Anyone got any info about GM considering or actually thinking about building V10 engines.

from GMInsideNews.com:

GM Revved for New Aluminum V-10 Engine in 2007

General Motors Corp. is developing a V-10 gasoline engine for use in some of its biggest sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks and crossover vehicles starting in 2007, with both an all-aluminum version and an iron-block model planned, American Metal Market reported April 17, 2003.

The aluminum versions could enter the market with 210 pounds or more apiece of finished aluminum components, company sources said. The Detroit-based automaker doesn't currently build an engine with that much aluminum.

GM sources said the V-10s are intended for use in such vehicles as the Cadillac Escalade, an SUV, and the Escalade EXT, a sport utility truck with a cargo box at the rear. Those vehicles are available with V-8 engines only, as GM doesn't currently have a V-10 in its product line.

As power options in those vehicles, the big automaker figures the 10-cylinder units will attract more Cadillac buyers and enable the company to increase its share of the luxury truck market. As conceived, the V-10s are overhead-valve (OHV) units based on GM's existing 4.8- to 6.0-liter small-block V-8s.

The V-10 is a separate design from the Cadillac Cien V-12 concept engine introduced last year, a GM source said. That engine was based on the dual-overhead-cam Northstar V-8. The V-10 also is smaller, and considered to be more practical, than the OHV V-16 concept engine introduced early this year by GM in its experimental supercar, the Cadillac Sixteen.

The V-16 is not a viable candidate for production, GM sources said, but the DOHC V-12 is. However, the V-12, which is also all aluminum, is more likely to be used in cars than trucks and is not as close to production as the V-10, one GM source said.

Although GM's plans for the V-10 represent good news for the aluminum industry, they could get the big automaker into more trouble with energy conservationists and environmentalists.

GM recently took a position against any increase--even the modest uptick of 1.5 miles per gallon ordered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration--in federal fuel economy standards for light-duty trucks, saying, among other things, that an increase would cost the automaker too much money (AMM, March 10).

GM does intend to team the V-10s up with a new rear-wheel-drive six-speed automatic transmission, which will benefit the Cadillac models using the engines in the fuel economy area, company sources said. In addition, the V-10s probably will be equipped with fuel-saving features, such as GM's displacement-on-demand system and/or variable valve actuation.

Full Article Here -->http://www.aluminum.org/Template.cfm?Section=Home&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=5008

Does not specifically say that it will be in the Sierra/Silverado, but it may...

I have heard stories about an all-iron V-10 that is supposed to be under development for large pickups and the Topkick/Kodiak heavy trucks. The engine was supposed to be around 7 liters, and was not related to the LS-1 small blocks. It looks like at this point the GMT-900's will have some sort of V-10, replacing the big block. It will be interesting to see what they come up with. the other rumor that I have heard about the new trucks is that the heavy duty 4X4's may no longer use independant front suspension, but I don't know if I believe that one yet.

GM needs to do something to set the Escalade up a notch as it is nothing but a Chevrolet rebadged with one or two more bells and a whistle.

Why does GM want to lose the 8.1 for, if its for HP/TQ reasons, i think they could get a lot more numbers out of this engine, look, its got 496 Cubic Inches???Thats alot of motor. GM needs to up the numbers on the 5.3, the numbers compared to the ford 5.4 is not to good....

8100,

I agree..... the 8.1 has plenty of power, even stock. Why would they throw it away for a V10?

Very curious...

for emmisions, is why. something to do with the smaller bore and the burn char. of it that help emmisions. PLus 04 and on 8.1's are derated to 330hp, because of extra emmisions stuff.

I think the V10 is suppose to get better MPG too. :) The 8.1 chugs it.

I think the '04 8100's were rated a bit lower to allow them to get rid of the EGR valve.

I think the 8.1 is alread at the max power if you want to maintain long engine life. It's got such a long stroke that adding more compression is going to put a significant sideload on the pistons. Plus the fact that it really can't rev much over 4000 RPM really limits what can be done to this engine.

If they went to a 10 cylinder not only would the pistons be smaller for a cleaner burn, the stroke would be shorter as well. Then if you wanted to get crazy with the mods you could really rev that baby up and make some serious horsepower. As for torque which is why we by trucks, a little extra stroke wouldn't be out of the question.

But I do notice that all the newer engines by GM tend to have a longer stroke and smaller piston diameter. For emissions I imagine.

Peace.