According to reports, GM Powertrain plans to construct a new plant to produce high-performance engines for specialty vehicles. GM has not made an official announcement on the $10-million facility at Wixom, MI, due for a 2005 start-up, but a spokesman has told wire services that the blocks would be produced in low volumes. There are no other details on the engines, or the vehicles they will power.

There is speculation that GM plans to produce a 12-cylinder engine for high-power versions of its luxury vehicles. This would be consistent with the group’s 2002 statement that it would be offering a Cadillac model with a V-12 capable of 500 hp. Such a vehicle would be priced around $100,000, as GM aims to move the brand into a higher range of luxury performance cars.