Thailand Starts Duramax Production

General Motors Thailand Starts Production of U.S.-Bound 2.8L Duramax
New Engine Designed to Meet U.S., European Emissions Standards

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As soon as diesel enthusiasts heard about the availability of a turbodiesel in the next-generation Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon, interest was piqued. Although no official figures have been released, highway fuel economy is reportedly well into the 30s. Add 369 lb-ft of torque and more than 7,000 pounds of towing capacity, and you have a pretty compelling package. This highly anticipated truck moves one step closer to reality with the announcement that General Motors’ Rayong, Thailand, powertrain plant has started production of U.S.-bound 2.8L Duramax I-4 engines.

The 2.8L Duramax has been built in Thailand since 2011, and the second generation of the engine has been produced for Asian and Australian markets since 2013. The engine destined for the U.S. is based on the second generation and incorporates a number of refinements, including a water-cooled variable-geometry turbo, a high-pressure fuel system, and quieter operation. The addition of the U.S.-bound engines to Rayong helps the plant’s economies of scale. The U.S.-spec engine is tentatively rated at 181 hp, 16 hp less than the global version, but the same 369 lb-ft of torque. Official output and fuel economy figures will be released closer to the trucks’ on-sale date this fall.

Truck Trend

I would never have guessed that Thailand made things like this.

The world market Chevy Colorado has been made in Thailand since 2004.

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GM made a significant investment of USD 1.4 billion resulting in a manufacturing facility in Rayong, Thailand. Opened on August 3, 2000, GM Thailand’s Rayong facility is GM’s regional hub for vehicle production both for domestic sales and export under Chevrolet and Holden nameplates, celebrating its millionth vehicle built in February 2014.

In September 2011, GM opened a new USD 200 million state-of-the-art powertrain facility, celebrating the production of its 100,000th engine in June 2013. The powertrain facility is GM’s first diesel engine plant in the region and the first in the world to produce the all-new-family of Duramax four-cylinder diesel engines.

http://media.gm.com/media/th/en/chevrolet/company_info.html