General Motors Commences 4-Cylinder Powertrain Renewal With 1.6L Turbo Ecotec
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Opel (and by association, GM) is embarking on a fundamental renewal of its engine lineup, with three new engine families in the pipeline. The first phase of the regeneration is starting now with the new 1.6 liter turbocharged four-cylinder Ecotec gasoline engine.
The mill features central direct injection and Start/Stop technology, as the four-banger achieves a maximum 200 hp and up to 300 Nm, or 221 lb.-ft. of torque. It is planned to go into production at the end of the year for initial availability in the Opel Astra Sedan, which is making its world debut next week at the Moscow Auto Salon.
Which GM vehicles would you like to see this new engine appear in? Sound off in the comments below.
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This would make a great replacement for the Cruze’s 1.4T if it can get the same fuel efficiency numbers.
Cruze, sonic, and maybe Encore?
Think this size/spec engine is going to bectge bug seller for GM and Ford. The latter has it lived up in everything up to the Fusion/Mondeo.
So in GM USA we should see it in the Impala, Malibu, Equinox, Cruze,
maybe put this on the spark to make it a 500 abarth competitor
Could be the next Volt genset? Or possibly fit into the 2013 Buick Ampere EREV? ELR appears to be getting the 2.0L.
Ford has a beauty of a 3 cyl. 1.0L Ecoboost unit that just claimed the 2012 International Engine Of The Year award. A 3 cyl. is perfect as an EREV genset, it’s all it needs, lightness = better everything, as Volt’s wheels are powered by the electric motor 90% of the time. GM has a 3 cyl. in it’s inventory, not sure if it’s IEOY material though.
FYI: Ellis Chevrolet-Buick, a leading Volt retailer in Georgia, announced on it’s website that a 2013 Buick Ampere (” Buick’s version of the Volt”) would be in showrooms soon. They soon retracted it from their site, and sent an apology to their customers via email. Did they let the cat out of the bag?….Hmmmm….
This motor needs to make its way into the Malibu, Cruze, Sonic, Equinox, Verano an maybe the Impala.
Not sure if that would be of any value, Matt. In the China-market Malibu, the (old) 1.6T offers the same performance as the 2.4, which is less potent that the 2.5:
http://gmauthority.com/blog/2012/09/chevy-offers-1-6l-turbo-engine-on-china-market-malibu/
The 1.6T needs to be in the Encore. It’s the one vehicle that will be underpowered with the current plan (to use a 1.4T). Buick’s should never be underpowered.
If this engine makes its way into the sonic I will buy a sonic.
Jim — like this?
http://gmauthority.com/blog/2012/08/rumormill-general-motors-working-on-sonic-ss/
Sonic SS, base for Buick GTC(!) and Verano, optional for Encore, mid-level for Cruze (dump useless 1.8L and have 3 turbos, those being 1.4L, 1.6L and 2.0L SS), and finally if similar power to and better fuel economy than 2.5L, write it off and replace it with this, as GM needs to do everything they can in the massively competitive automotive world.
I’m hoping this engine makes it really soon to the Opel Astra GTC which has just gone on sale here in Australia. The engine/transmission line up on the local GTC range is a bit anaemic and could do with a boost to match the GTC’s stunning looks.
I’d like to see it coming into the ATS, the Cascada, the Verano and the Sonic.
In a Sonic with a tuned suspension, it will outsell the Mini Cooper S & Fiat Abarth.