DI Northstar or new DOHC V8 engine?

[Northstar]

Well, with the recent press release about the 3.6L HF V6 w/DI, discussion arose about what GM would do with the Northstar. If the same percentage gains are made on the Northstar as on the 3.6L HF V6, the Northstar would deliever approximately 370HP and 340 lb-ft without any other modifications. I'm sure with a few more tweaks it could be up to 380HP and 350 lb-ft.

So, if a DI Northstar made 380/350, does everyone think this would be sufficient or should GM develop a new DOHC V8 for Cadillacs and Buicks?

[VenSeattle]

I think 380hp is perfectly fine, but I wish GM would develop multiple variations... a 4.3l V8 with 340hp & a 5.0l V8 with 400hp+ would be perfect in my eyes. Let the V12 be 6.0 or higher with 500+.

[Sixty8panther]

Agreed Ven, but more importantly Cadillac has to produce

a ture to life SIXTEEN, that is the one sure way to show

the world Gm is going to clean house and make Cadillac

the TRUE standard of the world again.

The SIXTEEN if it reaches production will make Bentleys &

R.R.s look like Ford Crown Vics by comparison. At that

point Caddy will be competing more with Maybach & even

Bugatti than Lexus & Benz... at least in perception.

[Northstar]

Sixty8 - While I agree a Sixteen would be sweet, right now Cadillac needs to focus on making the STS and SRX best-in-class and competitive against the competition from across the pond.

[evok]

The targets are not that high!

[CaddyXLR-V]

Some say the STS is watered down, what would that make the Sixteen? Melted? I'd rather see Simon Cox's version make production. Was the V12 put on hold from GMs financial crisis? And the V10 for the trucks? Last I heard was they were coming, but that was a few years ago.

[Casket Demon]

I know the V-10 was killed,because the V-8's could make the same amount of power with better mileage.

[Northstar]

The targets are not that high!

350HP at least? I would assume that DI would add at least 10% more power on the Northstar if it adds 15% more on the HF V6s. A 10% increase would be about 350hp.

[loki]

how about pulling the olds 4.0L out of storage, and updating it w/....~310 hp

and have something closer to 5.0L making ~390hp

[76ChevyTrucker]

How about we forget the DOHC engines and go back to the good, reliable long-standing engines, the 305, 350, and 454, with even bigger 502, and 572 for the V-series cars? (by the way I'm partially kidding and partially not, I'm tired of OHC vehicles)

[Northstar]

How about we forget the DOHC engines and go back to the good, reliable long-standing engines, the 305, 350, and 454, with even bigger 502, and 572 for the V-series cars?  (by the way I'm partially kidding and partially not, I'm tired of OHC vehicles)

While I think the LSx engines are plenty refined, the rules in the luxury ballpark nowadays require you to bring DOHC engines to the ballpark in your "mainstream" luxury cars (non-V-Series). Trucks such as the Escalade line are fine with OHV engines, and the CTS-V is fine with the LS2/LS6 since it's so refined.

[76ChevyTrucker]

I know that they are North, but I've been seeing more and more starting to break parts (although that's becuase everyone is slowly but surely going OHC).

[aldw]

While I think the LSx engines are plenty refined, the rules in the luxury ballpark nowadays require you to bring DOHC engines to the ballpark in your "mainstream" luxury cars (non-V-Series). Trucks such as the Escalade line are fine with OHV engines, and the CTS-V is fine with the LS2/LS6 since it's so refined.

DOHC is also need for High performance lux, otherwise it is no more than a hickmobile.

Edited June 22, 2006 by aldw

[thegriffon]

If the new fwd V8 is more compact than the Northstar, then I can see the rwd version going away rather quickly as well. More space is always good, especially with future pedestrian-safety rules requiring increased crumple zones to protect pedestrians from hard points under the bonnet.

[evok]

If the new fwd V8 is more compact than the Northstar, then I can see the rwd version going away rather quickly as well. More space is always good, especially with future pedestrian-safety rules requiring increased crumple zones to protect pedestrians from hard points under the bonnet.

The UV8 for all practical terms is the NS. It is my understanding that what was the UV8 a few years ago is not what is being refered to the UV8 today. For such limited volume it seems GM decided to pull a NG-360 with the UV8 about 2 years ago now.

[razoredge]

seems to me GM needs to engineer a DOHC V8 that is not a mechanical liability, something that can have simple repairs done without pulling the drivetrain out of the car first, then stripping threads, then requireing "tread kits". N* is over ten years old now and this short fall is well known, not good for residual values, not good for reputation and we have seen the results of the reputation thing

I still favor my idea of a new V8 in even smaller displacements w/DOD and forgetting the V6 altogether........why fight nature

[76ChevyTrucker]

All right, comparitevly speaking here, the Northstar engine seems to have done very well in its over ten year span of running, we all know it has problems, but in today's market for the newest, shiniest thing, I wouldn't mind seeing the Northstar as an engine moved into Buick, and into rear wheel drive applications and give Caddy a completely knew DOHC engine based upon what they learned from the Northstar and using the most advanced technology on it possible to make it a real class killer.