Detroit, 21 March 2015: An all-new 3.6L V-6 engine debuts in the 2016 Cadillac CT6, setting benchmarks for efficiency, refinement and durability in the brand’s range-topping large luxury performance sedan.
The clean-sheet engine design is the fourth generation of GM’s acclaimed DOHC V-6 engine family and incorporates new features, including Active Fuel Management (cylinder deactivation) and stop/start technology to enhance fuel economy up to a General Motors’-estimated 9 percent when compared to the previous engine.
Noise-reducing features, including an all-new cam drive system, contribute to the new 3.6L being up to 4 dB quieter at idle and under low load driving conditions than the benchmark Infiniti 3.7L V-6.
It also advances performance and fuel economy-optimizing technologies introduced on previous generations, including direct injection and continuously variable valve timing. Output is SAE certified at 335 horsepower (250 kW) and 284 lb-ft of torque (385 Nm).
“This new 3.6L V-6 raises the bar for all naturally aspirated V-6 engines in the industry and perfectly augments the CT6’s new standard for sophistication,” said Ameer Haider, assistant chief engineer for V-6 engines. “It builds on the established strengths of previous Cadillac engines, pushing the technologies to new heights and introducing new ones that take performance, refinement and efficiency to benchmark levels.”
GM’s Active Fuel Management system temporarily deactivates two of the 3.6L’s cylinders in light-load driving conditions to enhance fuel efficiency and seamlessly reactivates them when the driver demands full power.
With an efficiency-enhancing stop/start system, the engine is shut down in certain driving conditions such as stop-and-go city driving to reduce fuel consumption, automatically restarting when the driver takes his or her foot off the brake pedal.
“The new 3.6L is designed to deliver peak performance, efficiency and refinement with maximum durability – and minimal maintenance,” said Haider. “Those attributes put it at the forefront of naturally aspirated V-6 engine offered in any luxury car around the world.”
An all-new Hydra-Matic 8L45 paddle-shift eight-speed automatic transmission is paired with the new 3.6L V-6 in the CT6, elevating the CT6’s driving experience with one of the luxury market’s smoothest, quietest and most efficient powertrain combinations.
In addition to the CT6, the 2016 Cadillac ATS and CTS will offer the all-new 3.6L, where they are expected to lead their respective segments in fuel economy and non-boosted V-6 power. Also, a new 3.0L twin-turbocharged engine based on the same architecture will be offered on the CT6.
