IMPRESSIVE 2004 LINEUP VALIDATES GM POWERTRAIN'S STRATEGY OF FAST, COST-EFFECTIVE RESPONSES TO CHANGING MARKET TRENDS

Every new GM Powertrain product reflects a highly focused product strategy that has taken shape over the last two years - a philosophy leading to the introduction of an impressive array of new products for 2004. This strategy, in turn, supports GM's vision to be the world leader in transportation products and related services by offering consumers the world's best powertrains.

As envisioned by Thomas G. Stephens, group vice president of GM Powertrain, the strategy encompasses a three-pronged approach involving image, high-feature and high-value products. GM Powertrain is introducing new products or new applications that speak to all three for 2004.

About 1 percent of GM Powertrain's products are "image" products, perhaps best exemplified by the Corvette LS6 V-8, the most refined and potent cam-in-block production engine in existence. In 2004, the LS6 also provides the muscle for Cadillac's most powerful production car ever, the CTS-V.

The strategy's elements also include powertrains with a high level of fully contemporary features - including dual overhead cams and fully variable valve timing - at very competitive costs, thanks in part to GM's global scale. Also in this category are such engines as the new 3.6L V-6 VVT (variable valve timing) in the Buick Rendezvous, Cadillac CTS and Cadillac SRX; the inline-5 Vortec 3500 and inline-4 Vortec 2800 in the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickups; the Northstar 4.6L V-8 VVT, the first Northstar developed for rear-wheel drive, in the Cadillac XLR and SRX; and the Ecotec 2.0L supercharged I-4 in the Saturn ION Red Line.

The third leg of GM Powertrain's product strategy is high value. This part of the strategy is based on introducing all-new technologies, where appropriate, but importantly also on building upon existing technologies as a method of delivering maximum value to the customer - as is the case with the new 3500 V-6 for the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu and the 3800 Series III for the Pontiac Grand Prix. These engines rest upon a foundation of some of the highest loyalty ratings in the industry, and build upon that base with new, customer-driven features such as electronic throttle control. This high-value tactic is also very much at work in sharing a variant of the Corvette LS1's V-8 in the Pontiac GTO, bringing uniquely American character to a modern incarnation of the legendary muscle car.

This approach to business takes full advantage of GM's vast global engineering resources. It extends not just to engines, but also to transmissions, vehicle drive systems, control electronics and industry-leading technologies such as Displacement on Demand and hybrid power on the FlexPower full-size pickups. It allows remarkable versatility and flexibility in both powertrain production and vehicle application, with an emphasis on efficiency and exceptional quality.

In short, GM Powertain provides a breadth, depth and diversity in what it offers that no other automobile manufacturer can match.

"Our ongoing goal is to deliver products with quality, reliability, durability and performance - keeping in mind that performance means different things to different people," Stephens said. "To be the world's best, we are focused on understanding the wants and needs of customers in different segments so that we can leverage our capabilities and move fast to provide the powertrains and new variants that meet emerging market trends."

Truly global
No engine more concisely demonstrates GM Powertrain's approach to business than the 3.6L V-6 VVT. This 60-degree DOHC V-6 was developed jointly for global application, drawing on the best practices and creative expertise of GM technical centers in Australia, Germany, North America and Sweden. The V-6 VVT applies the most advanced automotive engine technology available, from state-of-the-art casting processes to full four-cam phasing to ultra-fast data processing and torque-based engine management.

Its features include: an aluminum block and cylinder heads; dual-overhead cams with fully variable valve timing and low-friction, no-maintenance roller-follower valve operation; aluminum pistons with floating wrist pins and oil-jet capability; forged steel crankshaft with sintered, six-bolt main bearing caps; sinter-forged connecting rods; dual-stage variable intake manifold; electronic throttle control; fully isolated cam covers and dozens of features that reduce noise, vibration and harshness; and an engine-mounted, micro-hybrid engine control module.

Yet the V-6 VVT is more than just technically sophisticated. From the start, it was developed as the flexible foundation for multiple variants of its basic design. This modular V-6 is suited to markets worldwide, and to all types of vehicles, with as few application-specific changes as practically possible: front-wheel-drive platforms, which require transverse mounting; rear-wheel drive longitudinal installation; and all-wheel drive applications, which can require either transverse or longitudinal mounting.

The basic architecture allows displacements from 2.8L to 3.8L, with major castings shared by all variants. This means a line of distinct engines, potentially very different in character and suitable for a wide variety of vehicles, which require finish work rather than ground-up development. Moreover, this global V-6 is designed to allow several content options without extensive re-engineering. In addition to the normally aspirated, sequential port fuel injection package represented by the 3.6L V-6 VVT, the engine is prepared for spark-ignition direct-injection - technology that promises significant fuel economy improvements - in both stratified-charge (lean-burn) and stoichiometric-charge form. It also accommodates turbocharging with a wide range of horsepower and torque ratings and no degradation in durability.

Bottom line: The V-6 VVT delivers a market-leading balance of good specific output, high torque over a broad rpm band, superb fuel economy, low emissions and excellent noise, vibration and harshness control, with exclusive durability enhancing features and very low maintenance. Compared to existing GM DOHC V-6 engines developed for any market, the global V-6 VVT develops 20 percent more peak horsepower and 13 percent more peak torque. Perhaps most significant, 90 percent of its peak torque is available from 1600 to 5800 rpm.

Ecotec 2.0L SC
Another engine that benefits from GM's global capabilities is the Ecotec 2.0L supercharged engine, which will produce an estimated 200 horsepower (149 kw) in the ION Red Line. The all-aluminum, dual overhead cam, four-cylinder engine is built off the strengths of the original, naturally aspirated Ecotec 2.2L engine introduced in the 2000 Saturn L-Series. The Ecotec 2.0L SC has a four-valve cylinder head, maintenance-free chain-driven camshafts, counter-rotating balance shafts and an integrated oil cooler.

The addition of the Eaton M62 supercharger allows the blower to spin at a lower rpm, which improves durability and creates less noise while allowing for plenty of top-end power. GM has years of experience with Eaton superchargers in the high-volume 3800 Series II SC V-6 engines used in mid-size vehicles.

Key components that carry over from the Saab 2.0L engine into the Ecotec 2.0L SC include direct mount oil cooler, oil jets for piston cooling, heavy-duty pistons, stronger connecting rods, forged-steel crankshaft, larger oil sump, sodium filled exhaust valves for improved durability and a high-strength aluminum cylinder head.

The Ecotec four-cylinder engine family is GM's first truly global engine family. The four-valve overhead cam family delivers excellent fuel economy and low emissions in a dependable, durable package with low noise and vibration. The Ecotec 2.2L is currently available in the Chevrolet Cavalier; Pontiac Sunfire and Grand Am; Oldsmobile Alero; and Saturn L300, ION and VUE. It is also used in several European applications, including the Opel Vectra, Astra and Zafira models. The Ecotec 2.2L was recently announced as the standard power in the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu and a direct injection gas version of the Ecotec 2.0L will be available in the 2004 Opel Signum.

Meeting specific regional needs
Like the V-6 VVT, GM Powertrain's new Vortec 2800 and 3500 engines were developed with an emphasis on premium performance, efficiency and cost-effective design and assembly. But these inline engines were created to meet the needs of a vehicle found predominantly in North America: the rugged mid-size pickup.

The Vortec 2800 2.8L inline-4 is the base engine in the all-new Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickups. It was developed jointly with the award-winning Vortec 4200 I-6 and the new Vortec 3500 I-5, and it brings features and advanced technologies - technologies previously reserved largely for premium passenger-car engines - to mid-size pickups. It delivers the best balance of performance, fuel economy, low emissions and noise, vibration and harshness control in the marketplace, with exclusive durability-enhancing features and very low maintenance. It is the only base four-cylinder engine in the segment available with four-wheel drive.

The Vortec 2800 is the most powerful four-cylinder engine in the mid-size pickup market, according to figures published in March 2003, with more horsepower than many V-6 engines and better specific fuel consumption. In fact, the I-4 delivers the power of a six-cylinder with the efficiency of a four-cylinder. Aluminum-intensive construction, variable valve timing, dual counter-rotating balance shafts, a main-bearing structural ladder, direct-mounted accessories, electronic throttle control - before the Vortec 2800, these technologies were not widely applied in entry-level pickups.

If that weren't enough, consider the Vortec 3500 3.5L inline-5. This optional engine in the Colorado and Canyon shares all of the Vortec 2800's premium features, and adds one more cylinder along with balance shafts designed specifically for its five-cylinder configuration. It also delivers more horsepower - more than the V-6 engines in competitive pickups from Dodge, Ford, Nissan and Toyota.

The Vortec inline plants in Flint, Mich., and Tonawanda, N.Y., are capable of building all variants on the same line simultaneously with minimum retooling, allowing maximum production flexibility and an almost instantaneous ability to respond to shifts in market demand. Common parts reduce corporate inventory, streamline procurement practices and contribute to a common objective every automobile buyer understands: lower cost for a better product, which ultimately translates to more value for the customer.

A star at the pinnacle
At the top of GM Powertrain's engine lineup, the Northstar 4.6L V-8 VVT breaks new ground. This is the first Northstar developed for rear-wheel drive, with longitudinal rather than transverse application - for use in Cadillac XLR and SRX. The Northstar development team's objectives were both simple and demanding: a no-compromise balance of horsepower and torque; advanced technology that delivers real customer benefit (not just short-term marketing pizzazz); smooth, refined performance that encourages active driver involvement.

In short, the goal was a new benchmark engine for high-end, high-performance luxury roadsters and SUVs.

The objectives have been achieved. The list of specific technologies behind the Northstar 4.6L VVT's success is long and impressive, including improved cylinder heads with 10.5:1 compression, four-cam continuously variable valve timing, and high-performance valves. But even at the top of the automotive market, buyers care as much about results as technical wizardry. Initial figures for the Northstar RWD indicate a 5 percent increase in both horsepower and torque compared to the high-output Northstar FWD, with comparable specific fuel consumption and further improvements in noise, vibration and harshness control. Most important, with the new Northstar V-8 VVT and Powertrain's new Hydra-Matic 5L50-E five-speed transmission with fully automatic or clutchless manual shifting, the XLR delivers class-leading performance.

High value
Another crucial component of GM Powertrain's product strategy is the belief that, ultimately, customers care more about quality, value and real-world performance than the specific technologies that produce those traits. This awareness of the importance of "appropriate technology" has produced the new 3500 V-6 in the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu - the value leader among America's mid-size sedans.

The 3500 represents a thorough redesign of GM's 3400 V-6. Its block and cylinder heads have been improved for more stiffness and better NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) control. A new intake system improves fuel efficiency, while the crank and pistons have been enhanced to further increase durability. As a result, the 3500 produces a class-competitive 200 horsepower (149 kw) and 210 lb.-ft. (285 Nm) of torque in a smooth, durable package with low cost of ownership.

Similar thinking lies behind the new 3800 Series III V-6 for the 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix. GM's 3800 V-6 is to V-6 engines as the original Chevrolet small block is to the V-8; based on "numbers produced" and on its enduring value and functionality, the 3800 is the most significant V-6 ever designed. The new Series III enhances the 3800's reputation as a competitive, contemporary engine, with output, efficiency and emissions levels that meet or beat overhead-cam engines.

Objectives for the Series III were driven by the customer: improve quality, performance and flexibility; reduce noise, vibration and harshness as well as cost of ownership; and deliver contemporary, high-tech features such as electronic throttle control. These were achieved without reducing fuel economy or increasing unit cost, all the while preparing the 3800 Series III for a near-zero emissions standard mandated for 2005. Bottom line: The Series III enhances what was already one of GM's highest-rated engines in both brand value and customer satisfaction.

The supercharged 3800 Series III SC in the Grand Prix GTP is fitted with the most-sophisticated supercharging technology available: the segment-exclusive Eaton Gen V supercharger. The supercharger operates at considerably higher efficiency than its predecessors. It gives the 2004 Grand Prix class-leading output and acceleration, with the overall "driveability" sport sedan and coupe buyers expect over a broad rpm range.

Heavy duty
Innovative engines such at the Vortec 2800 and 3500 will help GM retain its position at the top of the truck sales chart. Yet its powertrain leadership is not reserved for mid-size pickups.

With significant changes throughout, the 2004 Duramax 6600 6.6L turbo-diesel V-8 will continue to be assembled at GM Powertrain's joint-venture DMAX engine plant in Moraine, Ohio. Those heavy-duty pickup buyers who prefer gasoline power can choose the Vortec 8100 - GM's legendary big block. Measured by both horsepower and torque, the Vortec 8100 beats its V-10 competition, and it's validated to 200,000 miles of service. The high-output Vortec 6000 gives Cadillac's Escalade and EXT class-leading power in the luxury SUV market.

Fuel-saving technologies
GM's innovative Displacement on Demand cylinder-deactivation technology will debut in calendar 2004 on the 2005 GMC Envoy XL and Envoy XUV, and Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT. The system will provide about 8 percent fuel-efficiency improvement on the U.S. federal government's required testing procedure.

Displacement on Demand stems from a simple premise: most truck owners have more power than they need most of the time. Many choose powerful V-8 engines to be prepared for the occasional heavy load, but during routine commuting or in heavy traffic, that powerful engine operates at a fraction of its capability. Volumetric efficiency is impaired, and that means less-than-optimal fuel mileage.

Displacement on Demand offers a common-sense solution. It saves fuel by using only half of the engine's cylinders during most driving conditions, and seamlessly reactivates the other cylinders when the driver demands full power for acceleration or load hauling. Managed by the powertrain control module (PCM), Displacement on Demand automatically shuts down every second cylinder, according to firing order, during light-load operation. In engineering terms, this allows the working cylinders to achieve better thermal, volumetric and mechanical efficiency by reducing heat loss, combustion loss and friction, and lowering cyclical combustion variation from cylinder to cylinder. As a result, Displacement on Demand provides better fuel economy and lower operating costs.

Displacement on Demand harnesses the engine's existing capabilities, starting with the potential designed into the PCM. The only extra mechanical components required by Displacement on Demand are special valve lifters for cylinders that are deactivated, designed with a spring-loaded locking pin actuated by oil pressure. While it will be introduced on Envoy XL, Envoy XUV and TrailBlazer EXT, the system will be extended in subsequent model years to all Vortec V-8s and some high-value V-6s. By 2008, more than 2 million vehicles will be equipped with Displacement on Demand. The potential fuel savings is measured in millions of gallons annually.

Even before the arrival of Displacement on Demand next year, GM Powertrain will offer innovative fuel-saving technology in trucks. Hybrid FlexPower models of the 2004 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500s, which go into production for fleet and commercial customers in October, promise a 10 percent to 15 percent improvement in fuel economy and a significant reduction in emissions. These pickups will use the Vortec 5300 V-8 and Hydra-Matic 4L60-E four-speed automatic transmission coupled with new propulsion technology.

A key contributor to the FlexPower's fuel efficiency is its ability to automatically stop and restart the engine under different operating circumstances. Instead of a conventional starter motor and alternator, FlexPower pickups use a compact 14-kw electric induction motor or starter-generator integrated in a patented, space-efficient design between the engine and transmission. The starter-generator provides fast, quiet starting power and allows automatic engine stops and starts to conserve fuel. It also generates electrical current to charge the batteries and provides coast-down regenerative braking to improve fuel economy.

As it has with Displacement on Demand, GM Powertrain has taken a very thorough approach to developing the FlexPower hybrids. They deliver the same high-output - 295 hp (220 kw), 330 lb.-ft. (447 Nm) - as other Vortec 5300s, and perform as well as their regular gasoline-engine counterparts. Finally, FlexPower trucks are essentially mobile power-generating stations, with outlets to operate high-draw tools and other electrically powered equipment when the vehicle is parked.

Alternative fuels
Beyond advanced technologies like FlexPower and Displacement on Demand, more conventional alternative-fuel engines remain an important part of GM's 2004 powertrain product catalog.

The Vortec 5300 was the first V-8 to bring flex-fuel capability to the full-size sport-utility market. Standard in the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL, this engine can operate on fuel that contains up to 85 percent ethanol with no decrease in performance. The CNG Vortec 6000 operates on compressed natural gas.

At the other end of the size scale, a natural-gas version of the Ecotec 2.2L is offered in the Chevrolet Cavalier. This bi-fuel four-cylinder operates on either compressed natural gas (CNG) or gasoline. CNG is the primary fuel. If pressure in the CNG storage tank drops below a prescribed level, the engine automatically and seamlessly switches to gasoline operation. This, by the way, is the same basic engine that - tweaked for racing and powered by nitromethane - produces more than 1,000 horsepower in the front-drive Cavalier drag racer.

High performance
GM Powertrain's high-performance credentials extend from the racetrack to the street.

Powered by the new Northstar 4.6L V-8 VVT, the Cadillac XLR beats the standard Mercedes-Benz SL - long the benchmark for luxury roadsters - in 0-60 and the quarter mile. The XLR goes from 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) in 5.9 seconds, completes the quarter mile (0.4 km) in 14.5 seconds and has a top speed of 155 mph (249 km/h) - the voluntary limit supported by most high-performance automobile manufacturers.

The 2004 Saturn ION Red Line will bring similar performance to the opposite end of the sporty-car spectrum. Its high-performance Ecotec 2.0L inline-4 is part of complete package that includes suspension tuning and improved brakes, aimed at the youthful front-drive hotrod crowd. Equipped with an Eaton helical Roots supercharger, an air-to-water intercooler and high-flow intake and exhaust manifolds, the Ecotec Red Line will produce an estimated 100 hp (75 kw) per liter of displacement, and a class-leading estimated 100 lb.-ft. (136 Nm) of torque per liter. And as a part of the Ecotec family, it's exceptionally durable. Its high-strength pistons are cooled by oil jets.

The fun doesn't end there. The LS1 and LS6 Corvette V-8s - engines that introduced leading-edge technologies to the grand tradition of the Chevrolet small block, starting with all-aluminum construction, a thermoplastic intake manifold and drive-by-wire electronic throttle - have both found a second home.

Working closely with GM's new Performance Division, GM Powertrain engineers have developed the 5.7L LS6 for application in Cadillac's highly successful CTS sedan. With GM's most powerful passenger-car engine (and one of the world's best sports-car engines), and specially developed engine mounts for Cadillac-style idle smoothness, the resulting CTS-V delivers exceptional performance that meets or beats the best luxury-performance sedans from Europe and Japan by virtually any measure, including those from BMW's M division - long the benchmark producer of luxury sport-sedans. The CTS-V easily tops the M3, its direct competitor from BMW, delivering 77 more peak horsepower (57 kw), according to published figures. Indeed, the CTS-V beats the considerably more expensive BMW M5 in both horsepower and torque - all with the muscular American flair that only a cam-in-block V-8 can provide.

The reborn Pontiac GTO will be powered by the GM Powertrain's award-winning 5.7L LS1 V-8. Like the Corvette LS1, the GTO variant features a cast-aluminum engine block and cylinder heads and a thermoplastic intake manifold. It delivers off-the-line launch characteristics appropriate to a muscular coupe of the GTO's heritage.

Transmissions
The new Hydra-Matic 5L50-E five-speed automatic transmission, developed to manage the high torque generated by the Northstar 4.6L V-8 VVT, is one of the most technically sophisticated transmissions anywhere. Its unique torque-tube and rear-mount location in the Cadillac XLR gives the roadster perfect 50-50 weight distribution for outstanding balance and handling. The 5L50-E also gives drivers the ability to override normal automatic gear selection for more control during aggressive driving. Driver Shift Control (DSC) switches from automatic to clutchless manual shifting with a flick of the gear selector, allowing up- or downshifts with a quick tap on the lever.

Such quality and performance isn't limited to high-end nameplates. In the Saturn ION, GM Powertrain brings a sophisticated five-speed automatic transaxle to the value-priced subcompact class. In addition, both the Saturn ION and VUE offer the advanced VTi variable transmission. The VTi allows the engine to operate more efficiently than a traditional step-ratio automatic transmission, achieving virtually the same fuel economy as a manual transmission, as well as excellent acceleration and hill-climbing performance.

Advanced control electronics
Besides advanced technologies such as Displacement on Demand, GM Powertrain's expertise in electronic controls provides a number of features that make life easier. Coolant-loss protection on many engines allows those engines to operate at reduced power even with a complete loss of engine coolant, in turn allowing the driver to reach a safe location for service. Oil-level sensors obviate the need to check the oil, while GM's Oil Life System remains the industry standard.

Most oil change indicators work according to a predetermined mileage interval, which in turn is based on the oil's anticipated life under some generalized operating cycle. Systems that rely on light-sensing devices add cost and can't account for certain oil-degradation characteristics. With the Oil Life System, the PCM records cumulative data on a number of variables, including engine rpm, temperature, load or rpm variance and length of operation at any given load and temperature. Using this information, the system calculates oil degradation and recommends an oil change when the oil is near the end of its useful life - in other words, when an oil change is actually needed.

Breadth, depth and value
Consider the range: four-, five-, six- and eight-cylinder engines displacing from 2.2L to more than 8L; five- and six-speed manual transmissions, four- and five-speed step ratio and continuously variable automatics for front- and rear-drive application; dual-range four-wheel drive and fully automatic, full-time all-wheel drive; and leadership in marine and industrial engine applications.

GM Powertrain's lineup of engine, transmissions and drive systems is second to none, and this diversity indeed reflects an underlying plan to meet customer needs and market demands in quick, cost-effective fashion - core thinking that is allowing GM to keep and expand its leadership.

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GM of Canada Communications
Phil Kling
Phone: 905-644-1804
Fax: 905-644-3873
E-mail: phil.kling@gm.com

GM de Mexico Communications
Juan Bernardo Urrutia
Phone: 011(5255) 5901-3046
E-mail: juanbernardo.urrutia@gm.com