By Richard Truett
Automotive News / April 11, 2003

General Motors will add a pushrod 3.9-liter V-6 engine to its lineup in the 2006 model year, the automaker said on Friday. The engine will be built at the automaker's Tonawanda, N.Y., engine plant.

The new V-6 and a 3.5-liter version using the same architecture will be equipped with GM's fuel-saving cylinder-deactivation technology that shuts down cylinders based on vehicle speed and engine load. GM says the system delivers an 8 percent gain in fuel economy.

GM is investing $300 million in the plant for new machinery and production lines. The upgrades are expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2004. The Tonawanda plant produces GM's 2.2-liter Ecotech four-cylinder; 3.1- and 3.4-liter V-6s; 8.1-liter V-8; 2.8-liter four-cylinder; and 3.5-liter five-cylinder engines. Employment is 3,340.

 

when is GM gonna start making new OHC engines??

 

when there is a need to. The ohv engines make just as much power, torque, and get great gas mileage. They also feel faster as far as I'm concerned.

 

a 170 hp 3.4L V6 and a 200 hp 3.8L V6 seem a little under powered to me.

 

They have already. The new V6 in the CTS and other cars (Rendezvous, etc) is a DOHC engine. There are a few others.

 

They make less power, but more torque and are significantly less gas consuming. And yes, they do "feel faster" as you wrote. That is the feeling of higher torque numbers at usable RPM.

I remember the first time I drove a Buick Century (as a rental). I could not believe my eyes when I opened the hood and I saw the base 3.4 liter V6 in there. That thing felt like our car between 2K and 4.5K rpm.

 

$300 million for .1 liters.. they already have the supercharged 3.8l wtf is the reasoning behind this.. thats why they cant sell cars..

 

This engine is an update to the 3.8L. The new updates make it smoother, allow displacement on demand and a few other tweaks to make it more competitive.

GM can't sell cars? Hmmn.. Did you realize they still have the worlds biggest market share?

 

GM is number one (and Ford number two) in car and truck sales, on the planet for decades now. People underestimate the power and success of these 2 comapnies. Especially car entusiasts. The reason these 2 comapnies are not making many car enthusiast type of cars, is simple. They dont sell. Things are changing only lately though. And that is why you will see Ford and GM start designing such cars and eventually surpassing all other companies once again. If it sells, GM and Ford can make it better and cheaper than anyone else. They have proven that.

 

i said CARS not trucks.. unless of course they include a $15,000 rebate.. ..thanks for info on 3.9l tho.. heh