General Motors Co. will spend $483-million and add 483 jobs building current- and next-generation Ecotec four-cylinder engines at its powertrain complex in Spring Hill, Tenn., according to GM North America President Mark Reuss.
The additional work would bring to almost $2.9 billion the amount of new U.S. investment and 7,417 jobs that GM has created or retained in 20 U.S. plants since emerging from bankruptcy in July 2009. Employees to fill these positions will be recalled from layoff in accordance with the United Auto Workers-GM National Labor agreement.
"The engines made in Spring Hill will drive the success of GM to meet our customer demands for advanced powertrains which offer high fuel economy without sacrificing performance," Reuss said.
The spending announced includes $23 million that would add 30 hourly jobs to increase production beginning in the first quarter of 2011 of the current-generation Ecotec engine used in popular products like the Chevrolet Equinox, Buick LaCrosse, and GMC Terrain.
Currently, the Spring Hill Powertrain Plant produces three variants of the Ecotec engine: The award-winning Ecotec 2.4L with direct injection (DI) is found in the Equinox, Terrain, LaCrosse, Buick Regal, Chevrolet Captiva (Mexico), and Daewoo Alpheon (Korea). The Ecotec 2.0L DI Turbo is used in models of the Opel Insignia (Europe), Buick LaCrosse (China), and Regal. The Ecotec 2.4L Multiport Fuel Injection engines are shipped to Korea for the Captiva and Antara.
The bulk of the investment -- $460 million and 453 hourly and salaried jobs – is planned for the next-generation Ecotec engines.