Latest news with #V8Engines
Reuters
08-07-2025
- Automotive
- Reuters
Ben Sulayem says F1 could have V8 engines as soon as 2029
July 7 (Reuters) - Formula One could go back to using noisy V8 engines with fully sustainable fuel by 2029 at the earliest, according to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. The sport is entering a new engine era next season but the head of the governing body suggested last February that a return to the naturally-aspirated V8s or V10s was being considered after that. The V8 engines were last used in 2013, before the current 1.6-litre V6 units. "The current engine is so complicated, you have no idea, and it is costly," Ben Sulayem told reporters at the weekend's British Grand Prix. "R&D is reaching 200 million (dollars), and the engine is costing approximately 1.8 to 2.1, so if we go with a straight V8, let's see. "Many of the manufacturers produce V8s in their cars, so commercially it's correct. How much is it? You drop it. The target is more than 50% in everything." Ben Sulayem said the V8 engine would also have significant weight advantages and the sound would be welcomed by both nostalgic fans and the new generation. "To us, the V8 is happening. With the teams now, I'm very optimistic, happy about it. FOM (Formula One Management) are supportive, the teams are realising it is the right way," he said. "We need to do it soon... you need three years, so hopefully by 2029 we have something there, but the fuel is also very expensive, and we have to be very careful with that. Transmissions are very expensive." Ben Sulayem also spoke about the possibility of a Chinese team filling the final 12th slot, something he has mentioned before, and said he still felt the sport needed more cars rather than more races. "The time will come when we feel it is right to open an expression of interest," he said of filling the 12th slot. "We are not here to upset other teams. It won't be just go and do it for the sake of doing it. It has to be worth it for us. The team has to add value to sustaining the business of Formula One." General Motors' Cadillac brand is due to become the 11th team next season, a slot won after initial resistance from the other teams and Liberty Media-owned Formula One.
The Independent
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
F1 cars could be extremely loud again in just four years
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has proposed that Formula One could return to V8 or V10 engines as early as 2029, utilising fully sustainable fuel. The move away from the current 1.6-litre V6 units is suggested to reduce the high costs and complexity associated with their development and maintenance. Ben Sulayem highlighted that a return to V8s would offer significant commercial benefits, weight advantages, and a more appealing sound for fans. The FIA president also discussed expanding the grid, emphasising the need for more cars rather than more races, with a 12th slot potentially open for a new team. Any new entrant, such as a possible Chinese team, must genuinely add value and contribute to the sport's sustainability, following General Motors' Cadillac brand joining as the 11th team next season.
CNA
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- CNA
Ben Sulayem says F1 could have V8 engines as soon as 2029
Formula One could go back to using noisy V8 engines with fully sustainable fuel by 2029 at the earliest, according to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. The sport is entering a new engine era next season but the head of the governing body suggested last February that a return to the naturally-aspirated V8s or V10s was being considered after that. The V8 engines were last used in 2013, before the current 1.6-litre V6 units. "The current engine is so complicated, you have no idea, and it is costly," Ben Sulayem told reporters at the weekend's British Grand Prix. "R&D is reaching 200 million (dollars), and the engine is costing approximately 1.8 to 2.1, so if we go with a straight V8, let's see. "Many of the manufacturers produce V8s in their cars, so commercially it's correct. How much is it? You drop it. The target is more than 50 per cent in everything." Ben Sulayem said the V8 engine would also have significant weight advantages and the sound would be welcomed by both nostalgic fans and the new generation. "To us, the V8 is happening. With the teams now, I'm very optimistic, happy about it. FOM (Formula One Management) are supportive, the teams are realising it is the right way," he said. "We need to do it soon... you need three years, so hopefully by 2029 we have something there, but the fuel is also very expensive, and we have to be very careful with that. Transmissions are very expensive." Ben Sulayem also spoke about the possibility of a Chinese team filling the final 12th slot, something he has mentioned before, and said he still felt the sport needed more cars rather than more races. "The time will come when we feel it is right to open an expression of interest," he said of filling the 12th slot. "We are not here to upset other teams. It won't be just go and do it for the sake of doing it. It has to be worth it for us. The team has to add value to sustaining the business of Formula One." General Motors' Cadillac brand is due to become the 11th team next season, a slot won after initial resistance from the other teams and Liberty Media-owned Formula One.
Auto Blog
29-05-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Why GM is Investing Almost $1 Billion in Combustion Engines While Others Go Electric
It feels like just a few years ago, V8 engines were destined for an early extinction. But in the face of disappearing EV incentives and changing demands, more and more automakers, like GM, are sticking with combustion. V8s may be disappearing, but GM's apparently aren't going anywhere GM's been resolute, for the most part, on electrification. With the Silverado EV released and a mix of electric SUVs across the Chevy and Cadillac brands (Escalade iQ and Lyriq, Chevy Equinox and Blazer EV), the brand has committed harder than any other American automaker. That's not to say the automaker's commitment to internal combustion is gone, though. Tonawanda Propulsion, a GM-owned plant covering 190 acres and comprising three separate facilities, has received nearly $900 million in funding, securing over 850 jobs and production of GM's sixth-generation V8 engine. The 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe rolls off the line at GM's Arlington Assembly plant. A worker at GM's Bedford Casting Operations in Indiana Friday, Nov. 18, 2022. (Photo by AJ Mast for General Motors) The investment is a 'new chapter' for the plant, but it's also a change of direction for GM The investment is important to a lot of people. 'This investment marks an exciting new chapter for our plant,' said Tara Wasik, the plant's director. 'This is a testament to the hard work of the membership of Local 774,' said Raymond Jensen Jr. in an interview with local news. 'It's extremely important to the community, to the surrounding areas, and to New York State itself.' The impressive sum of $888 million will go towards new machinery, equipment, tools, and renovations as part of the more than $1.5 billion GM has invested in New York State in the last 15 years. It's also hardly the first time in recent memory that GM has extended the V8's lifespan. In 2023, GM invested $579 million in its Flint, Michigan production site. There, too, V8 production will continue to chug along. CEO Mary Barra addresses the gathering during the grand opening celebration at the GM Factory ZERO EV assembly plant. (Photo by Rob Widdis for General Motors) GM Oshawa Assembly Plant in Ontario, Canada However, it doesn't account for the $300 million commitment made two years ago in union negotiations to produce electric vehicles, specifically at Tonawanda. And it's not the first area where GM has had to pump the brakes on EV endorsements. The company has sold off its stake in a battery production facility to its partner, LG Energy. In other areas, GM has pushed back against California's 2035 plan to eliminate sales of gas-only vehicles, which is now, by the way, completely dead. On the other hand, GM pushed into the number two spot for April EV sales, capturing nearly 15% of EV sales. Getting mixed signals? Us too, but we blame the current political and economic climate, not necessarily GM. CEO Mary Barra emphasizes the importance of heritage and US jobs Outfitting the plant for V8 production is important for CEO Mary Barra, too. 'Our significant investments in GM's Tonawanda Propulsion plant show our commitment to strengthening American manufacturing and supporting jobs in the U.S.,' she said in a press release. She further emphasized the plant's importance to the brand, citing its 87 years of operation. The plant will finish production of GM's fifth-gen V8 before commencing work on the sixth-gen product. Final thoughts This $888 million investment marks the largest single investment GM has ever made in an engine-producing facility. The fact that it happens to make V8s is almost irrelevant; it implies the combustion engine at large still has several decades of work ahead of it. GM isn't faring poorly in the EV arena, either, so unlike other automakers that have rekindled V8 production, this isn't a crutch. GM's going where the money is, and that's just good business.
Wall Street Journal
28-05-2025
- Automotive
- Wall Street Journal
GM CEO Defends V8 Engine Plant Decision
General Motors CEO Mary Barra speaks at the WSJ Future of Everything event about reinvesting in V8 gasoline engines at its Tonawanda propulsion plant in Buffalo, N.Y.
