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LFY V6 Will Debut In 2018 Buick Enclave, 2018 Chevrolet Traverse

The 3.6-liter LFX V6 was a pretty big deal for GM when it was introduced in the 2012 Camaro. Not only it is lighter than the LTT it replaces, but the N/A engine also features E85 capability.
2018 Buick Enclave, 2018 Chevrolet Traverse 24 photos
Photo: General Motors
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Then came the LGX for the 2016 model year, with applications that vary from the Cadillac ATS to the Chevrolet Camaro and crossover SUVs such as the GMC Acadia. In its top tune, it produces 335 hp (250 kW) at 6,800 rpm and 285 pound-feet (386 Nm) of torque at 5,300 rpm. The automaker’s High Feature V6 family, however, will welcome a new member by year's end.

As our friends at GM Authority point out, the 3.6-liter motor will be first seen in the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse and 2018 Buick Enclave. Essentially a minor development of the LFX, the biggest newity brought by the so-called LFY V6 is stop/start capability. “So you’re telling me General Motors updated an old engine instead of shoehorning the clean-sheet LGX under the hood?"

That would be a yes, and I’m not exactly sure why the automaker took this decision. Underpinned by General Motors' C1XX platform, both mid-size sport utility vehicles share their architecture with the GMC Acadia and Cadillac XT5. And curiously enough, the latter two utility vehicles boast LGX power.

And now, let’s talk numbers. With 305 horsepower (228 kW) at 6,800 rpm and 260 pound-feet (353 Nm) at 2,800 rpm, the 3.6L LFY is 5 hp and 11 lb-ft down on the LGX. However, torque is delivered lower down in the rev range. And in real-life scenarios, low-end oomph is just what a mid-sized SUV needs.

Slated to go on sale in the fall of 2017, the all-new Enclave is the first Buick to receive the Avenir premium treatment. The next-gen Traverse will roll into dealership lots in the fall as well, with the front-wheel-drive model expected to offer a GM-estimated fuel economy of 25 miles per gallon highway.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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