GM Spending $854 Million to Build New Small-Block V-8

GM might be pushing hard into electrification, but it's not done with internal combustion yet. Last week, the company announced an $854 million investment into a variety of its plants to build the sixth-generation small-block V-8. It's the first confirmation that GM is working on a new small-block, though the company isn't yet releasing any technical details on the engine.

Of the $854 million, $579 million will go to GM's Flint engine plant, which will machine blocks, cranks, and heads, and assemble the complete unit; $216 million will go to the Bay City, Michigan plant, which will build camshafts and connecting rods, and machine blocks and heads; $47 million will go to the Defiance, Ohio plant, which will make block castings; and finally, $12 million will go to the Rochester, NY plant, which will build intake manifolds and fuel rails.

The Chevrolet small-block V-8 dates back to 1954, with the current, fifth-generation debuting in 2013. Along with Stellantis' Hemi and Ford's Godzilla truck engine, the small-block is the only surviving overhead-valve V-8 sold in new cars today. (All three manufacturers offer pushrod V-8 crate engines as well.) Currently, you can find small blocks in GM's lineup of full-size trucks and SUVs, plus the Camaro, Corvette, and Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing.