http://www.autoweek.com/article/2011...NEWS/110519982

GM said it will invest $204 million in that plant for production of a new eight-speed automatic transmission. The company didn't say what future vehicles would get the new transmission.

 

http://www.autoweek.com/article/2011...NEWS/110519942

Above link is different than OP's. Says they are doing it to meet more stringent expected fuel economy standards, and mentions competitors BMW and Mercedes Benz, but I think MB is a 7 speed and the BMW is a 6-spd DCT.

There is no mention of DCT for the GM 8 speed, which probably means conventional design with lockup torque converter, as would thus be more similar to what Lexus offers in the LS and IS-F. The 8-spd transmission in the Lexus IS-F shifts nearly as quick as the DCT in the BMW or the PDQ in the Porsche, but without the weight and reliability concerns. So it sounds like a mass market approach, probably applicable to the C7 but unlikely to satisfy those looking for a dual clutch automatic like the GTR, Ferrari, Porsche or BMW.

If the C7 is truly going to be all new, will they abandon the front engine, rear transmission layout? Perhaps a mid engine coupe shares more commonality with a FWD transaxle design.

While I can't answer, I believe the major change in the $230M upgrade to the Bowling Green facility will be the death knell to the composite body panel structure, and herald in an aluminum body monocoque.

My $0.02

 

BG gets $131 million. Items ID by Reuss as plant tooling, plant manufacturing equipment and plant upkeep/maintenance.

 

Runge_Kutta posted a while back about patents that GM got on 8 speed planetary transmissions. Perhaps they putting those to use. I don't recall if it specified if they automatic torque converter trans or clutched. Maybe he will.

 

As good as CF is, it is so expensive that even the new Lambo steered away from it. I was reading where Lambo developed a combination of plastic and aluminum combined/fused together for comparable strength and weight without the cost.

It is not used as a visible bare surface like CF is but IMO the all one color Z06 is a better looking car than the ZR1 is with its visible CF roof

 

What if the BG investment is not Corvette related?

 

I've listened to the tape of Reuss's speach and looked at the press release several times. The investment is specifically identified as enabling the plant to build the next generation Corvette as a world class competator to Porsche and Ferrari.

 

"build the next generation Corvette as a world class competator to Porsche and Ferrari."

The C7 would have to be a heck of a sport car to compete with either these worldclass cars. Both have DCT, AWD and turbo V8s. I do not think Chevrolet has gain the technology in the powertain, suspension and AWD to be able to compete with either of these brands. But they can take it one step at a time like they did with the CTS and begin showing results.

 

The ZR1 already competes with and beats most every model from Porsche and Ferrari. You have to go to their very latest releases to pull even or go ahead. If price is considered, neither one has a model even close. The ZR1 is the one first with the magnetic suspension, has great carbon ceramic brakes, and light weight. It makes more horsepower too without the turbos. It also out sells them. I guess I fail to understand why copying those other paths to performance is going to accomplish what it fails to do for Porsche and Ferrari in the U.S. Market. They will always have a higher performance car (at a price) because that's their niche, unlike GM which makes cars for a larger audience, and has a different agenda as a government owned entity.

The challenge for GM is not to try and match Germany, Italy and Japan feature for feature, a task it will surely lose. The challenge is to not screw up what they already do well, which is give competitive performance at a lower price point using the traditional methods, and satisfy the existing segment.

If GM tries to match technologies in areas they don't do well, and abandon the conventional hot rodding that got the Corvette where it is, it will be over. We'll be stuck with camaros, mustangs, and maybe the viper takes the top spot as America's iconic sports car. The Viper by the way, is another car that throughout its history has out matched the German and Italians with basic low tech performance.

 

Excellent post.

 

We don't know yet if the new transmission is DCT or torque converter equipped.

 

http://www.sae.org/mags/aei/power/9688


General Motors

"All roads are open," said Uwe Grebe, Executive Director, GM Powertrain Global Advanced Engineering. In addition to widespread use of transmissions with eight speeds or more, GM will continue with cylinder deactivation.

Company engineers will increase use of variable valve activation, engine downsizing and boosting—including two-stage turbocharging. It will also employ advanced combustion systems—particularly direct injection—for gasoline engines. Grebe did not exclude HCCI (homogeneous charge compression ignition), although other panelists said the light load region for this technology might be shrinking as a result of other changes.

Perhaps the GM vehicle technology introduction that garnered the most attention since the Chevrolet Volt has been the E-Assist for the 2012 Buick LaCrosse. Grebe explained it is a much higher-performance version of GM's BAS (belt alternator-starter) system, and said it increases fuel economy 25% over the conventional 2.4-L four-cylinder—from 19 mpg city/30 mpg highway to 25/37.

E-Assist has a 115-V lithium-ion battery pack (vs. 42-V nickel metal hydride for the previous BAS) and a 15-hp (11 kW)/79 lb·ft. (107 N·m) electric motor that provides increased acceleration assist and regenerative braking vs. the previous BAS. Because of the powerful motor, LaCrosse can use an aggressive deceleration-to-stop fuel cutoff strategy as well as idle stop-start.

GM also will deploy idle stop-start on conventional 12-V models, Grebe said.

Diesels are an important part of the picture for GM, Grebe noted. He said the company has advanced engineering programs under way for improvements in aftertreatment systems, fuel charging, and combustion—the latter including new fuel injectors, turbochargers, and exhaust gas recirculation.