FenwickHockey65's Great Thread of GM Knowledge

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

CAMI strike should be ending soon.

Just to add to that:

UNIFOR votes on the agreement Monday morning, possibly going back to work Monday night.

[JerTM]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

Why would it? GM doesn't have a V6 that they need to perpetually hype up to cover for the fact that its not quite as good as an otherwise similar V8.

These are halo cars. They are meant to sell the rest of the lineup, not themselves. In order to do that, they need to have some connection back to the brand they're supporting besides simply being sold through the same dealership.

All very valid points, but it has been suggested that a twin turbo 3.6L (lf3 or similar) is a possibility. As much as I love the v8's, there are more and more cars being built with smaller turbo engines. It makes some sense that they might try to sell us on the TT V6 as a "fuel efficient" alternative.

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by JerTM

All very valid points, but it has been suggested that a twin turbo 3.6L (lf3 or similar) is a possibility. As much as I love the v8's, there are more and more cars being built with smaller turbo engines. It makes some sense that they might try to sell us on the TT V6 as a "fuel efficient" alternative.

Who buys a 6 figure supercar with the slightest care about fuel economy?

[FenwickHockey65]

http://www.tfltruck.com/2017/10/46414/

T1XX details: 6.2L V8, revolutionary bed technology, large touchscreen infotainment.

[JerTM]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

Who buys a 6 figure supercar with the slightest care about fuel economy?

You missed my point. If you put a powerful v6 in the flagship it will eventually sway the public into believing it's good enough for their commuter too. Or at least that's the hope Ford has gone with their GT.

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by JerTM

You missed my point. If you put a powerful v6 in the flagship it will eventually sway the public into believing it's good enough for their commuter too. Or at least that's the hope Ford has gone with their GT.

You missed mine first.

Yes, the GT is all about promoting EcoBoast. But as I said ...

Why would it? GM doesn't have a V6 that they need to perpetually hype up to cover for the fact that its not quite as good as an otherwise similar V8.

These are halo cars. They are meant to sell the rest of the lineup, not themselves. In order to do that, they need to have some connection back to the brand they're supporting besides simply being sold through the same dealership.

They don't have a direct branded equivalent to EcoBoast. Yes, they use the same technology. But they don't call it anything, not like Ford does. You don't see anything close to 'The 2018 Chevy Cruze has EnviroPower under the hood'. Closest would be their EcoTec engines but they rarely use that name in advertising because there isn't really any particular meaning behind it.

So, if they were to put a turbo6 into this car how do they leverage it into sales of anything else? Say 'Hey, this Cadillac ATS uses the same engine technology as a Chevrolet!'? I don't think so.

If the powertrain is influenced by the marketing folks, it will be a Voltec series hybrid. Not only is it marketable, but it could be paired with an ridiculously powerful V8 and still be considered 'green' when it averages over 30 mpg (after factoring in a few miles of EV range of course). In turn, the Volt, Malibu Hybrid, and whatever else is incomming that uses this powertrain in part or in full gets a bit of a Corvette rub.

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

http://www.tfltruck.com/2017/10/46414/

T1XX details: 6.2L V8, revolutionary bed technology, large touchscreen infotainment.

Revolutionary bed technology?

I guess they're doing something other than a simple steel bed. Has to be something besides materials, because it won't be aluminum -not after they went after Ford for doing that. Carbon fibre has terrible impact resistance so that would be worse. I wouldn't consider bed-liners as standard equipment being 'revolutionary technology'. So it means that they're probably doing something, adding a previously unseen but very practical feature. And I have no idea what that could possibly be.

Either that, or somebody doesn't know what the term 'revolutionary' means.

[sherob]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

http://www.tfltruck.com/2017/10/46414/

T1XX details: 6.2L V8, revolutionary bed technology, large touchscreen infotainment.

Will the next generation truck have a tailgate that opens down or to the side?

Like my 2007 Honda Ridgeline?

[JerTM]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

You missed mine first.

Yes, the GT is all about promoting EcoBoast. But as I said ...

They don't have a direct branded equivalent to EcoBoast. Yes, they use the same technology. But they don't call it anything, not like Ford does. You don't see anything close to 'The 2018 Chevy Cruze has EnviroPower under the hood'. Closest would be their EcoTec engines but they rarely use that name in advertising because there isn't really any particular meaning behind it.

So, if they were to put a turbo6 into this car how do they leverage it into sales of anything else? Say 'Hey, this Cadillac ATS uses the same engine technology as a Chevrolet!'? I don't think so.

If the powertrain is influenced by the marketing folks, it will be a Voltec series hybrid. Not only is it marketable, but it could be paired with an ridiculously powerful V8 and still be considered 'green' when it averages over 30 mpg (after factoring in a few miles of EV range of course). In turn, the Volt, Malibu Hybrid, and whatever else is incomming that uses this powertrain in part or in full gets a bit of a Corvette rub.

So it's not possible they are setting up for future vehicles ?

[snizzle]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

Revolutionary bed technology?

I guess they're doing something other than a simple steel bed. Has to be something besides materials, because it won't be aluminum -not after they went after Ford for doing that. Carbon fibre has terrible impact resistance so that would be worse. I wouldn't consider bed-liners as standard equipment being 'revolutionary technology'. So it means that they're probably doing something, adding a previously unseen but very practical feature. And I have no idea what that could possibly be.

Either that, or somebody doesn't know what the term 'revolutionary' means.

I don't know if this is considered revolutionary, but this was "leaked" earlier in the year. Probably at least part of the equation.

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by JerTM

So it's not possible they are setting up for future vehicles ?

Of course its for future vehicles in addition to the current lineup. Again, I mentioned that in my post: ' ... and whatever else is incomming that uses this powertrain in part or in full ... '

But with 0 proof that have any intentions copying what Ford is doing with the Ecoboost brand (I'd call using the technology without branding it as anything for around a decade pretty clear proof), why assume that they'll start with a mid engined Corvette?

You might think that I'm focusing too much on the branding aspect of this ... but when the entire point is to sell lesser powertrains in cheaper cars, branding becomes the only part thats actually important. GM does not have any branding for downsized turbo'd DI'd VVT'd engines. None. They just build and sell them in small cars and crossovers. They simply don't care about calling it anything, like pretty much every other automaker in the world.

What they do care about is being seen as leaders in electrification. Thats where all the buzz is. Come out with a radical Corvette that can also run on electricity and you'll have every tech outlet covering it, not just the car mags.

[FenwickHockey65]

I've heard the words "composite bed" thrown around for the T1XX...

[xc_SS/RS]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

I've heard the words "composite bed" thrown around for the T1XX...

I know how well composite parts work on my R/C cars... that should hold up well in a truck bed

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by xc_SS/RS

I know how well composite parts work on my R/C cars... that should hold up well in a truck bed

There are tons of ways to do composites. Generally speaking, they're a combination of 2 material types. So while most people only think of carbon fibre and fibreglass, the possibilities are practically endless. Wood is a composite, so is reinforced concrete.

Some (most?) composites are awful in applications that are subject to repeated impact stresses. But thats probably due to using ceramics in them. A metal-polymer composite should do quite well against a dropped toolbox while still being quite strong and possibly lightweight. But I don't know of any such material that actually exists outside of a lab.