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GM to sink over $900M into 4 plants, mostly for a new V8

FLINT, Mich. — General Motors says it will spend more than $900 million to update four factories, with the bulk going to an engine plant in Flint, Michigan, to build the next-generation V8 for big pickup trucks and SUVs. Factories in Rochester, New York; Defiance, Ohio; and Bay City, Michigan, also will see investments, some to make V8 engine components as well as parts for future electric vehicles, the company said Friday. The investments won't create any new jobs, but they will preserve about 2,400 hourly and salaried positions positions at the four sites, the company said. The investments “provide job security at these plants for years to come,” Gerald Johnson, GM's manufacturing chief, said in a statement. Much of the money, $579 million, will go to Flint Engine Operations for equipment to build the sixth-generation small-block V8 that will go into the next round of big pickup trucks and SUVs. The plant now employs about 700 people who also will keep making their current product, a diesel engine used in light trucks. GM, like other automakers, is facing stricter government fuel economy standards and pollution limits starting in the 2024 model year. New vehicles sold in the U.S. will have to average at least 40 miles per gallon of gasoline in 2026, up from about 28 mpg, under new Biden administration rules that undo a rollback of standards enacted under former President Donald Trump. That means the new V8 will have to get better mileage and pollute less than the current versions. Although GM wouldn't release details on the new engine, Johnson said during a news conference at the Flint plant that it would be more efficient than the current version. GM has a goal of selling only electric passenger vehicles by 2035, but Johnson said that's a dozen years out, a period when many customers will still want gas engines. “We know that has a horizon,” he said. “Between here and there, there are a lot of internal combustion customers that we don't want to lose,” he said. In addition to Flint, GM's engine components plant in Bay City, Michigan, will get $216 million to build camshafts and connecting rods, and to machine engine blocks and heads for the new V8 being built in Flint. The plant now employs about 425. The Defiance, Ohio, foundry will get $55 million to build a variety of block castings for the new V8. Included is $8 million for castings to support future electric vehicles, the company said. The plant has about 530 employees.

Recharge Wrap-up: Lexus CT 200h is NWAPA's favorite hybrid, 'No Charge to Charge' in LA

The Northwest Automotive Press Association (NWAPA) has given the Lexus CT 200h its Favorite Hybrid title. It named the compact luxury hybrid its favorite of 2014 at its Drive Revolution in Portland (where it also named the new Volkswagen Golf TDI the Northwest Green Car of the Year). According to NWAPA president Nik Miles, the CT 200h earned the honor for "impressive combination of state-of-the-art small car luxury and hybrid technology." For 2014, the Lexus CT200h got an updated front end, including the spindle grille we've been seeing on new Lexus vehicles, plus a redesigned steering wheel and sliding sun visors. Read more in the press release below. Chevrolet credits the Malibu for helping make stop-start mainstream. Chevrolet started including stop-start technology standard in Malibus equipped with the four-cylinder engine. Chevy has sold about 83,000 of that model, so 97 percent of 2014 and 2015 Malibu sales include stop-start. Now, that technology has made its way into the 2015 Impala. With drivers idling an average of 16 minutes a day, stop-start can significantly reduce harmful emissions and save fuel. According to Navigant Research, we can expect annual sales of cars equipped with stop-start technology to surpass 55 million by 2022. Read more in the press release below. Nissan Leaf customers in Los Angeles will get access to free charging beginning August 15. Nissan is extending its "No Charge to Charge" promotion to LA, which will allow customers to charge at public charging stations at no cost. Leaf customers - including those who bought or leased their car from the participating dealerships on or after July 1 - will get an EZ-Charge card, allowing them to use ChargePoint, Blink, CarCharging, AeroVironment and NRG eVgo chargers for free. Rapid chargers can charge the Leaf's battery to 80 percent in 30 minutes. Nissan plans to offer the "No Charge to Charge" in at least 14 more markets in the US, bringing the total to 25, within the next year. See the press release below for more details. California will get six all-electric school buses for three school districts as part of a demonstration program. The California Energy Commission awarded a grant of $1.4 million for the program to National Strategies LLC; this is in addition to a $2.2-million grant from the South Coast Air Quality Management District. The EV buses use vehicle-to-grid technology, allowing them to sell energy back to the grid when it is needed.

2015 Callaway Corvette Z06 gets new supercharger, adds $17K to starting price

Callaway's proud tradition of modifying Chevrolets is about to add a very significant chapter this weekend, as the company prepares to unveil a modified version of the 2015 Corvette Z06. The engine mods are simple, though we expect them to be very potent. That's because Chevy has replaced the factory supercharger with a new "GenThree" unit that's nearly a third larger than what's bolted on in Bowling Green. A new intercooler is also added, along with a new high-flow intake system. Beyond that, the changes are exclusively of the subtle cosmetic variety. There's new badging inside and out, as well as new engine covers, floormats and an underhood plaque. Naturally, there's documentation to verify the Callaway Z06's authenticity, and the comfort that comes with a three-year, 36,000-mile warranty. Callaway has priced the upgrade package at $16,995, in addition to the price of the stock Z06. While we're still waiting to hear official power figures, that seems like a reasonable asking price for what were wagering will be a major increase in power. The Callaway Z06 will debut this weekend at the National Corvette Museum's C7 Bash in Bowling Green, KY. Expect more details following the debut. Scroll down for the official press release. Related Video: 2015 Callaway Corvette Z06 to Debut at National Corvette Museum The 2015 Callaway Corvette Z06 will debut at the National Corvette Museum C7 Bash in Bowling Green, Kentucky, April 23 through April 25. Here's a sneak peek at the new package. Based on Chevrolet's track-proven Z06, Callaway engineers' no-compromise approach takes this Corvette to an astounding power level. While advertised Callaway horsepower and torque are pending final validation, the Callaway package adds Callaway's new GenThree supercharger system with 32% more displacement than the stock Z06 supercharger, improved manifold design and unique triple-element intercooling system. Callaway engineers recognize that a key contributor to maximizing power is reduction of inlet air temperature. By exposing the supercharger's large plenum area to outside ambient airflow, the design takes advantage of the significant charge air temperature reduction provided by convective cooling. The completely redesigned intercooling system also helps maintain nearly ambient charge air temperature with exceptionally low air restriction.