General Motors decided to take some time to explain the new 3.6 liter V6 engine they put in the 2012 Camaro and tell you how they managed to squeeze more power out of it while improving fuel efficiency.

The new V6 which features an all-new cylinder head makes nearly 330 hp and averages 30 mpg highway. Th main highlight of this engine is the exhaust manifold cylinder head which replaces a cast iron exhaust manifold, six bolts, a gasket and a heat shield and three bolts. It reduces the complexity and the weight by 13 lbs or 6 kg. What’s more the intake airflow is improved 7 percent with the use of larger intake valves (38.3 mm v. 36.9 mm), which are primarily responsible for an increase of 11 horsepower.

Lower emissions, narrower engine size and noise reduction round out the list of benefits for the new head design. With the catalytic converter closer to the engine exhaust point, the emissions reduction process begins sooner, resulting in lower emissions.  The new cylinder heads decrease the overall width of the engine by 4.6 inches (117 mm) for significantly more packaging space in the engine bay making underhood work easier. Due to less surface area, the new design contributes to a 1 decibel reduction in engine noise at idle.

“Reducing engine mass of this magnitude doesn’t happen often,” said Ameer Haider, GM assistant chief engineer for V6 engines. “Engineering usually looks for reduction in terms of grams not pounds. It’s just like removing a set of golf clubs from your car when you don’t need them – ultimately it saves fuel. When combined with other mass reductions, the customer will see better fuel economy over time with better performance.”

“The new, patented design benefits the customer in all the key areas without any tradeoffs, said Haider. “Emissions, performance, fuel economy, and noise all improve with the integrated exhaust manifold.”