# Is the new GM inline 5 a first for North American production vehicles? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 10, 2003, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-new-gm-inline-5-a-first-for-north-american-production-vehicles/180874 "2003-06-10T15:01:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-new-gm-inline-5-a-first-for-north-american-production-vehicles/180874/1 "2003-06-10T15:01:21Z")
GM is going to be producing a new engine for the upcoming Colorado, which is the replacement of the S-trucks. I know that other automakers have made 5 cylinder engines before (Audi, VW off the top of my head) but I am not aware of a North American mfg producing a 5 cylinder before. Is it a first? [Link](http://www.canadiandriver.com/news/020807-4.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-new-gm-inline-5-a-first-for-north-american-production-vehicles/180874/2 "2003-06-10T15:51:34Z")
Honda produced one too, used in the Vigor here in the States. I don’t recall a North American I-5 but I suspect one was produced way back when, in the earlier days of autos. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-new-gm-inline-5-a-first-for-north-american-production-vehicles/180874/3 "2003-06-10T21:56:54Z")
Uh, Ford does. At my plant in fact. Well, we don’t put them in vehicles, though. But the I4 version _does_ get used. They were building them back in April 2000 at least. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-new-gm-inline-5-a-first-for-north-american-production-vehicles/180874/4 "2003-06-10T23:12:06Z")
As I understand it, DaimlerChrysler manufactures an I5 turbodiesel for export Jeeps. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-new-gm-inline-5-a-first-for-north-american-production-vehicles/180874/5 "2003-06-10T23:22:05Z")
OK, you got me Balthisar: What does Ford do with engines other put them in vehicles? ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-new-gm-inline-5-a-first-for-north-american-production-vehicles/180874/6 "2003-06-10T23:34:10Z")
The only inline 5 that I am aware of are: VW/Audi (gas and diesel) Honda Volvo (again both a gas and diesel) Used in 850/S70/S60/XC90. ---
**Author:** ![njufoic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/278dde/32.png) [@njufoic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njufoic)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-new-gm-inline-5-a-first-for-north-american-production-vehicles/180874/7 "2003-06-10T23:38:11Z")
SmackFu- “What does Ford do with engines other put them in vehicles?” My guess is, they ship them overseas where someone else puts them in vehicles 🙂 -Andrew L ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-new-gm-inline-5-a-first-for-north-american-production-vehicles/180874/8 "2003-06-11T00:08:02Z")
Is the engine from Ford the one used by Volvo? If they do doesn’t that count as Ford using the engine? ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-new-gm-inline-5-a-first-for-north-american-production-vehicles/180874/9 "2003-06-11T02:02:26Z")
Well, the new engine plant was designed to make I4 and I5 engines on the same line – flexible automation and all that. They were intended for light trucks. I think the I4 goes into the Ranger, and the only I5’s go into prototype vehicles (that’s if they still run them). Since I don’t work in that department I don’t know _what_ else they would do with them. It’s highly possible it’s the same engine – just not the same plant – as the Volvo, since this line is supposedly a rubber-stamp duplicate of three or so others in the world. If you want to know about steel fuel tanks, I can definitely tell you what happens to those. 🙂