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NEWS
Renault's twin-turbo diesel 1.6
New DCI 160 engine promises driveability of a 2.0-litre engine for 75 per cent of the consumptionRenault has today announced its new DCI 160 Twin Turbo engine, a powerplant displacing just 1.6 litres, but producing as much as 380Nm.
To put that in perspective, many 2.0-litre diesels in current passenger cars are good for around 320Nm. The powerplant is claimed by Renault to offer not only the performance of a significantly larger engine, but also gains in fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions worth roughly 25 per cent.
By adopting two turbochargers of varying size – long known to minimise turbo lag in petrol engines – Renault has been able to combine exceptional torque characteristics at low revs with relatively high power further up in the rev range. According to the manufacturer, the 'low inertia' turbocharger provides a means for the engine to develop 90 per cent of peak torque from 1500rpm. The second turbocharger takes over at higher revs, for a peak power figure of just under 120kW.
It's not only the sequential turbocharging set-up that enhances engine efficiency, it's also cooling and friction reduction technology worked out by Renault engineers for its F1 campaigns, the company asserts. A transverse water flow system cools the combustion chamber better, to use one example. And U-section piston rings that adapt to the cylinder walls in different temperatures and under different pressures ensure optimum friction for the prevailing environment.
A further friction countermeasure is a DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) coating for the cam followers. The fuel injectors operate at 1800 bar and the engine, fitted with a NOx trap and particulate filter, is also Euro 6b-compliant.
Renault has not said precisely which models will see the new engine first, but the company states that the 1.6-litre twin turbo diesel has what it takes to power 'D- and E-segment' vehicles, which would include small/medium to large cars, such as the Megane and the Samsung-built Latitude.
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