Attack of the Triples!

[ERTW]

GM 1.0L turbo sidi

General Motors Europe ... at the 2013 Frankfurt International Motor Show (Sept. 10-22) ... will unveil its 1.0-L, three-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine. ... It's a modular design which, in 1.0-L form, will deliver 84.6 kW (113.4 hp) and 166 N·m (122 lb·ft) from 1800 to 4700 rpm

[...]

the 1.0-L is the initial member of a modular family of three- and four-cylinder units ranging up to 1.6-L, a portfolio that mirrors Ford's EcoBoost family.

[...]

Fuel consumption is claimed to be some 20% better than that of the 1.6-L naturally aspirated engine used in the company’s Astra models.

[...]

During bench testing at WOT, the new triple demonstrates lower noise levels across the rpm range than similarly powerful gasoline turbos up to 1.6-L, GME engineers claim. Because of this, the level of additional in-car sound insulation is significantly reduced, and complex engine mountings and subframes are not required.

Full article: http://www.sae.org/mags/sve/event/12380

[ERTW]

Ford's turbo triple:

(Admin edit: this post was identical to the first post... pasting mistake?)

[MetroMPG]

Hi, ERTW -

Thanks for posting those.

BUT - we can get in trouble on copyright grounds for copy/pasting entire articles from other sites.

Best to just quote a portion of the article in question and a link to the source -- considered "fair use".

And you're of course welcome to describe the contents of the article in your own words.

I'll fix up those two posts now.

[pgfpro]

Nice find!!!

It looks like this is the direction all the manufacturers are heading. Small CI SIDI turbocharge engines.

[roosterk0031]

Seems like the prefect combo, small engine with a (than lighter & cheaper than hybrid) power adder to make it perform as we desire 1/2 to 5% of the time and get great mpg the rest of the time. Though a AWD with gas FWD and electric RWD assist could be good where AWD in wanted (Ford bring the ecosport to the states)

[ERTW]

Sorry Metro! As I'm an SAE member, l'm not always sure when l'm seeing exclusive material.

This is the link l have for the Ford triple: Downspeeding, stratified charge will be keys to Ford

Ford’s objectives for the Advanced GTDI program are to demonstrate 25% fuel-economy improvement in a midsize sedan using a downsized, advanced gasoline turbocharged direct injection (GTDI) engine with no or limited degradation in vehicle level metrics, and to demonstrate the vehicle is capable of meeting Tier 2 Bin 2 emissions on the FTP-75 cycle.

Curtis believes a 30-40% BTE improvement in gasoline engines “is possible at moderate cost.”

Stratified charge, cooled EGR, advanced aftertreatment

Current turbo engine's downfall is ultra rich at high loads - to protect the engine - severely deteriorates fuel economy. That's why they're looking into lean burn - more like a diesel. HCCI is the next logical step.

[euromodder]

It must be a triple conspiracy

VW - or the VAG rather- have also put a triple 1L engine in the up - and its half-sisters the Seat Mii and Skoda CitiGo ...yes, that makes them triplets !

Overview : Engines : Which model : Up : New : Volkswagen UK

No turbo on the VAG 1L, so it only makes 60 or 75 HP

In the CNG version, based on the 75HP version, it only has 50kW /68 HP and a mere 90 Nm of torque.

[ERTW]

Oops. wrong one My plasma TV doesn't have the clarity of my old monitor...or l need glasses.

FordFord’s new 1.0-L EcoBoost I3 is big on low-friction technology

Here's another:
Fewer cylinders, more gear ratios, in-house innovation pace Ford

Here's a little insight l got from a leader at a large Tier 1 supplier - One of the OEM's has a 30 bar (BMEP) turbo 3 cylinder prototype in a mid-size luxury vehicle that performs like a V6 and gets over 30 mpg highway. For reference, a typical naturally aspirated engine has 11-12 bar bmep, and turbos are around 20 bar.

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by ERTW

Sorry Metro! As I'm an SAE member, l'm not always sure when l'm seeing exclusive material.

Not a problem - thanks for understanding!

Of course, as the GM piece points out, the Euro market is going to see these things first, where there's more consumer acceptance of smaller displacement and fewer cylinders than on this side of the ditch. And even though they frequently talk about substituting a 3 in place of a 4 with no loss of performance, I suspect the performance of the Euro 4 is likely already less than the typical North American would be happy with.

I've read plenty of reviews from the Old World about the new ~75 hp triple in the Mitsu Mirage that writers describe as "nippy" or "sprightly". I don't expect to see any similar adjectives from reviewers on this side of the pond.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Too bad we probably won't be getting this beauty in Brazil, altough 1.0L engines pay less taxes than bigger ones.