Opel will commence production of a leading-edge 1.6-litre diesel four-cylinder at a plant in Hungary from the European spring (our autumn).
The new engine, which has been developed jointly by Opel engineers in Europe and GM in the USA, is claimed to offer class-leading refinement and will also comply with Euro 6 emissions legislation. Of all-alloy construction and featuring "closed-loop combustion control", the engine will be offered in various states of tune, with Opel citing 100kW and 320Nm for the initial production run. That's comparable to power and torque figures from current 2.0-litre engines, but posting fuel figures 10 per cent lower, according to the manufacturer. The new engine will replace current 1.7-litre and certain 2.0-litre engines powering different Opel models.
Deputy Chairman of the Opel Management Board, Dr Thomas Sedran, says the new engine is an important plank in the GM subsidiary's program to revitalise its engine range across the board.
“The comprehensive renewal of our powertrain portfolio continues at wide-open throttle,” said Dr Sedran, as quoted in a press release. “Our new 1.6-litre diesel will set benchmarks for refinement, performance and environmental compatibility. By the end of this year we will have launched three all-new generations of gasoline and diesel engines, as part of our roll-out of 23 new models and 13 new powertrains by 2016.”
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