As we recently reported, the 6.2 liter LT1 V8 – the potent 460 HP mill that powers the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray – has been ranked by Ward’s AutoWorld as one of the 10 best engines in the industry, for the second year in a row.
So how is the LT1-producing Tonawanda Engine Plant fairing with this first installment of the fifth-generation GM small block? According to Buffalo Business First, the factory is keeping quite busy. The LT1 is only one of two new powerplants that Tonawanda has been contracted to build, alongside the 2.0/2.5 liter Ecotec engines.
And rolling out two new assembly lines takes a lot of resources. In fact, these two products alone, awarded to the plant back in 2010, represent an $825 million investment. The plant employs a staff of 1,734 people, and in-total, Tonawanda has seen $2.3 billion in investments over the last decade.
But now, things are settling down, as the Tonawanda Engine Plant finds itself settling into a (comparatively) quiet, steady production pace. The plant isn’t anticipating any further, large developments in the near future. Said Plant Manager Steve Finch: “It’s kind of the first year in a long, long time that we’re in a steady state of operational basis, so we’re really looking forward to taking advantage of that, and making the operation as efficient as possible. That’s the big thing we’re looking for next year.”
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