Got a project car? Has GM got an engine for you!
As Detroit's automakers swing back toward performance cars, they're also finding a thriving market for Detroit-style performance parts - and nothing says Detroit performance like a thundering V8. General Motors has ramped up a growing business with its GM Performance Parts group, and in recognition of the growing visibility of high performance in GM's product portfolio, the company has taken the group out from under the GM Goodwrench umbrella and given GMPP its own web presence at gmperformanceparts.com.
The first phase of the new website is up and running, with a handy "parts finder" tool for your engine project, and the "Engine Showcase," with details on all of GM's small-block, racing, LS and big-block crate motors, as well as an intriguing portfolio of Regular Production Option crate engines, like the 4.6-liter Northstar V8 from the Cadillac XLR and the supercharged 2-liter Ecotec four.
The best is yet to come - GM promises a very cool interactive feature called the Engine Configurator, which will let you select an engine, pick and choose various engine parts, and then run it on a virtual dyno, complete with horsepower and torque charts. Perfect for that fantasy hot rod project! New features will roll out in the coming months, with the Engine Configurator scheduled to go live in late September.
Worth a visit!
[Source: GM]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
felonious.monk 2:34PM (9/08/2006)
The market has always been there... GM being the dunces they are never paid any attention.
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bryanus 8:33PM (10/09/2006)
This is an amazingly designed site. The Flash is incredible.
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m 2:56PM (9/08/2006)
they have always had this but they just changed the site
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yeahright 2:56PM (9/08/2006)
Cool. Are they also going to market that nifty paint that automatically starts to peel off your GM car when it's still less than 5 years old?
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rwdmtparkingonly 2:57PM (9/08/2006)
Once the 260 HP Ecotec turbo hits the market there will be a fun new engine to drop in a Lotus 7 or Elise. The ariel atom already uses the SC version (http://www.arielatom.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=137&Itemid=30), but the turbo will be a lot better.
Judging from the retomods and hot rods that I've seen I can't really say that GM has failed to expolit the crate engine market, but making the information more accesable and marketing the regular production engines is a good move.
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Richard Warren 2:57PM (9/08/2006)
#1 GM has had a performance parts division for years. For many years performance driven folks were not interested in a factory "performance" engine. We used to make our own performance engines and it was much less expensive and you had some great local machine shops that could do the machine work if you were not up to it yourself and at a reasonable price. Doing it that way you got exactly what you wanted, not what someone else thought you wanted.
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Louis Duran 2:59PM (9/08/2006)
Quote from article:
"As Detroit's automakers swing back toward performance cars, they're also finding a thriving market for Detroit-style performance parts"
This seems like a brilliant move in the age of $3/gallon gas. More V8s and high performance vehicles just when oil prices are spiking. Is it any wonder that the big three are failing miserably?
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Noah 3:12PM (9/08/2006)
This isn't really news persay it's hardly a new product. Oh well, the new crate engine site is pretty hot, needs more details tho.
--Noah
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rwdmtparkingonly 3:15PM (9/08/2006)
Louis - The Ecotech turbo (which will probably be on this site soon) makes 260 hp and gets 31/22 hwy/city mpg, the Honda Civic Si makes under 200 hp and gets 32/23 mpg, and the 240 hp S2000 engine is significantly less efficient than the ecotec. Even the small block LS series you complain about is incredibly efficient compared to similar power, lower displacement competitors. GMs problems have a lot more to do with what's inside the interior than under the hood.
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Noah 3:16PM (9/08/2006)
Wow I honestly just responded to the picture, I didn't realize the article with it doesn't mention the 572 heh. Regardless the site is pretty slim on facts.
--Noah
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Den in IN 3:20PM (9/08/2006)
Gosh Louie, you must live under a rock if you haven't noticed all of the hot rods and resto-rods being built for boomers these days. Most have Chevy engines in them too.
None of these engines are developed new for this site, they are configured from groups of existing parts. A company would have to be moronic not to sell parts they already have to another market where they sell at a huge margin. Its called leveraging in the business world Louie.
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motorman 3:27PM (9/08/2006)
louis duran you must have missed the woodward ave cruise in detroit. 30,000+ cars with supped up crate engines burning hi test or even racing gas.
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DPC car videos 3:44PM (9/08/2006)
I think its not a bad idea to buy a 69 Camaro and stick one of these engines in there, nice and reliable.
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Corey W. 3:44PM (9/08/2006)
"The market has always been there... GM being the dunces they are never paid any attention."
- Dude, you sure you're posting on the right site? Autoblog is for people that know something about cars.
"This seems like a brilliant move in the age of $3/gallon gas. More V8s and high performance vehicles just when oil prices are spiking. Is it any wonder that the big three are failing miserably?"
- Get a grip, introduction of the Camaro, GT500 and Challenger don't really qualify as a big "swing" back towards performance cars. Now... take a deep breath and say.. Yes, I will understand that even with gas at #3/gal. people will exercise their God given right of choice to drive something else other than a Fit, Yaris or Prius.
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samuel 3:45PM (9/08/2006)
The rank stupidity of posters like #4 and #7 is just mind-boggling. What is it about this site that brings these ignorant worms out from their holes?
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Dr1v3r 4:03PM (9/08/2006)
Gag.
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KT 5:43PM (9/08/2006)
#15...they obviously aren't "car guys". Any dolt that brings up mpg in the chat about crate motors shows he's just a nimrod. I'm sure more than 50% of the readers here probably don't have a clue as to what a crate motor is.
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RJ 5:25PM (9/08/2006)
My '55 nomad has the ZZ4 crate engine. It was really nice to just buy a prebuilt engine that was ready to go. Cheap reliable power.
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William 6:39PM (9/08/2006)
If you are really power-hungry, check Mopar Performance. Daimler Chrysler's parts division has plenty of husky crate engines from 385 hp and 435 hp small blocks to 500 inch/500 hp big block wedges to hemis up to and including a 900+ hp version, not to mention the V-10. Forget GM - they play second fiddle.
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RJ 10:55AM (9/09/2006)
19. Well i dont htink you're gonna drop a Mopar engine into a Bel Air or Chevelle. You'd look like an idiot if you did that.
I saw a supercharged zz572 once, i cant imagine anything beating that. Im sure he had no less than 1000hp.
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