GM confirms V6 oiler for VE

GM HOLDEN is expected to release a turbo-diesel V6 option in the Commodore and Statesman/Caprice inside the next 18 months.

Co-developed by VM Motori in Italy, this is the global V6 diesel that will be fitted in a bevy of GM products in the next few years, from Opel through to GM truck-based vehicles including GMC and Hummer.

The first rollout for this engine is expected in 2009, with the Hummer H3 in line to be one of the first GM vehicles to employ the engine in Australia.

Group vice-president for GM Powertrain Thomas Stephens confirmed the Australian Holden-developed Zeta architecture has been engineered to take the new V6 diesel. “The V6 VMM diesel will package into the Zeta platform,” Mr Stephens said.

Furthermore, a massive 4.5-litre V8 diesel – producing at least 700Nm of torque in standard trim – is also on the way from GM, although it is headed for GMC trucks and Hummer vehicles only at this stage.