GM Moves Ahead On Commitment To Build World's Best Powertrains

New V-12, V-6s, 6-Speed Automatic To Debut
Displacement on Demand fuel-saving technology expanded to V-6 engines

MILFORD, Mich., October 4, 2002 - GM Powertrain today announced it will bring a number of new engines, transmissions, and technologies to market in the next several years that will significantly improve the performance and fuel efficiency of GM vehicles worldwide.

GM plans to introduce a new efficient 4-cylinder diesel engine, new V-6 engine families, gas-sipping V-6s with Displacement on Demand cylinder deactivation technology, new smooth-shifting 6-speed rear-wheel-drive automatic transmissions, and a powerful V-12 engine. Thomas G. Stephens, group vice president of GM Powertrain, made the announcements today here at an international media briefing.

New powertrain products and technologies announced today include:

Powerful V-12 Engine
GM will begin producing an all-new V-12 engine - the first V-12 in GM's lineup in more than 60 years. The 7.5-liter V-12, with significantly more than 500 horsepower (373 kW), will debut in future Cadillac vehicles. V-12 applications could include several vehicles currently in or planned for the Cadillac lineup.

The all-aluminum V-12 will deliver aggressive performance with exceptionally smooth operation utilizing a high-output, dual overhead camshaft, and four-valve design, yet still meet the packaging requirements of a V-8.

"When you look at the luxury market and Cadillac's future portfolio, there is a need for ultra luxury," said Stephens. "One price of entry is an image engine such as a V-12, which will provide an excellent opportunity for Cadillac's future portfolio."

New Global V-6 Engine Family
GM will also launch an all-new high-feature family of dual overhead camshaft V-6 engines, with a displacement range capable of 2.8 liter to 3.8 liter. Using advanced technology features in a well-refined, high-performance package, the new V-6 engines are intended to satisfy powertrain requirements for premium and high-performance vehicles across the world's automotive markets. The first member of the new global

V-6 engine family to debut will be the 3.6-liter V-6. Producing 255 horsepower (190 kW) and 250 lb-ft of torque (339 Nm) (preliminary), the new V-6 delivers outstanding performance across an exceptionally wide segment of its powerband spectrum.

Incorporating variable intake and exhaust valve timing technology, the new V-6's control system phases each of the engine's four camshafts for optimum starting, idle, low rpm torque and high rpm power. This enables drivers to experience impressive drivability and power while producing lower emissions and achieving greater fuel efficiency.

Other features common to all engines in GM's new global V-6 engine family include all-aluminum construction, 4 valves per cylinder, roller-finger followers, electronic throttle control (ETC), durable forged steel crankshaft, special piston-cooling oil jets, coolant-loss protection software, GM's Oil Life Monitoring System, 32-bit microprocessor, coil on plug ignition and iridium spark plugs.

New OHV V-6 Engine
GM is also refining its overhead-valve V-6 engine family to include more displacements. The current engines, 2.5-liter to 3.4-liter, will be expanded to include displacements of up to 3.9-liter. The first new displacement, a 3.5-liter V-6, will debut in the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu. The engine offers improved performance and fuel efficiency, and runs smoother and quieter than earlier generation V-6 engines.

The 3500 V-6 features an advanced powertrain control module, improved fuel injection system, a redesigned exhaust manifold and a new catalytic converter contribute to reduced emissions, as well as improved efficiency and performance characteristics. Improvements in cooling, sealing and the accessory drive system add to the engine's overall quality, reliability and durability.

Fuel-saving Displacement on Demand technology for V-6s
As part of the improved overhead-valve V-6 family of engines, GM will be introducing its fuel-saving Displacement on Demand technology in the 2005 calendar year. GM announced its plans last year to introduce Displacement on Demand in its next-generation Vortec V-8 engines. When Displacement on Demand production begins in the V-8 and V-6 engines, the system will be featured in more than 2 million vehicles by 2008.

Displacement on Demand will help to increase fuel efficiency anywhere from U.S. federal testing estimated at 8 percent and up to a potential 20 percent for some customers in certain real world driving conditions.

"Extending this fuel-saving technology to our new V-6 engines is a perfect fit for the important family passenger car market," Stephens said. "With Displacement on Demand planned for family cars, light trucks, and sport utility vehicles, we're making our most popular vehicles sold in North America even more fuel efficient, and without any sacrifice in performance."

The Displacement on Demand V-6 will always start on six cylinders, and transition seamlessly from six-cylinder to three-cylinder operation under light load operating conditions in third and fourth gears. When added power is required, the deactivated cylinders re-engage in a fraction of a second, making the transition imperceptible to the driver.

New RWD 6-speed Hydra-Matic Transmission
Building on its strong heritage of transmission innovation, GM will introduce an all-new rear-wheel-drive family of Hydra-Matic 6-speed automatic transmissions beginning in the 2005 calendar year. The new 6-speeds, featuring multiple variants for GM cars and trucks, will provide performance improvements of about 4 percent to 7 percent and fuel economy improvements of about 1 percent to 4 percent.

Optimizing the flexibility and responsiveness of advanced microprocessor integration, the new 6-speed transmissions will feature a number of benefits such as an enhanced performance algorithm shift, clutch-to-clutch shifting, automatic grade braking, Driver Shift Control tap-up/tap-down operation, and an integrated center differential for full-time all-wheel capability.

GM Powertrain Small Displacement Performance Diesel
GM also showcased a new ECOTEC CDTI 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine to debut in 2003, the first product born of the Fiat-GM Powertrain joint venture in Europe and Latin America.

The 16-valve turbocharged diesel incorporates many advanced technologies including next-generation, multi-jet common rail fuel injection, four valves per cylinder and variable-geometry turbocharger. The 112-horsepower (84 kW) engine will meet Euro 4 emission limits and is engineered to reduce fuel consumption by 10 percent and achieve lower noise levels.

General Motors (NYSE:GM), the world's largest vehicle manufacturer, designs, builds, and markets cars and trucks worldwide, and has been the global automotive sales leader since 1931. GM employs about 355,000 people around the world. More information on GM can be found at http://www.gm.com.

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