days.

Maybe that’s why GM made the announcement to reporters at the North American International Auto Show that they plan to scrap the unimpressive naturally aspirated 2.4-liter four cylinder found in the Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain and Buick‘s Verano and Regal. In it’s place, a 2.5-liter direct injected (cue fireworks) Ecotec inline four! The new engine will be 18 horses peppier than its predecessor for a total of 190 hp and 180 lb-ft of torque. It’s also going to be a lot less noisy, smoother and best of all, more efficient.

GM said they plan to make the transition between engines within the next 12 months, so look forward to a more refined American experience from GM.

General Motors unveiled their new family of small displacement engines, a group of three and four cylinder engines ranging from 1.0L to 1.5L in displacement. The engines were designed in concert largely with GM’s Chinese subsidiaries.

GM didn’t divulge which vehicles will get the new engines, but did say that North America won’t be an initial market for the three-cylinder  engines. GM was also tight-lipped about the specifics of the engines, only stating ”they will feature lightweight design and advanced technologies such as direct injection, turbocharging and alternative fuel compatibility” as well as “…[being] designed to reduce noise, vibration and harshness.”

Continue Reading…

General Motors much loved LNF engine, the same 2.0L Ecotec that powered the Pontiac Solstice GXP, Saturn Sky Redline and Chevrolet Cobalt SS is continuing on in the Buick Regal Turbo and Buick Regal GS, but a new generation of turbocharged 4-cylinder motor is set to replace the LNF next year, packing even more power.

While the LNF makes as much as 270 horsepower and 295 lb-ft in the Regal GS, the new engine, dubbed the LHU, will be used as a replacement for V6 engines in mid-size cars, and is expected to make at least 280 horsepower in standard trim. Given that GM’s current “high feature” V6 makes 306 horsepower, we should expect a figure somewhere in that area.

The LHU will get its first use in the Cadillac ATS sports sedan and the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu. Expect it to migrate to other products in the near future as well.

[Source: GM Inside News]

The all-new 2012 Buick Regal GS arrives this fall and will pack a serious punch. The GS has ow officially been rated at 270-hp and 295 lb-ft of torque and achieves a 0-60 mph time of 6.7 seconds. For the record, that’s 15 more horsepower than originally claimed.

The GS will be powered exclusively by a 2.0-liter direct-injected turbocharged four-cylinder engine that boasts more torque than the Acura TSX V6, Audi A4 Sport, Lexus IS 250 or Volvo S60 T5.

“The Regal GS 2.0L turbo delivers the highest specific output of any production engine GM has ever offered, and at 135 hp per liter is the most power dense engine ever certified by SAE,” explained Mike Anderson, Ecotec global chief engineer and program manager. “We’ve been combining direct injection and variable valve timing with boosted engines since 2006, and there’s no question the Regal GS turbo has the responsiveness and acceleration of some V6s, while delivering the fuel economy you’d expect of a four-cylinder.”

This very special Ecotec engine will include direct injection, continuously variable valve timing, a forged steel crankshaft, a twin scroll turbocharger and a highly efficient intercooler system. The 295 lb-ft of torque is available from as low as 2400 rpm and 95 percent of the torque is available between 2300 and 4900 rpm.

Two transmission choices are available including a six-speed manual that comes as standard or a six-speed automatic which will be available later on. Even with the high-output Ecotec engine, the GS can still achieve 28 mpg and the entire powertrain will be covered by a five-year 100,000 mile warranty.

The GS will also feature a lower ride height than other Regal models and get aggressive 19-inch, 5-Twin Spoke alloy rims and all season tires. 20-inch, 5-Twin Spoke polished alloy rims with performance tires will be optional.

GALLERY: 2012 Buick Regal GS

General Motors is pumping $109 million into its Ecotec program in Michigan, in order to support ongoing production of the 1.4-liter engine shared by three Chevrolet models as well as keeping/adding 96 jobs in Michigan.

$84 million of that money goes to GM’s engine plant in Flint to increase production capacity, while the rest is earmarked for Bay City, which produces the Ecotec’s connecting rods and camshafts. This latest effort is part of GM’s 2-billion-dollar initiative to preserve more than 4,000 jobs in 17 facilities across 8 states.

“This investment marks the second major increase in engine and engine component output in less than six months,” said Terri Burden, Flint’s plant manager, “a sign that GM is moving quickly to meet growing demand for more fuel-efficient cars.” Earlier this month GM announced a $131 million investment in its Bowling Green, Kentucky Corvette Factory.

Currently, the 1.4-liter Ecotec resides under the hood of the Cruze and the Volt—which adds turbo power as well—but the upcoming Sonic is eagerly awaiting the Ecotec’s potency.

Click here to read AutoGuide’s 2011 Chevy Cruze review

The days of multiple supercharged V8s for Cadillac look to be ending as GM’s luxury division is now mulling four-cylinder engines on multiple product lines.

While the upcoming ATS sports sedan is a natural candidate for a four banger, rumor has it that the Cadillac XTS full size sedan may also be offered with a turbocharged Ecotec inline four, making between 220 and 260 horsepower. Depending on customer reception, this motor could also find a home in the CTS and SRX, which quite frankly makes more sense than in the larger XTS.

An Ecotec Cadillac may seem anathema to the brand, but in places like Europe and China, the small displacement of 2.0L will help it dodge significant taxes based on engine size. Furthermore, German manufacturers like Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz are rapidly embracing turbocharged four cylinders in more than a few of their products.

[Source: Car and Driver]

What’s one simple way to extend range on the next-gen Fisker gasoline-electric powered car? Cut pork from the gasoline-engine side of the equation by using a lighter-weight, three- or four-cylinder engine.

According to information leaked by very knowledgeable sources, Fisker is weighing the feasibility of a dedicated range-extended engine after the current crop of Karma models has been launched.

The idea would be to slash anywhere from 110-160 pounds or so from next-gen models’ curb weight by replacing the 255-horsepower, 2.0-liter GM Ecotec engine, which was originally designed for a gas-only car.

The GM four-cylinder “LNF” turbocharged engine weighs about 360 pounds. Fisker is reportedly looking for a 200- to 250-pound turbo to feed the lithium-ion battery in its future cars.

The 1.2-liter Lotus Engineering three-cylinder is one likely candidate. It is produced with Fagor Ederlan Group in Spain, and is said to be the front-runner in consideration for the next iterations.

Fisker’s present generation cars are being built in Finland, according to a Fisker spokesperson. After Q4 of next year, they will be built in a former GM plant in Delaware.

[Source: Autoblog]

The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze is an important car for General Motors, with Chevrolet positioning the car as both a premium and compact car, something many Americans deem to be mutually exclusive. With advanced powertrains, a high quality interior and exterior styling that doesn’t scream “rental car”, Chevrolet has chosen to price the Cruze just a little bit higher than the competition, with prices starting at $16,995 for the base LS, which comes with a 138-horsepower 1.8L four-cylinder and a 6-speed manual transmission, airbags galore bags, traction control, OnStar and keyless entry. For $18,995, you can get either the LT version with the 1.4L Turbo engine and a 6-speed automatic, or the “Eco” version, which substitutes a 6-speed manual for the slushbox, low-rolling resistance tires and a special bodykit designed to reduce drag.

The top level Cruze will set you back $22,695, a decent sum for a compact car, but you’ll get options like  leather seats, Bluetooth, a a USB port for the car’s audio system, rear-parking assist and 18-inch wheels, all of which are pretty grown-up features for an economy car.

Get more Chevy Cruze news and info at CruzeTalk.com

GALLERY: Chevrolet Cruze Eco

Hit the jump to see Chevrolet’s official press release

Continue Reading…

Buick has just released a teaser image of a new entry-level luxury crossover that will slot in underneath the Enclave. Normally word of a new model is news enough, but GM has decided to increase our expectations of its new model by announcing that it will be offered with a version of the Volt’s Voltec plug-in hybrid system.

This will make the new crossover the first plug-in hybrid SUV on the market.

The new five-passenger crossover will go on sale next year with PHEV models on sale in 2011. The conventional gasoline models will be offered with a choice of two engines: a direct-injection 2.4-liter turbocharged Ecotec four-cylinder or a direct-injection 3.0-liter V6. The Ecotec motor is expected to deliver 30 mpg on the highway.

The Buick PHEV will use a battery pack roughly half the size and power of the one found in the Volt and be mated to a 3.6-liter V6 FexFuel engine, indicating that the Buick hybrids will follow the Lexus philosophy of using the hybrid powertrain to deliver high-performance with reduced fuel-consumption. Similarly, it appears, Chevy models like the Volt will follow the Toyota model of delivering maximum fuel-efficiency.

The Buick PHEV will be able to be recharged fully in 4 to 5 hours through a conventional 110V household outlet and will be ale to travel up to 10 miles on pure electric power (at low speeds).

“Buick has always been at the forefront of new technology, so it is only fitting that the brand should debut our new plug-in hybrid technology in a beautiful new crossover,” said Tom Stephens, GM vice chairman of product development. “This will firmly put Buick, and GM, front and center in the advanced technology game.”

Official release after the jump:

Continue Reading…

Just a year and a half after it was first unveiled as a concept car the Fisker Karma is set to take to the road track during the Monterey Peninsula’s Classic Car Week. On August 15th, the plug-in hybrid Karma will run two laps of the world-famous Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca course at 11:10 a.m on August 15th, during the Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Race.

“The Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races is the best stage in the world for great moments in automotive history,” said Fisker Automotive CEO, Henrik Fisker. “Fisker is honored to be a part of it.”

Using a 260hp GM-sourced Ecotec motor and two 201.5hp electric motors, the Karma’s Q-Drive powertrain allows the plug-in hybrid to travel 50 miles on pure electric power before the gasoline engine kicks in to recharge the lithium-ion battery packs. But it’s more than just a plug-in hybrid, it’s a full-on luxury sedan and can even perform with a 0-60 mph time of 6.0 seconds and a top speed of 125 mph.

The Karma will also be on display the day before at Concorso Italiano, alongside the Karma Sunset hardtop convertible concept. The Karma Sunset will also make an appearance at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on Sunday, August 16.

GALLERY: Fisker Karma

Official release after the jump:

Continue Reading…