GM Announces Two New Fuel Efficient Engines

Turin/Italy – General Motors Corp. will introduce, starting in 2009, two new engines with significant fuel efficiency gains for vehicles marketed in Europe and other regions. The announcement was made this week at a GM Powertrain Europe event showcasing its comprehensive line-up of advanced propulsion technologies currently under development.

The 1.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine will be used in vehicles worldwide starting in 2010. The 1.6-liter Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) turbocharged 4-cylinder engine will be introduced in the Opel Zafira in 2009. Both engines are new variants of GM’s existing engine families used globally.

“These new engines represent our ongoing approach to replace larger displacement engines with more compact, highly charged units for maximum performance and efficiency benefits,” says Dan Hancock, GM Powertrain Vice President, Global Engineering.

1.4-Liter Turbo

The 1.4-liter Turbo engine is a new addition to an engine family that ranges from 1.0 to 1.4-liter displacement. The engine will produce an estimated output ranging from 88 kW/120 hp to 104 kW/140 hp and torque values of 175 to 200 Nm. It will deliver an approximate 8 percent improvement in fuel consumption (compared to a higher displacement naturally aspirated engine with similar output) and will be EURO 5 compliant.Key features include a turbocharger integrated into the exhaust manifold, full variable valve timing, thermal management, flow-controlled oil pump, and a reinforced crankshaft and connecting rod.

The engine will be manufactured at the GM Powertrain assembly facility in Aspern, Austria.

1.6-Liter CNG Turbo

The 1.6-liter CNG Turbo is a new variant in the 1.6-liter engine family that includes a naturally aspirated gasoline unit and a CNG unit. The engine will generate an estimated output of 110 kW/150 hp and an estimated torque of 210 Nm. Key features include a turbocharger integrated into the exhaust manifold, an intake manifold with a gasoline and CNG fuel rail, and an oil cooler and piston cooling.