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GM cancels its future V8 program
By Yoann Besnard on 7 January 2008 | 
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GM has announced that it has cancelled a $300-million program to build a new V8 engine for its luxury models due to rising gas prices and tighter emission regulations. This is a surprising move for the American group as it shakes up the Cadillac's roadmap as there is now no successor to the V8 NorthStar expected to cease production in 2010. The company had announced last year that the new engine would be built in the Tonawanda factory by 2009.
Instead of a V8, the NorthStar will be replaced by turbocharged V6 petrol engines which deliver similar performance to a V8. As Cadillac spokesman Kevin Smith said in an interview with Automotive News, “the V6 become the predominant engine in sales on the (2008) STS because it’s so close in power to the V8”.
However this news doesn't mean it's the beginning of the end for the V8 engines. Indeed, GM still plans to build V8 units and will launch a new V8 4.5-litre petrol engine next year. Due to be featured on the pickup lineup and on the Hummer H2, the new V8 will reduce gas consumption by 25% and CO2 emissions by 13%.