Now that Cadillac has shown the twin-turbo V6 in the Cadillac Ciel Concept, what do we know about this engine?
GM used a twin-turbo V6 in a SEMA concept in 2010. It had the same 425 hp that the Ciel claims. That engine was a direct injected 3.6L V6 with twin turbos. Now, the Ciel Concept is also a hybrid, but let’s focus on the gas side for now.
The turbochargers used for the SEMA Camaro were Turbonetics T-3 units. A custom air-to-air intercooler was used to reduce the temperature of the air on the way to the engine. The boost was set at 7 PSI.
The T-3 is actually one of the smallest turbo units that Turbonetics offers. A single T-3 is designed for engines under 2 liters, so a pair seem good for a 3.6L engine. I know there is always the urge to ‘go big or go home’, but for a turbo unit for street use the smaller the turbo the more responsive the boost.
The T-3 turbo is efficient for boost up to 22 PSI, so lots of runway there.
It would be a hard call for me to put a TT3.6L V6 into an upcoming Cadillac instead of an LS3 V8 or new 5th gen V8 once they arrive. The V8 would have more HP/torque and probably cost a lot less, take less labor to install, etc. It would also likely have similar MPG.
However, if the TT-V6 gets a few more MPG, and perhaps as importantly gives the impression to Buyers of being more efficient, it may be a better sale. People want performance and efficiency, and they believe that smaller engines are always more efficient. I think it depends on a lot of factors, including engine loading and overall packaging, but I recognize the advantage of selling the sizzle, not the steak. A smaller, more efficient engine with twin turbos brings a lot of sizzle.
Would you rather have a twin-turbo DI V6 in your next Cadillac or an LSx V8, everything else equal?