GM Spring Hill factory to build V8 engines

General Motors has announced plans to begin building V8 engines at its Spring Hill factory in Tennessee.

The company promises to spend $148 million to repurpose existing equipment and add new assembly equipment at the plant. The project is said to ‘retain’ approximately 200 jobs.

Once the changes have been implemented, the factory will begin building the small block 6.2-liter V8 used in the Chevrolet Silverado; GMC Sierra and Yukon variants; and the Cadillac Escalade. The Corvette-derived powerplant delivers 420 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque in the Sierra 1500, with a 21 mpg highway rating and 12,000 pounds of towing capacity.

Retooling is expected to begin immediately, with production scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter.

“Having flexible equipment and machining is allowing GM to add capacity in a timeframe faster than the typical two to three years required to add a new engine line,” the company notes.

The Spring Hill factory has received more than $1.35 billion in investments since 2010.