GM to produce 94,000 4.5 liter diesel engines a year

While Bob is hardly a fan of diesels, GM is planning for a high-volume production for the new 4.5-liter diesel engine that it will use in its light-duty trucks.

According to a source who has been briefed on the production of the diesel engine GM is planning to build 400 units a day when production kicks off in the summer of 2009. The engine will be built in GM”s Tonawanda, New York plant.

Automotive News did some digging and discovered that GM’s plant operates 235 days a year, which means the American giant will be building 94,000 units a year of the new 4.5 liter diesel engine.

The engine will first make its way under the HUMMER H2 SUV, followed by light-duty versions of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups. Word has it that it may also be used in GM”s full-sized SUVs like the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon.

Jim Minneker, the engine”s assistant chief engineer, previously told Automotive News that the 4.5-liter turbocharged diesel engine that GM plans to introduce in 2010 will have breakthrough technology in emissions and noise reduction. He said that the engine will use a urea injection system to control the amount of oxides of nitrogen.

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

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