AFSCME 3357-HOF'S BLOG

Paradigms are Shifting

As I look at topics upon which to post in this new year, I want to spotlight some stories of trends that will shape us in the coming year and beyond. The first story is about the demise of the V-8 engine.


V-8s are Endangered Species at Ford and GM.

Last week, General Motors announced that it was cancelling its plans for an advanced technology V-8 engine. The new V-8 was to replace the Northstar engine in Cadillacs and a few Buicks. This announcement was no doubt a disappointment for workers in the plant in Tonawanda, New York that was slated for $300 million in upgrades to build the new engine. From a technical standpoint, the decision is understandable. When George Bush signed the energy bill in December that called for higher corporate average fuel economy, it pretty much sealed the fate of V-8 engines for mainstream cars. The truth be told, there's not much need for eight-cylinder powerplants anymore in passenger cars. The direct-injection 3.6 liter V-6 in the Cadillac delivers 306 horsepower, just 14 less than the 320 horsepower the 4.6 liter Northstar V-6 lays down. It would be a simple matter to match the Northstar by either a cylinder displacement increase, higher octane fuel tuning (including E-85); and turbocharging or supercharging.

In fact, Ford just announced that it will soon be introducing a turbocharged, direct-injected version of its 3.5 liter V-6, called the Ecoboost, that delivers 340 horsepower, up from 265 in the non-turbocharged version. The new engine will be about as fuel efficient as the lower-powered engine. This new engine will be initially targeted at the Lincoln line.

V-8 engines will still be needed for trucks, and no doubt some performance cars will carry V-8 engines for years to come, but for high volume cars, it looks like the V-8 will soon be history.

Since the Northstar engine made its debut on the Cadillac Allante. I thought I'd include a link to something else that got its debut with the Cadillac Allante, the Bundy Bounce. (I couldn't find "The New . . . Kelly!" clip.)