Late last month, we covered the possibility that General Motors’ 2.8L Duramax diesel LWN powerplant would disappear from the North American Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon lineup following the sale of GM’s production facility in Rayong, Thailand. However, GM now tells us that it will have a continued supply of the diesel engine in the future.
“We have appropriate measures in place to ensure continued supply of 2.8L diesel engines for global vehicles,” said GM International Director of Communications, George Svigos, in a written statement to GM Authority.
The 2.8L Duramax diesel LWN engine is offered in the North American-market Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickup trucks, as well as the Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vans. It is also used in the international-market Chevrolet Colorado/S10 pickup and Chevrolet Trailblazer SUV (previously called the Holden Colorado 7) where it’s called XLD28.
However, GM Authority has learned that North American vehicles equipped with the 2.8L Duramax diesel LWN engine will have late availability for the 2021 model year, launching after initial units of the 2021 model year vehicles become available.
Initial speculation that the 2.8L Duramax diesel engine would fall by the wayside in North American Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickup models originally stemmed from changes to General Motors’ international operations. As reported previously, GM is set to withdraw the Chevrolet brand from Thailand by the end of the year, which includes an end to manufacturing operations in the country with the sale of it’s production facility in Rayong.
The facility produces global-variants of the Chevrolet Colorado and Chevrolet Trailblazer, while also manufacturing the 2.8L Duramax diesel LWN engine, which is offered in the North American Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon.
The 2.8L Duramax diesel engine option is a major differentiator for these two trucks in the highly competitive U.S. midsize truck segment, with the Jeep Gladiator being the only segment rival to offer a diesel powerplant. The Gladiator is set to offer diesel power by the end of the year.
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Comments
So where will the engines come from???
They have already put V8s in the Colorado in the past, so the 3.0 I6 can fit, even if they have to modify the next gen Colorado, which of course will be modified because it’s the next generation. The 2.8 I4 production I believe they are talking about is probably an over production ment to last them the next 2 years of the current Colorado. Besides, if they run out of 2.8 I4s for the Colorado, it’s not like it’s the most popular engine anyway. I believe that 2 years is enough time to find a way to get the 3.0 I6 to fit into the next generation Colorado. Also, I believe that the Colorado and Express should both have the 2.7 I4 and the 3.0 I6 by 2024 and the Express gets the bonus of the 6.6 V8.
Fitting a V8 in the Colorado is probably easier than the straight six though.
But I suppose if that were the goal (putting the 3.0L in the Colorado) then they could redesign it to fit.
It would almost make more sense to chop off a cylinder or two and build a smaller engine instead though, if they expected a lot of sales.
They’ll buy them from the new owner, they’re just selling the plant.
Does this also mean the next generation truck will continue with the diesel? 2.7T gas and 2.8 diesel sounds like a good lineup.
My vote is for the 3.0 Turbo Diesel, and the 3.2 Turbo Gas.
No way that super long 3.0 I-6 would fit in the Colorado. In the vans probably yes.
Probably even less space in the vans considering most of the engine is under the dash.
Ah, you’re probably right. Although they used to have the Duramax V-8 and even the bigblock 454 gas V-8 way back when. But I guess there’s probably still a big difference between a V-8 that is 4 cylinders long vs. 6 inline.
Pre emission is screwing up the cost to get a diesel anyways there getting way to expensive so unless you need it for towing why have it?
My ’17 Colorado Crew Cab/Longbed is my first diesel and I love it. 28.5 lifetime mpg over 40k miles. Good towing capabilities, great sounding exhaust note and very comfortable to drive, whether around town or on long trips. My other car is a Porsche 911 turbo which is exciting as heck but raises my blood pressure and risks my arrest every time I drive it. I love my Colorado diesel and would buy another if this one ever wears out.
Here is the deal. Present emissions are very expensive and repressive and it will only get worse. Light Diesel will be getting more and more expensive.
Note heavier trucks have a little more room to work.
The I six is not coming as it is too long and too tall. The next gen truck will be a second gen of what we have now so don’t expect a larger engine.
There was a reason Ford did not bring a Diesel. These are reasons others have not offered the Diesels.
Diesels are great engines but the EPA and CARB have done all they can to kill them.
GM has tried 6 ways to Sunday to offer them in smaller form and still make money with them but too few people buy or care.
The 2.8 did the best but it still was not even close to being 1/3 the sales.
The whole idea of the mid size truck is to offer something smaller than the larger trucks with better mpg and able to be priced cheaper than the full size.
The mid size truck is in a narrow price range as As you get too cheap you have a crappy truck and if you get too expensive many dart to the same priced full size.
I think GM bailed on the small diesel plant since they killed off most global sales. For all they sell here they can just buy what they need. If GM was still selling it global keeping the plant would work but that is not what happened.
Ford also didn’t go with a diesel because their little diesels (1/2 ton) suck! “Ha Ha Ha!” My opinion is Real mature of my I know! My opinion is Dodge and GM have better diesel technology. My 2018 Colorado diesel has over 60k on it and averaged over 26mpg in its lifetime with no problems to date. I drive a lot and appreciate the mpg but know better to race a new Ford Ranger between 40 and 60 MPH. But I’m ok with that! The initial reviews of the new Ranger gas turbos showed very disappointing gas mileage for a modern midsize truck.
“continued supply of 2.8L diesel engines”, by not mentioning the Duramax 2.8L, can mean any other diesel engine with 2.8 liter displacement.
The 3.0D and the 2.7L gas engine are both built on the same global engine platform. I would suspect that when the Canyon / Colorado go through their next platform change, they’ll get a diesel, probably 2.0D 4-cyl, based on that same global platform. There are already plants in the GM manufacturing universe building a 2.0D from the same global platform. The 3.0D is more than likely a little bit too much club for what will likely be a more mass efficient next gen mid-sized truck and the 2.0D is in its current form similar in hp and torque to the current 2.8D.
I hope you’re right about the next Colorado being a little smaller or lighter, if that’s what you meant. I’d be interested in it more if there were actually some advantage to not just going full size.
If that twin turbo 2.0 diesel is from the CSS engine family then it could work. 210 hp and 354 lb-ft tq compared to the 2.8 duramax with 190 hp and 369 tq.
Only problem I see is GM sold off their Turin facility in Italy that had developed those diesels. GM would have to handle the development work in the US for use in the Colorado, that’s if it hasn’t been done already.
The other option GM might have, if supply becomes an issue, are the Isuzu diesels they’re already using in the Isuzu dmax trucks. While it would mean certifying them in the USA, it should be fairly simple as the development is done and they already meet high standards.
A nice modern 4JJ3 from Isuzu in an American pickup sounds great to me, along with their excellent Aisin transmissions.
I find it hard to believe that a 3.0L inline six engine won’t fit under the hood of the GMC Canyon / Chevrolet Colorado when the 2002-2009 midsize GMC Envoy/ Chev Trailblazer had a 4.2L inline six
The Trailblazer platform was specifically built to fit the inline 6. Both generations of the Colorado were based on global platforms that were really made for 4cyls. That’s why the first gen Colorado had the 5 cyl since the 6 cyl couldn’t fit.
The reason Ford didn’t want to bring the ranger back was because they make so much more profit selling F150s. They didn’t want anything taking sales away from there profit leader.
On the flip side the only reason Ford is selling a Ranger is because GM was selling so many Mid sized Col/Can trucks.
I really took a hate on for Ford because of this. As an owner of 4 rangers in a row, I took this decision to stop selling rangers as a way to rip off people that needed a truck…….
Even though Ford brought back the ranger I bought a Colorado Diesel.
Here in Canada we have as much tax on gas as the price of gas alone.. So we pay on approx twice what you pay in the states.
In the past the best I got with a ranger was around 20 mpg. The new ranger may get 24.
My Colorado gets in the low 30s. This is extremely impressive.
But
Since GM sold the plant and will have to out source the 2.8 I will not buy another. What quality short cuts will the new owners be making?
And
They will never put the 3.0 in a Mid size truck. That would bite deeply into there full sized money maker trucks. Like Ford, GM makes BIG profits on full sized trucks.
Problem is I don’t want a full sized truck.
Around here they don’t even make parking spaces for full sized trucks.
Also be aware…….
Once they get a handle on this pandemic fuel prices are going to rebound and climb to the point where most people will not be able to afford to put fuel in there full sized truck…….
And
Now that you Americans have a pro anti climate change President at the helm YOU are going to get the same high tax’s we in Canada already suffer from. Carbon tax is coming to America……….
It’s unfortunate that the American Automobile industry is so slow to see the inevitable future of large vehicles……
What I don’t understand is why there is a hate on diesel.
I thought today’s diesel with all the after treatment was cleaner than a gas engine and capable of much better mileage.
Yes electric is coming.
But if we all decided to make our next vehicle electric the power grid would not be able to supply the demand.
More Nuclear Reactors?
I think the future would be safer burning fossil fuel.
Until we can find a way to deal with spent uranium, and keep it out of the hands of the religious 3rd world bent on the destruction of America, more waste uranium is the last thing we need….
Rob
Fascinating story. Is the Duramax 2.8 litre Diesel still being produced? More importantly, is it still available for North American customers? Maybe not everyone needs or wants a diesel engine for their truck or SUV. But I’m sure there are people who do, and need some way to keep the engine. And the more engines sold in the USA, the better.
I have the lwn in my zr2. I love this truck. I think its my favorite GM product I’ve owned. Mileage is fantastic, it pulls my 21 seadoo challenger boat, no problem. A 4 x4 quad fits in the bed. It rides and handles great on and off road. It’s easy to park. Its the type of truck has only what you need and nothing you don’t. The general public doesn’t realize how good this truck is.
I’m glad to hear that. I regret that I’ve never driven either a Colorado or a Canyon with the Duramax. I like the idea of a small displacement (between 2.0 litre and 3.0 litre) turbo diesel engine. The problem I’ve heard of people having is not having a place to properly service and maintain the engine. Think about it; what good is offering a good quality product if you’re not going to offer a means to keep it running? I’ve heard of many cars being offered in the USA over the years, and for some reason, they weren’t on the market for very long before being discontinued. For some of them, the reason is obvious, while others, the reason is not so obvious.
I did like the 2.8 MiniMax in my Colorado, but for whatever reason, it never did live up to the MPG levels many report. Even on a 400 mile trip the best I got was 26.7. With the prospect of the eventual and inevitable failure of the DPF, plus GM closing the engine plant and not committing to production elsewhere, I said goodbye.
I consider it a damn tragedy that they would close down shop. I’d say good riddance. Why should we rely on Thailand to produce anything we use? Why not have Australia, Germany, Japan, the USA, or possibly Canada, produce the “MiniMax” 2.8 litre diesel engine?
That’s not bad fuel economy. If one gets better than 26 mpgs, great! But depending on how you use the truck, that may be the best mileage you might expect.
I can think of many vehicles that would benefit from a Duramax 2.8 litre or 3.0 litre Turbo Diesel engine.
Just because the Duramax LWN Turbo Diesel will no longer be produced for the US market, I would hope that parts will still be available in order to maintain the engine and drivetrain.