On the Dash:
- GM Defense delivered Patriot missile parts to Lockheed Martin 22 days after signing its contract.
- The redesigned 2027 Silverado and Sierra add new 5.7-liter and 6.6-liter V-8 engines.
- V-8s make up most Silverado and Sierra sales as NHTSA probes GM’s current 6.2-liter engine.
General Motors (GM) heads into the fourth quarter making moves on two fronts, from Patriot missile parts to new pickup V-8s.
GM Defense, the automaker’s military unit, delivered the missile parts 22 days after signing its contract, Lockheed Martin said Thursday. The same day, GM detailed two new V-8s for its redesigned 2027 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500. Both moves come as GM looks for revenue beyond EVs.
GM Defense beats the clock on Patriot parts
While GM Defense signed a formal contract with Lockheed on Aug. 6, its first batch of housing components for the PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptor arrived Aug. 28. According to Lockheed, parts like these can take months to years to produce.
The contract designates the automaker as a second source for Patriot missile housings, alongside General Dynamics, according to The Wall Street Journal. Additionally, CEO Mary Barra informed analysts this summer that she anticipates $700 million in defense revenue for the year. The Journal also said the Pentagon has instructed Lockheed to more than triple Patriot missile production by the end of 2030. Ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have depleted U.S. munitions supplies.
New V-8s headline GM’s 2027 half-ton trucks
Separately, GM’s new 5.7-liter V-8 makes 402 horsepower, and the 6.6-liter makes 481 horsepower. The automaker says the larger engine is the most powerful naturally aspirated V-8 in the segment, and both will arrive in the redesigned trucks later this year.
The lineup also includes an upgraded 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and a carryover 3.0-liter Duramax diesel. With the 5.7-liter V-8, the Silverado tows up to 13,700 pounds. The automaker said it began developing the new V-8s in 2018, years before the Trump administration moved to remove the $7,500 federal EV incentive.
Notably, V-8s make up 55% of Silverado 1500 sales this year and roughly 61% of Sierra 1500 sales. CNBC also reported that Ram is bringing back its Hemi V-8 after sales suffered without it. Ford is expanding V-8 availability for 2027.
Nonetheless, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is also investigating repeated failures in GM’s current 6.2-liter V-8. The failures continued even after a recall. GM said it’s cooperating and is confident the new engines won’t have similar problems.
