"There is no V8 in existence that combines air-assisted direct injection gasoline, variable inlet systems, cam phasing and Displacement on Demand technology," said Indra, "especially in such a compact package."
The point of the clean-sheet approach to the XV8's design, said Indra, was to get around the problems associated with trying to apply new technologies to old engines. "This often results in compromises because you cannot bring the injector or spark plug in the best position or because you must rely on the existing valve angle, for example."
Indra said an existing engine "could not have worked for all this new technology because the whole combustion process is different between multipoint fuel injection and direct injection. We could only get the best results by designing the combustion chamber, and thus the whole engine, around the best position for the injector and the spark plug."
Along with the air-assisted direct-injection system, cylinder-deactiviation (which GM calls Displacement on Demand), two cams in-block with variable inlet valve timing and cam phasing, there's also the narrow 75-degree bank angle, active inlet manifold, twin oil pumps, and an integrated air compressor.
