May 12, 2026

In the recent Car & Driver subscriber newsletter, we read that GM has said their sixth-generation V-8 engine will be built in St. Catharines, Ontario, and two factories in the United States. We were surprised to learn this and wonder what the chances are that these new V-8 engines will be available for marine applications.

The Car & Driver article stated that GM says the St. Catharines factory is already getting ready for its new duties, with equipment arriving now and that the factory will continue to build the fifth-generation V-8 while retooling for the new engine. Along with the Tonawanda, New York and St. Catharines, Ontario factories, GM also plans to build the sixth-gen V-8s at Flint Engine Operations in Michigan. 

GM says this vast investment in engine manufacturing, (roughly $500-million in Ontario alone) will allow the company to meet the strong demand for its full-size trucks. While GM doesn’t break out sales by engine configuration, it sold 577,434 gas-powered Chevy Silverados and 348,222 gas-powered GMC Sierras in the U.S. last year, and a large percentage likely featured V-8s. That also doesn’t account for the over 315,000 full-size SUVs GM sold last year across three brands, with V-8s accounting for the majority of those sales as well.

General Motors is committed to V-8s. After announcing an $888 million investment in the Tonawanda Propulsion plant to build its next-generation small-block engine last year, the automotive giant is now deepening its dedication to eight cylinders.

The new V-8 engine will appear in the next-generation 2027 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra, as well as future versions of the Chevy Tahoe, Chevy Suburban, GMC Yukon, and Cadillac Escalade. GM is promising better performance alongside improved fuel efficiency.

It’s an encouraging story about the auto business in Canada and in V-8 engines in particular.

Andy Adams – Editor