GM To Retire The 3800 Supercharged V6

[BuickPower3800]

GM is to retire Supercharged 3800 in the next year and ½. Its too bad because its of of the greatest motors of all time.

 

[MeanBuicks]

I believe they actually extended its life.

If I recall correctly, they had originally planned to kill that engine a couple years ago. It's like GM's own VW Beetle in a way. It and it's direct predecessors go back over 40 years to the early 60's. (Perhaps only the small block Chevy went longer?) The original Buick V6 was so ahead of it's time that it's popularily soon waned and GM sold the engine design off only to buy it back years later to prepare the division for the 70's downsizing automobile trend.

1976 saw the application of a turbocharger in the Indy Pace Car Century and the rest, as they say, is history. All good things must end but it would sure be nice if something worthy comes along to replace it. The entire Buick line (cars and engines) needs to be reinvented like Cadillac if they want to survive. I'm not alone in saying there isn't a single product they have or have had in the last number of years that I'd be willing to part with hard-earned cash for.

 

[jastrckl]

"Designed in Michigan but assembled by Bertone in Italy, the Buick Velite is powered by a 3.6-liter V6 with variable valve timing and twin intercooled turbos, making 400 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 400 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,200 rpm. A six-speed automatic transmission with tap-shift manual action drives the Velite’s handsome 21-inch rear wheels."

^ if they make that (rwd), then who needs to cry about the 3800 disappearing?

 

[MeanBuicks]

Yep, something like that could be Buick's hot ticket but why in the HE(double hockeysticks) does it need to be built in Italy!? Can't we do anything within our borders anymore?

 

[kshef]

the 3.8 is the best engine out there and could easily put down over 400lb/ft
there are no FWD applications that can handle the power output of the 3.8
the current grand prix is rated at only 280lb/ft....but make alot more, they just limit the output because GM doesnt have a FWD transmission that can handle it

GM needs to keep the 3.8, but get rid of FWD

 

[PEACHS]

GM

Gm needs to concentrate on catching up to Toyota, ford, and crysler. They need to offer cars with more horsepower and better fuel economy. I had an olds 88 with the 3800 NA and it was one of the best/most efficient engines i have ever owned.

 

[kshef]

we have a blown park avenue ultra that gets 30mpg on the highway
it has 240hp, which is less other comparable cars....BUT has the same or more torque than most
i like torque, the horsepower numbers car companies flashh around don't matter to me much

 

[BuickPower3800]

I hope Buick does make the Twin Turbo Velite. Time will tell.

 

[kshef]

as long as it has a turbo 3.8

 

[XLR8]

I think Buick has a good niche - it's just not the niche that we performance enthusiats like. You can't swing a dead cat in any retirement area - such as Sun City in Arizona - without hitting 2 or 3 Buicks - unfortuneatly they are Park Avenues and LaSabres.

 

[Bluto]

Don't think for a second the 3.8 has been forgotten by the FWD crowd.
There are 98-2003 Regal's laying down 11-12 sec passes and they are daily drivers. Not to mention the GTP's in the 10's.

My car is mildly...very mildly modded and I hit 13's.

Sure its not as good as a nice RWD GN, but this is my daily driver, and I am pleased with the balance of luxury, performance, and safty of a FWD car like the Regal.

Too bad they didn't release a 2004 RWD GN (as a 04 FWD GN was rumored). They could have shared the GTO platform but use the Turbo 3.8
mmmmmmmmmm........that would be very nice...............