GM joins hands with SAIC Motor to reduce the number of engine series

On October 12, 2011, GM announced that it will join hands with China SAIC Group in the next few years to jointly develop the Ecotec series of small-displacement engines, while integrating the existing engine series into the same series.

It is reported that GM will collaborate with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation SAIC, Shanghai General Motors SGM, and Pan Asia Automotive Technology Center PATAC to design and develop the Ecotec series of engines that will cover three-cylinder and four-cylinder configurations with a displacement of 1.0 liters. Between 1.5 litres, lightweight design, direct fuel injection, turbocharged, alternative fuel technology, and improved NVH (noise, vibration, and acoustic shock roughness) characteristics, with better power quality and lower Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

In order to reduce the complexity of design and manufacturing, control costs and increase work efficiency and competitiveness, GM decided to integrate its product lineage of its engines and reduce the current three engine series to one.

Jim Federico, general manager of GM’s global small car and electric vehicle business, pointed out that although General Motors is working on electric vehicles, continuous improvement of internal combustion engines remains the most urgent task. The new engine is expected to begin production in the middle of the next decade, with an annual output of more than two million units, targeting GM’s application needs for different models of vehicles in various regions of the world.