General Motors Co. says it will spend $890 million at five factories to upgrade its V-8 engines to make them more fuel efficient.

The automaker says the moves will preserve or create roughly 1,600 jobs at factories in Tonawanda, N.Y.; St. Catherines, Ontario; Bay City, Mich.; Bedford, Ind.; and Defiance, Ohio.

Spokesman Tom Wilkinson says the investments had been planned for a long time as GM tries to raise the fuel economy of its pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles and high-performance cars.

Factories in Tonawanda and St. Catherines will make the next generation V-8 engines with aluminum blocks and direct fuel injection, while the other plants will make components for the engines.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.