Though it seemed like diesel light-duty pickups were the “in” thing just a few months ago, every truck manufacturer has no officially delayed introduction of their diesel powerplants now that GM has confirmed its 4.5-liter Duramax diesel is on hold until at after 2010.
GM is following in the footsteps of Ford, which put its F-150 diesel program on indefinite hold, Toyota, which said its diesel is a no-go for now, and Dodge, which has pushed its program back at until 2010.
“Due to capital constraints and the current economic climate, the 4.5-liter Duramax is on indefinite hold,†GM powertrain spokesperson Susan Garavaglia told PickupTrucks.com. “It’s not canceled. Should the situation change, we’re still very interested in adding this technology to our product portfolio.â€
GM has reached high development levels with its 4.5-liter diesel, as evidenced by the diesel 1500-series Silverado masquerading as a 2500 HD our spies spotted last year.
Garavaglia told the website that GM might consider licensing the motor to an external source.
“If it was a win-win for both parties, we could potentially outsource production (of the 4.5-liter V-8) to a third party,” she said.
Though enthusiasts have long cried for widespread availability in North America, it seems that few customers are actually buying the torquey, efficient vehicles due to the relatively high price at the pump.
