Automotive News is indicating that the world will finally see the first fruits of labor between General Motors and China’s SAIC with the all-new engine that will be cradled in the all-new Opel/Vauxhall Junior that is expected to debut this fall at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. It is expected to be as small as three cylinders.
The new engine will be part of a next-generation engine family ranging between three and four cylinders, and 1.0 to 1.4 liters. Automotive News also reports that the engines have “direct injection and turbocharging capability,” but will feature double-digit gains in fuel economy and torque compared to the outgoing engines without utilizing either. This could mean that those features might not appear until farther down the road.
What’s more, there will be 1.6-liter diesel and gas engines to replace current units, and GM says those engines will come to the U.S. “within two years.”
The three-door Junior will be smaller than the Opel Agila (pictured), and will attempt to woo the crowds interested in the Mini Cooper, Fiat 500 and Audi A1 by sometime next year. An electric version is a possibility for 2015.
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