GM investing $500 million in next-gen Ecotec engines

Building cars is expensive, and many of the priciest bits of technology driving research and development costs are wrapped up in the powertrain. Therefore it's not particularly surprising to hear that General Motors has just announced a $494 million investment to build the next generation of Ecotec engines.

The biggest chunk by far – to the tune of $425 million, to be exact, bringing along with it 470 new jobs – will go towards GM's Tonawanda, N.Y., engine plant, which is where the aforementioned Ecotec engines will be manufactured. The rest of it will be divided up between GM's plants in Defiance, Ohio ($59 million) and Bay City, Michigan ($10.5 million).

GM hasn't yet announced what new forms the Ecotec will take. At present, the four-cylinder powerplant is available in 2.0-, 2.2- and 2.4-liter sizes and comes standard in a wide range of products from The General, including the new Buick LaCrosse, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain in its 2.4-liter guise and fitted with direct injection and variable valve timing. Feel free to click on past the break for the complete press release.

[Source: General Motors]