GM And SAIC To Develop Small Displacement Engines

by Manoli Katakis
Aug 19th, 2010

A transmission developed by GM SAIC

It’s no secret that General Motors has exploded with popularity in China ever since it embarked on a partnership with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) thirteen years ago. Recently, the partnership between GM, Wuling and SAIC (known collectively as SGMW) has introduced plans for Baojun – an all-new brand that looks to increase the availability of cars to China’s middle class by offering small and dependable cars at affordable prices. Today, the latest installment to this successful collaboration between the three companies is the development for all-new, small displacement engines and transmissions.

The engines will vary in size from 1.0 to 1.5 liters and will all feature turbochargers. The new transmissions will be double-clutch (or “doppelkupplungsgetriebe”, if you’re German). According to GM, the new powertrain will help boost the fuel economy by 10 percent and cut CO2 emissions by a full 20 percent compared to the conventional six-speed transmissions currently available.

The powertrain will be built in Asia as well as the U.S., and will be made available in front-wheel drive cars that will be sold all over the world, potentially including cars such as the super-compact Chevrolet Spark and subcompact Aveo hatches. Furthermore, the new engines can be ready in two years’ time – perfect for the 2012-’13 model years, which is around the same time we expect the Spark and all-new Aveo to be sold here in the States).

GM didn’t disclose just what kind of horsepower or fuel economy it’s shooting for with the new powertrains, but hopefully these four-bangers can beat the already-impressive 40-mpg mark set by the upcoming Chevy Cruze Eco model. Stay tuned to GM Authority for the latest updates.

GM and SAIC Motor Announce Co-Development of Fuel-Efficient Small Engine Family and Advanced Transmission
2010-08-18

SHANGHAI,China – General Motors Co. and SAIC Motor Corp. Ltd. (SAIC Motor) are expandingtheir partnership to develop a new small-displacement gasoline engine familyand an advanced transmission. Theagreement, which was signed today in Shanghai by GM Vice Chairman of GlobalProduct Operations Tom Stephens and SAIC President Chen Hong, represents asignificant milestone that expands GM and SAIC’s relationship into powertraindevelopment. It’s another key step inproviding propulsion solutions to build the world’s best vehicles.

“Theco-development of these new engines and transmissions builds on a stronghistory of innovation and collaboration between GM and SAIC Motor,” Stephenssaid. ”Together, we will continue toquickly provide our customers leading-edge technologies that improve vehiclefuel efficiency and deliver robust performance.”

Thenew small gasoline engine, which will be offered in displacements from 1.0liters to 1.5 liters, hits right at the heart of the global vehicle market. Itscompact, lightweight design combines direct injection and turbocharging,providing customers unparalleled fuel efficiency and performance. The engine will be used by GM and SAIC Motorin China and future vehicles worldwide, providing further fuel efficiencyadvances beyond traditional technologies.

Engineeringand development of the new engine will be carried out jointly by GM and SAICengineers in Detroit and at the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC),the automakers’ engineering and design joint venture in Shanghai.

Thenew front-wheel-drive transmission will incorporate the latest innovations forimproving fuel economy and performance. The transmission alone will provide upward of 10 percent improvement infuel economy over today’s conventional six-speed automatic transmissions. The co-developed transmission will featuredry, dual-clutch technology. It will provide shift comfort equal to aconventional fully automatic transmission, with superior quality, whilereducing CO2 emissions.

Whencombined, these technologies can provide up to 20 percent improvement in CO2 emissions,compared to engines and automatic transmissions in production today in China.

“Thesedevelopment agreements open an exciting new chapter in the partnership betweenSAIC and GM,” said Hu Maoyuan, Chairman of SAIC Motor. “Not only willthey add critical green technologies to our next-generation vehicles, they willalso build on the strong engineering capabilities forged as a part of GM andSAIC’s corporate responsibility.”