!NEW! GM Powertrain Europe creating additional jobs and bringing more high-tech equipment to Turin

Dan Ammann, General Motors President visits GMPT-E site, celebrating 10th anniversary

To mark the 10th anniversary of the foundation of GM Powertrain Europe Turin, GM President Dan Ammann (right) visited the engineering site and announced plans to strengthen the collaboration with the Politecnico di Torino. He was welcomed by Pierpaolo Antonioli, GMPT-E Managing Director.

To mark the 10th anniversary of the foundation of GM Powertrain Europe Turin, GM President Dan Ammann visited the engineering site and announced plans to strengthen the collaboration with the Politecnico di Torino, further expanding the engineering development center.

The letter of intent signed today with the Politecnico and the Regione Piemonte reinforces the research collaboration with the university through the growth of projects carried out by Politecnico and GMPT-E Turin as well as a project for the expansion of the area of GMPT-E in the campus of Politecnico named “Cittadella Politecnica”. The new area will measure approximately 2,500 square meters and construction is expected to start at the beginning of 2016. This new building will be fully dedicated to highly specialized labs, offices and powerful computational machines.

GM Powertrain Europe Turin announced plans to strengthen the collaboration with the Politechnico di Torino. From left: GMPT-E Managing Director Pierpaolo Antonioli, GM President Dan Ammann, Vice President Global Powertrain Dan Nicholson and Vice President Powertrain Europe Christian Müller.

Founded in 2005, GM Powertrain Europe is the center of innovation and development for diesel engines and related electronic control of GM globally and designs propulsion systems for Opel/Vauxhall, Chevrolet, and other GM brands. From design to the study of virtual components or tests on the engine benches – everything takes place in the laboratories and test cells of GM Powertrain Europe in Turin.

The site has grown rapidly since its foundation a decade ago: from a temporary office in 2005 to a state-of-the-art facility in the Politecnico campus. The workforce has also grown from the initial 60 people to approximately 650, expressing a highly qualified and international employment with more than 15 nationalities represented, mostly engineers. In 2015, GM plans to create an additional 60 jobs.  

With its state-of-the-art equipment, GM Powertrain Europe Turin represents a strategic asset for GM globally. In Europe, the engineering center provides Opel vehicles with premium diesel technology, like the 1.6 CDTI engine, the quietest diesel in its class that has earned the nickname ‘Whisper Diesel’.

In North America, GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado will be equipped with the new 2.8 liter diesel engine starting from the second half of 2015. These will be the only diesel in the midsize segment, promising excellent fuel economy and torque for maximum towing capability. Diesel engines of the future which are designed in Turin all share common characteristics: high-tech solutions offering moderate fuel consumption and CO2 emissions also thanks to the control system that is completely developed in-house.

“The Turin engineering center and our entire team here plays an important role in our efforts to lead the industry in product and technology” said Ammann. “The team has developed world-class modern diesel engines providing our customers with outstanding performance and efficiency in a fun-to-drive experience.”

“The growth of GMPT-E has demonstrated the importance of the relationship between the industry and the academia. A full generation of young and brilliant engineers took the opportunity to build their future and their career in one of the largest automotive companies. Their energy and strength helped GM to develop a solid diesel line up,” added Pierpaolo Antonioli, GMPT-E Managing Director.