V-8 engines fading into the past as GM ramps up V-6 production

I exaggerate only slightly with the headline here, because V-8 engines will still be around for a long time to come. There will remain some demand for larger trucks well into the future, although the segment will be dramatically smaller than it has been in recent years. In mainstream cars however, the presence of V-8 engines will be increasingly uncommon. About six months ago, General Motors canceled plans for a new generation high feature V-8 to replace the Northstar currently used in many Cadillacs. The latest evidence of a shift away from V-8s is GM's plan to increase production of the high-feature V-6 by 59 percent.

The company will expand the engine plant in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico to increase production from 590,000 units a year to 940,000 annually. The next-generation version of the V-6 that is currently used in a variety of GM cars and crossovers will be more powerful and likely more efficient. The new versions will most likely be exclusively fitted with direct injection. The Ramos facility also produces 6 speed automatic transmissions which will be rolled to replace most of the current 4 speed applications.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub req'd]