In 1977, General Motors experienced blowback when Oldsmobile owners noticed that their “Rocket 350” engines were, in fact, Chevrolet blocks. Buick V6s powered seemingly everything. The Pontiac 403 were in the Oldsmobiles, and it seemed that only Cadillac was immune to the cross-breeding…right up until the LC4 4.1L V6 that was based on the Buick 231 was dropped into the DeVille lineup. Many decried the practice…competition, even within the company, bred quality traits across the board. Buicks were torque monsters. Pontiacs, especially under the watchful eye of Herb Adams, kept performance going long after everybody else turned a blind eye in favor of baroque styling, comfy interiors and tons of weight. Oldsmobile’s Rocket engines were legendary up until they got strangled half to death with emissions issues, but even in the dark times at least they were there. And Buick’s work with the V6 engines needs no long-winded explanation…between Jeeps and Grand Nationals, it’s the six-banger that could.
But that’s old thinking, right? Not the way business works anymore? Maybe not…you see, Cadillac has the “Blackwing”, a 4.2L twin-turbo V8 that has seen limited use in the CT6-V. 550 horsepower and 627 lbs/ft of torque in an engine that size has some promise, indeed…and you would think that other GM brands (cough-CHEVROLET-cough) would be looking at a spot to utilize it. However, when Motor Trend asked if cross-branding the Blackwing mill was a possibility, Steve Carlisle, the President of Cadillac, flatly stated, “Over my dead body.”
Hmm…now that’s interesting. And kind of refreshing, actually. Given the connections many are making between the upcoming C8 Corvette and Cadillac, thanks to a random photo of a keyfob with the Cadillac crest on it, you would think that the mid-engined machine would be a possible home for the Blackwing. Guess not. But it sounds like Chevrolet have their own beauties lined up for that car when it finally quits breaking itself apart and appears unveiled.
We think that this could actually work out in manufacturer’s favors. Lincoln could certainly stand to have another separation point from Ford, maybe in the smaller SUV/CUV markets, and it would make sense if Dodge kept the Hellcat/Redeye engines to themselves, though nobody is going to argue against a Jeep Grand Cherokee that can curb-stomp lesser machines like none other. What do you think…is Cadillac’s selfishness actually a refreshing return to the way it should be?
Olds 403’s were used in Pontiacs and Buick’s not the other way around.
In short, yes it refreshing. It’ll pass eventually, but we should celebrate every event that slows our universal progress toward soulless commuterboxes.
Brands already have their own engines and have had them for many years. You can’t get an AMG engine in a car not badged AMG. You can’t get an M engine in a car not badged M. Need I continue?
P.S. I used to own the only car Mercedes ever allowed an AMG engine in that was not badged Mercedes — Crossfire SRT6.
I’d love to own that car. See,they have it in them they just choose not to use it. The chassis really should be shared and utilized. Just put an LS motor in it as an Impala.
Ford and Chrysler
figured it out over 40 years before GM did
Yes and no. Remember that in the late ’60s/early ’70s GM had four different 350 engine families. No need to go there.
I would be happy if NASCAR would return to the rule of homogenizing and told manufacturers they had to race the engine they build or at least built at one time. Toyota never built a pushrod V8 but is allowed to race a purpose built pushrod race engine. Chevrolet followed with a non stock design by top teams and Ford had to follow to keep up. This is as stupid as saying the Ilmore Engineering engines built for Chevrolet years ago for CART racing were stock block engines.