by GM invests over half a billion dollars in new V8 production in Canada
General Motors has announced plans to produce its new generation of V8 engines at its plant in St. Catharines, Canada. The company is investing over half a billion dollars in modernizing this facility. The new family of “small block” engines will also be manufactured at plants in Michigan and New York.
Recently, General Motors introduced the sixth generation of “small block” V8 engines on the 2027 Corvette model. The new 6.7-liter V8 engine replaces the problematic 6.2-liter unit and will eventually appear in various other models, including full-size pickups and SUVs.
Preparation for the transition and new investments
The company has been preparing for this change for a long time, announcing significant investments at the Flint Engine Operations plant in Michigan and the Tonawanda Propulsion Plant in Buffalo, New York. Now, another facility is being added to this list — in Canada.
$504.9 million USD (691 million Canadian dollars) will be allocated to the St. Catharines Propulsion Plant in Ontario to support the production of new V8 engines. They will be used to “power GM’s highly demanded full-size pickups and SUVs.” This means the next generation of Chevrolet Silverado, Tahoe, and Suburban, as well as Cadillac Escalade, GMC Sierra, and Yukon will receive the new engines. Some of these pickups will be assembled at the neighboring Oshawa Assembly plant.
Equipment has already begun arriving at the plant, which will continue producing fifth-generation engines for the time being. However, in the future, it will gradually transition to manufacturing the new powertrain.
Investment details and future plans
The automaker is not disclosing all the details but stated that the funds will be used for “new equipment, machinery, and tooling, as well as significant facility repairs.” GM Canada President Jack Appal added:
This investment confirms that St. Catharines will play a key role in one of our core vehicle programs for years to come, and it reflects General Motors’ confidence in the St. Catharines team and their proud 74-year legacy of powering our most popular vehicles.
New engine characteristics
Returning to the engines, the unit for pickups and SUVs is expected to follow in the footsteps of the new LS6 installed in the Corvette. In the sports car, it develops 535 horsepower (399 kW / 542 PS) and 520 lb-ft (704 Nm) of torque.
Judging by the power increase in the Stingray model, we can expect an increase of approximately 40 hp (30 kW / 41 PS) and 50 lb-ft (68 Nm). This would mean that pickups and SUVs would receive roughly 460 hp (343 kW / 466 PS) and 510 lb-ft (691 Nm). A smaller displacement V8 engine and other variants can also be expected.
Thus, GM is not only addressing issues with the previous engine but also significantly expanding its production geography, involving the Canadian plant in manufacturing a key component for its most popular models. This indicates a long-term company strategy aimed at modernizing its internal combustion engine lineup, despite the overall trend toward electrification. The investment of over half a billion dollars underscores the importance of full-size pickups and SUVs for GM’s profitability and demonstrates the company’s commitment to increasing the power and reliability of its powertrains, which should positively impact the competitiveness of Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac models in the market.
