Serial production of PureTech three-cylinder petrol engine begins in Szentgotthárd

• With a production capacity of 350,000 engines per year, contributing to the high demand for gasoline engines
• EUR 38 million investment has transformed the Flex plant's modern production lines
• 27-year history of Opel's Szentgotthárd engine factory has entered a new chapter

Serial production of PureTech three-cylinder petrol engine begins in Szentgotthárd

Production of the PureTech three-cylinder petrol engine of the PSA Group has been solemnly launched in Szentgotthárd. From the headquarters of the PSA Group, Yann Vincent, Vice President of Manufacturing, has begun manufacturing new engines in the presence of French ambassador Pascale Adriani and factory workers.

With the launch of production in Szentgotthard, the number of PSA factories that help meet global demand has increased. PureTech engine family has been manufactured so far in France (Douvrin, Temery), Poland (Tychy), China (Xiangiang), Morocco (Kenitra) and India (Hosur).

More than five million engines have been made so far. Launch of the new capacity in St. Petersburg is in line with the growing market demand, which is largely due to the new Opel / Vauxhall models based on PSA platforms and technologies. This highly efficient engine family contributes to the reduction of CO2 emissions, reducing the consumption of PureTech petrol engines by 4% compared to the previous generation.

Opel's Szentgotthárd plant, which has a history of more than 27 years, has been converted with EUR 38 million to produce new engines. Most of the conversion was done with the factory's own people and resources, while previous engine variants were being manufactured. After the conversions, the plant will be able to continue producing previous resources in parallel with the new PureTech gasoline engines as long as it is needed.

“With the production of this new state-of-art engine, Szentgotthárd will become an important player in the PSA Group's manufacturing infrastructure, which is intended to supply all five of the company's car brands. Lading player in the Hungarian automotive industry and 27-year-old engine manufacturing have played a key role in achieving Opel's outstanding market position in Szentgotthárd. Smooth transformation and modernization of the factory is thanks to the colleagues and teams here. What's happening here today is good news for the PSA Group, our customers and our own employees, proving that Szentgotthárd has a sustainable future, ”said Yann Vincent, PSA Group Vice President, Manufacturing.

“With the launch of PureTech engines, we are opening a new chapter in the life of the Szentgotthard plant. We look forward to new tasks. We are proud to contribute to the production of state-of-the-art 1.2 petrol turbo engines to achieve low emission targets, ”said Grzegorz Buchal, plant manager at the launch of the new engine factory.

Name of Szentgotthárd coincided with the start of the modern Hungarian car industry and the Hungarian car production. In 1992, in what was then known as General Motors Hungary, the first Hungarian car, Opel Astra, was completed and the production of engines started, which is today a new chapter. Opel Szentgotthárd will also play an important role under the auspices of the new owner, the PSA Group, and the engine factory will continue its 27-year tradition.

Groupe PSA’s Turbo PureTech petrol engine named International Engine of the Year for the 4th year in a row

Today, the Turbo PureTech 3-cylinder petrol engine (110 hp and 130 hp) was named International Engine of the Year in the 1-litre to 1.4-litre category, for the 4^th year in a row, by the panel of the 20^th International Engine of the Year Awards in Stuttgart.

Groupe PSA has filed 210 patents for its family of 3-cylinder petrol engines. The new‑generation PureTech engine offers improved performance, fuel consumption and efficiency, with specific benefits including:

• a 4% improvement in fuel consumption on average compared with the previous generation;
• improved engine response time thanks to an optimised turbocharger (20% faster increase in torque from 1500 rpm);
• a 75% reduction in particulate emissions through the use of a gasoline particulate filter (GPF), meeting the Real Driving Emissions (RDE) conformity factor of 1.5 set by EU regulations for 2020, three years in advance;
• a more compact structure, to adapt to the new Common Modular Platform (CMP) dedicated to small city cars, core sedans and compact SUVs.

Launched in 2017 on the new Peugeot 308, the new generation is now being deployed on Groupe PSA’s vehicles across some hundred applications in more than 70 countries. The engines comply with Euro 6d-TEMP and China 6b standards.

The PureTech 3-cylinder engine is currently manufactured in France (Française de Mécanique plants in Douvrin, Pas-de-Calais and Trémery, Moselle) and China (Xiang Yang plant). In addition to production capacity being doubled in the French plants in 2018, the plants in Tychy, Poland, and Szentgotthárd, Hungary, will also start producing the PureTech engine in 2019 and 2020, respectively.

On this occasion, Alain Raposo, Senior Vice President, Powertrain and Chassis Engineering at Groupe PSA, said: “We’re proud to receive this prestigious award for the fourth year in a row, as proof of the skills of our development teams. Most of our vehicles are now equipped with this engine, which has been highly successful among our customers. This award is a global recognition of the competitiveness and efficiency of our petrol range, and in particular our PureTech 3-cylinder engine.”

Groupe PSA optimizes its manufacturing base in Europe

• Improving performance of powertrain plants to fulfil orders for future Opel/Vauxhall models based on PSA platforms
• Preparing manufacturing facilities for the ICE energy mix transition as well as the electrification push
• Localising automatic gearbox production to meet shifting customer demand

In order to step up its development and boost its competitiveness in Europe, the Group has decided to:

• Increase the agility of its manufacturing base by producing components as close as possible to car plants,
• Adapt its output to customer expectations, taking into account technological and energy shifts.

These changes are also an opportunity to adjust production capacity for Group engines as the manufacture of Opel/Vauxhall models is gradually ramped up on Groupe PSA platforms and fitted with Groupe PSA powertrains and technologies.

In light of the above, the Group has decided to make three adjustments:

• Increase production of the 3-cylinder Turbo PureTech petrol engine – awarded “Engine of the Year” in its category for three years in a row – as close as possible to car plants. In addition to doubling production capacity in France, compared to 2016, already in progress in Douvrin and Trémery plants, the Group will be producing PureTech engines in Tychy (Poland) and Szentgotthárd (Hungary) from 2019 onwards.
• Increase production of gearboxes from 2019 with the manufacture under license of automatic gearbox in Valenciennes (France), set to reach full potential by 2020, thanks to a strategic partnership signed with AISIN AW. Until now, this component has been manufactured in Japan and China. The Group will also invest to produce additional volumes of manual ML gearboxes in Metz-Borny (France) and MB6 gearboxes in Aspern (Austria), in particular to equip its high-end and light commercial vehicles and serve growing needs driven by production of Opel/Vauxhall cars.
• Prepare the Trémery plant (France) to produce electrical motors from 2019 onwards, before acceleration from 2021 onwards, thanks to the joint venture signed with Nidec. They will support the electrification push, as 100% of the Group’s vehicle range will include e an electrified offering by 2025.

These decisions have been made based on a performance assessment of manufacturing sites and in accordance with the New Momentum for Growth commitments signed in July 2016 by five out of six trade union organisations. The new production allocations also take into account what has been presented to employee representatives as part of the Opel/Vauxhall PACE! plan.

Yann Vincent, Executive Vice- President, Manufacturing and Supply Chain, said: “What will make the difference will be our agility to prepare our manufacturing base to produce components that meet customer needs and respond to the energy shift, creating the conditions for a sustainable future through enhanced performance. Groupe PSA’s 15 component production plants in Europe, located in France, Germany, Austria, Hungary and Poland, are eager to propose the best quality and performance to our customers.”

!NEW! Pure Pleasure: Highly Efficient 1.4 ECOTEC Direct Injection Turbo in the New Opel Astra

• All-aluminum: four-cylinder gasoline unit of the latest engine generation
• Instant throttle response: Dynamic response and ample performance
• Pure high-tech: Direct fuel injection and turbocharging for highest efficiency
• Milestone: Eight millionth engine from Szentgotthárd a 1.4 liter turbo

All-aluminum: Opel 1.4 ECOTEC Direct Injection Turbo with central direct fuel injection will be available in the new Opel Astra in two outputs, 92 kW/125 hp and 110 kW/150 hp.

The full name of the new Opel engine is 1.4 ECOTEC Direct Injection Turbo and it will celebrate its world premiere in the new Opel Astra at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt (IAA) in September. The four-cylinder turbocharged unit with central direct fuel injection will be available in two outputs, 92 kW/125 hp and 110 kW/150 hp. This combination links the new all-aluminum engine to the recently introduced 1.0 ECOTEC Direct Injection Turbo known from Opel ADAM and Corsa. In fact, the new 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine is the big brother of the one-liter, three-cylinder unit that has been praised by the trade press since its introduction in the Opel ADAM ROCKS and the new Corsa generation. Both engines are members of the so-called small gasoline engine family – a group of high-tech engines with three or four cylinders and a displacement below 1.6 liters. They are key players in the biggest engine offensive in Opel’s history which will see 17 new engines brought to market from 2014 to 2018.

Best in class: The new Opel four-cylinder engine purrs like a kitten

A lot of attention was paid to dynamic responsiveness and high performance while curbing fuel consumption during the development phase of the 1.4-liter turbo. The engine delivers maximum torque of up to 245 Nm very early. The maximum power is available between 2,000 and 3,500 rpm – an outstanding torque plateau. Perfect conditions for driving pleasure in combination with efficiency. According to preliminary data, the powerful turbo with Start/Stop will consume a mere 4.9 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers in the combined cycle (114 g/km CO2). The 1.4-liter turbo will therefore be able to outperform even two-liter gasoline engines in all performance characteristics and replace them. The engineers once again paid close attention to low noise levels and vibration behavior during the development of the 1.4 liter turbo – just like they did for the one-liter, three-cylinder unit. The engine block was constructed with resonance reduction in mind, the oil pan split into two, the integration of the cylinder head into the exhaust manifold is noise protected, a sound absorbing cam cover has been designed, the high-pressure injection valves decoupled and the timing chain trimmed for quiet concentricity.

Pure pleasure: Highly efficient 1.4 Liter turbo in the new Opel Astra.

“Our new turbocharged 1.4 liter, four-cylinder engine with central direct injection is part of the newly designer small gasoline engine family and embodies its attributes ‘powerful, efficient and cultivated’. The all-aluminum unit is not only environmentally friendly but also sets new standards in driving comfort,” said Christian Müller, VP GM Powertrain Engineering Europe.

The lightness of being: The new degree of efficiency

Based on its construction, the new 1.4 ECOTEC Direct Injection Turbo adds less weight to the car. The aluminum engine block alone weighs ten kilograms less than the cast-iron block of the current 1.4 liter turbo, making it the perfect match for the new, highly efficient Opel Astra. Apropos efficiency, this is where the 1.4 turbo can really show its technical advantages: to make the engine as light as possible, the crankshaft is hollow cast, the oil pump drive is especially low friction and the oil pump works in two pressure levels accordingly. The entire engine is designed for low friction oils with a viscosity grade of 5W-30. All of these measures ensure fuel efficiency of the highest standard.

While the three-cylinder Opel units are typical representatives of engine downsizing (smaller, lighter, more efficient), the Opel engineers speak of “rightsizing“, i.e. the perfect balance between low load and high load efficiency, when talking about the new 1.4 liter four-cylinder engine.

Milestone engine from Szentgotthárd

The 1.4 ECOTEC Direct Injection Turbo is manufactured in the Opel Flex Plant in Szentgotthárd. And it is already responsible for setting a new milestone for the Hungarian plant. The eight millionth engine from Szentgotthárd left the production line today and it was, of course, an all-aluminum, four-cylinder unit that will make its debut in the new Opel Astra from September.

“We have world class flexible engine plant in Hungary and it plays a key role in our product strategy. Congratulations and a huge thanks to the entire team here – eight million engines is something to be very proud of and I am sure that we will be able to celebrate even more milestones here in the future,” said Peter Christian Küspert, Vice President Sales & Aftersales Opel Group, who attended the celebrations along with Marc Schiff, Executive Director Manufacturing Opel/Vauxhall Europe, members of the Hungarian government and local officials. 

Highly Efficient 1.4-Liter Turbo: Marc Schiff, Executive Director Manufacturing Opel/Vauxhall Europe, Peter Christian Küspert, Vice President Sales & Aftersales Opel Group, and Plant Manager Tamás Solt (from left to right) with the new 1.4 Direct Injection Turbo from Szentgotthárd.

!NEW! Serial Production of the newest Opel engine family started in Hungary

·         High performance, low emission engines for the new Opel Corsa and Opel ADAM ROCKS

·         Opel Vice President Joachim Koschnicke unveiled the engine with Hungarian Deputy Minister of Foreign Economy Peter Szijjarto in Szentgotthárd

·         The most modern Opel engine plant now builds three engine families on the same line

Unveiling the newest Opel SGE engine family: Opel Vice President Joachim Koschnicke , Deputy Minister Foreign economic relation, Peter Szijjarto and plant manager Tamas Solt (from left to the right).

The serial production of the new Small Gasoline Engine (SGE) family (1.0 ECOTEC Direct Injection Turbo) ceremonially started at the newest and most flexible Opel engine plant in Szentgotthárd, Western Hungary in the presence of Joachim Koschnicke, Opel Vice President Government Relations and Public Policy and Hungarian Deputy Minister of Foreign Economy Peter Szijjarto. With this addition, the new engine plant builds three different engine families on the same line offering a wide range of powertrain for the new Opel models.

Unveiling the newest Opel ECOTEC engine family: Opel Vice President Joachim Koschnicke , Deputy Minister Foreign economic relation, Peter Szijjarto and plant manager Tamas Solt (from left to the right)

“The Szentgotthárd Flex plant plays an important role in our product strategy. Between this year and 2018, 27 new Opel models and 17 new engines will hit the market and many of these engine novelties will be built here”, said Joachim Koschnicke, Vice President Government Relations and Public Policy. “We show very clearly that Opel is back. Opel is on the attack. Our model offensive is in full swing, and engines are a very important part of this offensive.”

New Opel ECOTEC 1.0 Direct Injection Turbo

Koschnicke also spoke about the longer term strategy of the company: “We are setting clear targets that stretch all the way to the year 2022. Our first target is to go from being third in the European passenger car market to being second. We aim to achieve this with a market share of 8 percent in Europe and 10 percent in Germany in 2022.”

Hungary is one of the 11 countries where Opel increased market share in the first half of 2014. Opel has not only been the number one brand in three consecutive years on the Hungarian passenger car market but in the first half of this year, the brand could grow its sales in the country by 68 percent. That is more than twice of the average growth of the market and secures an over 13 percent market share and clear number one overall position for Opel in Hungary.

Tamás Solt, Plant Manager and Launch Director of the Flex plant said: “Last year, in our old facility building mainly 1.6 115 hp engines and Flex Plants, we manufactured 354,000 engines and only 15,000 of them were Flex products. In comparison, this year 100,000 of the 400,000 engines will already be Flex engines. Next year, more than the half of the 500,000 engines will be Flex products.”

The new Szentgotthard Flex plant is a 700 million Euro investment with a capacity to build 600,000 engines a year. The technology implemented there makes the plant one of the most flexible automotive manufacturing facilities in the world capable of producing three different engine families on the same line. Opel’s new 1.6 gasoline turbo, 1.6 CDTI turbo diesel and now the new small gasoline engines are built there. All of these engines are characterized by high performance and low emissions, plus outstanding smoothness and very low noise levels.

The one liter turbo engine with 90 and 115 horsepower is just the first member of the small gasoline engine family, which will include many different applications between 1 and 1.4 liter displacement. The three-cylinder engine will have its debut in the ADAM and new ADAM ROCKS – the mini Opel crossover – and it will also be introduced in the Fifth Generation Corsa coming to the markets at the end of this year.

!NEW! Opel Continues Upwards Trend on European Market

• In June overall European vehicle market sales increased by 6 percent
• First half-year 2014 growth of 4 percent well above same year-ago period
• Market share gains in eleven European countries including Germany

New Opel Insignia registrations increased by almost 50 percent last year.

Opel remains one of the winners on the European vehicle market: in June the manufacturer increased new vehicle registrations by 6 percent over the same year-ago period. With this growth, the company clearly distanced itself from overall market developments, which hovered just under last year’s June level. With around 109,000 new vehicles sold, share of the overall European vehicle market rose by 0.4 percentage points to 6.4 percent according to preliminary figures.

Opel also sold considerably more cars in the first half of the year compared to the same year-ago period. From January to June, the brand increased sales by 4 percent to around 564,000 vehicles, a slight increase in share of the overall vehicle market to 5.9 percent. This put Opel’s growth at one percentage point higher than overall market growth.

“The first half-year results clearly underline that we are on the right track. Especially our new models have joined the ranks of top sellers, including the sub-compact Mokka SUV, which over 245,000 customers have already chosen. And our model offensive continues: the new Vivaro as well as the new Corsa that comes to market this year will give us even more momentum,” says Board Member for Sales Peter Christian Küspert.

Opel Mokka SUV

In June and in the first six months of this year, Opel gained market shares in eleven European markets. The clear upswing was also apparent in Germany, where share of the overall vehicle market increased in the first six months by around 0.3 percentage points to 7 percent. In June, market share even reached 7.6 percent, an increase of around 0.9 percentage points compared to last year and the highest market share since December 2011. On the passenger car market alone, Opel achieved a market share of 8 percent in June, according to the German Federal Office for Motor Vehicles (Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, KBA).

Opel Zafira Tourer MPV

Opel Mokka was number one in the SUV segment in the first six months of the year in Germany. New Insignia registrations increased by almost 50 percent during this period compared to last year. But also the established models in the Opel portfolio, such as the Zafira Tourer, were successful. Opel Zafira Tourer was number two in the large van segment in both June and in the first half of the year. 

In the UK, Vauxhall clearly reinforced its position as the second largest passenger car brand in the first half of the year. In June, the brand grew its share of the overall British vehicle market by more than one-half percentage point to 11.9 percent, taking second place in registration statistics. In both time periods, the Insignia and Zafira lead their segments, while the Corsa and Mokka were both second in their segments.

In Spain, the brand achieved a market share of 7.67 percent in the first half of the year. This was the best result since 2006 and put it in second place in the Spanish registration statistics. In June market share even reached 8 percent. In Hungary, Opel was market leader in the overall vehicle market in June and in the first six months of the year. 

!NEW! Opel Market Success in Europe Continues

• 3.6 percent increase in sales in the first five months of the year
• Market share gains in ten European countries including Germany
• High order volume for Opel Mokka SUV, ADAM and new Insignia

Opel Mokka SUV - More than 240,000 orders across Europe

Opel considerably increased sales across Europe in the first five months of the year, according to preliminary figures. From January through May, Opel new vehicle registrations increased by 3.6 percent to 454,807 units versus the same year-ago period, representing a 5.77 percent share of the overall vehicle market in Europe. In May Opel sold 95,143 units, and market share climbed to 5.96 percent.

New Opel Insignia - More than 100,000 orders for the Opel flagship

“Our models are extremely popular, and we benefit from this in many European markets that are once again growing. This is also reflected in the order books. We have already received more than 240,000 orders for the Mokka across Europe, over 90,000 for our lifestyle mini ADAM and more than 100,000 for our flagship, the new Insignia,” says Board Member for Sales Peter Christian Küspert.

Opel ADAM: Over 90,000 orders for the lifestyle mini

This success has a broad, multi-market base. In the first five months, Opel gained market share in ten European countries.  This included Germany, where market share rose to 6.88 percent of the total vehicle market over the first five months. In May alone, market share reached 7.26 percent. The compact Mokka SUV was number one in the SUV segment in May as well as in the first five months of the year. The Corsa proved to be a perennial favorite and ranked number one in the small car segment in May. The Zafira was number two in the high-capacity van segment in May as well as in the first five months of this year.

In the UK, Vauxhall defended its position as the second-largest brand in the first five months and in May of this year. Insignia and Zafira MPV were top of their segments in both time periods. In May, the Mokka SUV also took the top spot in its segment. Opel was particularly successful in Hungary in May, when it was market leader in the overall vehicle market.

!NEW! Opel On Upswing: Highest Market Share in Europe Since June 2011

• Considerable increase in orders received in first quarter
• High order volume for Opel Mokka, Opel ADAM and new Opel Insignia

Opel ADAM

The Opel model offensive is a huge success with European customers. In March 2014, the brand achieved 6.7 percent of the overall vehicle market in Europe, its highest market share since June 2011. According to preliminary figures, new vehicle registrations climbed to around 133,700 units, an increase of over 9.3 percent compared to March last year. In the first three months of this year, Opel/Vauxhall new vehicle registrations jumped by more than 12,700 units to around 271,000 cars.

Opel Mokka SUV

“Many European markets are finally growing again. It is a positive sign that Opel/Vauxhall is gaining market shares in this situation. The sustainability of our growth is also reflected in our current order books: already at the end of March, we had received around 20,000 more orders than in the first quarter of 2013,” says Board Member for Sales Peter Christian Küspert. “The current bestseller among the new models is the Mokka with around 215,000 orders. We are also delighted with the popularity of our lifestyle mini ADAM with 80,000 orders, and we have already received over 85,000 orders for our flagship the new Insignia.”

New Opel Insignia

This success has a broad, multi-market base. In March and the entire first quarter, Opel/Vauxhall gained market share in ten European countries. Opel was especially successful in its home market in Germany. With 7.1 percent market share of the overall vehicle market in March, the brand grew by 0.3 percentage points compared to March last year. Over the first quarter, market share was 6.7 percent, 0.2 percentage points higher than the year-ago quarter. Both the Mokka and Meriva were number two in their segments in the first quarter of 2014. In the largest market in the UK, our sister brand Vauxhall grew sales by 17 percent in March compared to one year ago. Insignia and Zafira were number one in their segments, while Corsa and Mokka took the number two spot.

Interest in new Opel models is currently particularly high in Poland, where registrations jumped by 57 percent in March. Opel also reinforced its number one position in the passenger car market in Hungary last month, in the Netherlands the brand conquered the number one position for the first time since March 2012. 

New Modular ECOTEC Engines are More Adaptable, Efficient

Modular architecture streamlines powertrain portfolio, reduces manufacturing complexity

Global design and manufacturing processes enhance adaptability, with 11 engine variants ranging from 1.0L to 1.5L

Up to 2.5 million annual production at five global plants by 2017

Ecotec 1.0L Turbocharged three cylinder engine (right), Ecotec 1.4L Turbocharged engine (left) and the Ecotec 1.5L engine (center).

A new generation of Ecotec small-displacement engines streamlines General Motors’ global powertrain portfolio with a modular architecture that broadens its adaptability to global markets and reduces manufacturing complexity – while offering customers leading-edge efficiency, refinement and durability.

The new engines were developed for GM’s global vehicle portfolio and will power many of the company’s highest-volume small cars and compact crossovers – including the next-generation Chevrolet Cruze specifically tailored for China, which launches in 2014 as a 2015 model.

By 2017, more than 2.5 million new Ecotec engines are projected to be built annually in at least five manufacturing locations around the globe: Flint, Michigan (U.S.); Shenyang, China; Szentgotthárd, Hungary; Toluca, Mexico; and Changwon, South Korea. The Flint facility alone represents an investment of more than $200 million in technology and tooling to support the engines’ production.

“Transportation solutions vary around the world and GM is committed to developing engines matched to the needs of the regions where they’re sold,” said Steve Kiefer, GM vice president, Global Powertrain Engineering. “The new engine family is designed to achieve segment-leading refinement and efficiency, and will make its way into five GM brands and 27 models by the 2017 model year.”

The new Ecotec portfolio will include 11 engines, with three- and four-cylinder variants ranging from 1.0L to 1.5L – including turbocharged versions – and power ratings ranging from 75 horsepower (56 kW) to 165 horsepower (123 kW), and torque ranging from 70 lb-ft (95 Nm) to 184 lb-ft (250 Nm). The architecture is also designed to support hybrid propulsion systems and alternative fuels.

The first production applications include a 1.0L turbocharged three-cylinder for the Opel ADAM in Europe, and 1.4L turbocharged and 1.5L naturally aspirated four-cylinder engines for the 2015 next-generation Chevrolet Cruze in China.

The new Ecotec 1.5L naturally aspirated engine will debut in the 2015 next-generation Chevrolet Cruze in China.

The turbocharged variants enable the engines to deliver the power and torque of larger-displacement engines with the efficiency of smaller engines. For example, the turbocharged 1.0L three-cylinder used in the Opel ADAM makes as much power as the naturally aspirated 1.6L four-cylinder it replaces – with an estimated 20-percent improvement in efficiency.

The all-new Ecotec 1.0L turbo, three-cylinder gasoline engine will debut in the Opel ADAM and make as much power as the naturally aspirated 1.6L four-cylinder it replaces while offering an estimated 20 percent improvement in efficiency.

In fact, the new Ecotec family is on the leading edge of efficiency, with the new 1.4L turbo up to five percent more efficient than the 1.4L turbo engine it will replace. The new Ecotec engines also deliver segment-challenging refinement. Noise intensity is up to 50-percent quieter than Volkswagen’s EA211 1.4L four-cylinder and up to 25-percent quieter than Ford’s 1.0L turbo three-cylinder.

The new Ecotec 1.4L turbo will be up to five percent more efficient than the 1.4L turbo it will replace.

Clean-sheet design

The new Ecotec engines represent a clean-sheet design and engineering process, leveraging the diverse experience of GM’s global resources. Technologies such as central direct fuel injection, continuously variable valve timing, turbocharging and variable intake manifold airflow help achieve efficiency goals with broad power bands, for an optimal balance of strong performance and lower fuel consumption.

“The new Ecotec architecture represents the most advanced and efficient family of small-car gas engines in GM’s history,” said Tom Sutter, global chief engineer. “Along with performance and efficiency targets, we’ve also aimed for segment-leading refinement with low noise and vibration – and we’ve hit the bulls-eye.”

Modularity in parts – such as four-cylinder and three-cylinder blocks – that share bore spacing, bore diameter, liners and other dimensions, reduces complexity while increasing the flexibility to quickly adapt the architecture for new applications.

The new Ecotec engines are calibrated to run on regular unleaded gas – even the high-output turbo variants.

The new 1.4L turbo for the 2015 next-generation Chevrolet Cruze in China is estimated at 148 horsepower (110 kW) and 173 lb-ft of torque (235 Nm). The 1.5L is rated at an estimated 113 horsepower (84 kW) and 108 lb-ft of torque (146 Nm).

In China, Cruze models with the 1.4L Turbo engine will also feature an all-new dual-clutch gearbox.

!NEW! Opel presents new 1.0 SIDI Turbo engine at Aachen Colloquium

• New 85 kW/115 hp, 1.0 liter turbo raises benchmark for three-cylinder refinement
• First in new family of small, direct injection gasoline engines to debut in Opel ADAM
• More torque and better fuel economy than 1.6 naturally-aspirated engine
• Cutting-edge design includes exhaust manifold integrated within cylinder head

New Opel ECOTEC 1.0 SIDI Turbo with 85 kW/115 hp

Opel revealed details of its new three-cylinder gasoline engine at the Aachen Colloquium in Germany. Clean, smooth and quiet: Opel’s all-new 1.0 liter SIDI Turbo will raise the bar for three-cylinder engine refinement when it makes its debut in the Opel ADAM next year. It is not only economical and more friendly to the climate, it is also silky smooth to drive, with noise and vibration characteristics superior to many four-cylinder engines.

New Opel ECOTEC 1.0 SIDI Turbo developing 166 Nm torque 

This pocket powerhouse belies its diminutive size by developing 85 kW/115 hp, together with strong torque of 166 Nm all the way from 1,800 to 4,700 rpm. It therefore enables better acceleration at low rpm than larger engines with similar horsepower, together with much lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. For example, compared to Opel’s current 1.6 liter naturally-aspirated engine, the new 1.0 SIDI Turbo (Spark Ignition Direct Injection) offers the same maximum power output, while delivering 30 percent more torque and 20 percent better fuel economy.

State-of-the-art technologies include high-pressure direct fuel injection, an ultra-compact turbocharging system, continuously variable valve timing and a lightweight aluminum construction with a cylinder head-integrated exhaust manifold. Numerous ‘sound engineering’ measures which contribute to the engine’s benchmark refinement include an acoustically-developed cylinder block; a sump-mounted balancer shaft; structural isolation of the fuel injection system and crankshaft; drive chains with inverted teeth and engine covers designed for acoustic attenuation.

New Opel ADAM 1.0 SIDI Turbo

The 1.0 SIDI Turbo is the first in a new, modular family of three and four-cylinder gasoline engines in the sub-1.6-liter class which are engineered to meet customer demand for strong, downsized engine performance. It makes its debut in the Opel ADAM next year, together with an all-new, six-speed manual gearbox. All vehicle applications of the 1.0 SIDI Turbo are designed to operate with Start/Stop functionality and are expected to deliver combined cycle CO2 emissions significantly lower than 100 g/km.

“In developing this small engine, we not only set out to minimize fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, but also wanted to demonstrate that three cylinders can be just as refined as four or more,” says Dr. Matthias Alt, Opel’s Chief Engineer, Small Gasoline Engines.

“We tackled at source the various balance, noise and vibration issues typical of conventional three-cylinder engines, and we’re confident customers will be pleasantly surprised by the results. This is a very lively and refined three-cylinder engine, which doesn’t compromise on driving fun. Put simply, it’s big on refinement and performance but small on fuel consumption.”

German engineering for class-leading refinement

Starting with a clean sheet of paper, Opel and GM global engineering teams leveraged their combined expertise to eliminate the harsh, ‘off-beat’ running characteristics, which have traditionally been a downside to the economical driving appeal of three-cylinder engines. As a result, the 1.0 SIDI Turbo boasts a four cylinder-like ‘soundtrack’, which clearly positions it as the new benchmark for refinement among three-cylinder engines.

Throughout the development process, the prevention and mitigation of vibration and harshness was achieved through extensive modeling work, as well as component hardware and whole-engine validation on the test bench. The scope of the work also included the development of engine management functions and the in-vehicle integration of the entire powertrain.

The engine’s all-aluminum architecture was acoustically designed to reduce both airborne and structure-borne operating noise, as well as to save weight. Its inherent refinement is so good, the need to mask the transfer of engine noise with in-car sound insulation, or complex engine and sub-frame mountings, is significantly reduced. The persistent reduction of unwelcome engine sounds also gives engineers greater freedom in fine-tuning the sound of induction and exhaust systems to meet the requirements of specific vehicle applications.

As a result of this intense focus on refinement, the 1.0 SIDI Turbo not only runs more smoothly than similar three-cylinder engines, but also more quietly than many four-cylinder units. For example, during development in laboratory bench testing at full throttle, it emitted lower sounds levels across all engine speeds than gasoline turbos up to 1.6 liters in displacement.

Other specific features that contribute to the engine’s impressive refinement include:

• A small balance-shaft mounted longitudinally in the oil sump. Driven by a chain with inverted teeth for quiet running, this counter-rotating shaft revolves at crankshaft speed and is mass-optimized to off-set the inherent vibrations from a three cylinder operation.
  
• The high-pressure fuel rail and injectors are isolated from the cylinder head. This ensures there is no metal-to-metal contact and prevents the transmission of pulsing energy through the engine structure. The fuel pump and fuel line are also acoustically optimized.
  
• Camshaft drive-chain optimized for low sound levels through an inverted-tooth design. The entire chain architecture, including its tensioning, wrap and guides, is designed for reduced overall noise radiation and the elimination of any perceived abnormal sounds.
• The integration of a stamped steel plate in the oil pan at the bottom of the aluminum sump also reduces noise radiation.
• Further noise attenuation measures are: acoustically-optimized covers for the top and front of the engine, the design of the intake manifold and camshaft housings, crankshaft isolation with iron main bearing inserts, and the use of a low-hiss compressor in the turbocharger.

Lightweight all-aluminum architecture

The core engine-architecture is focused on saving weight and consists of an aluminum, high pressure, die-cast cylinder block, cylinder head and crankshaft bedplate. The combined block/bedplate weight is just 15.5 kg, while the complete engine offers a ten percent weight saving compared to Opel’s current 1.6 naturally-aspirated engine of similar power.

The ‘long-stroke’ cylinder layout supports superior torque characteristics, with the piston stroke of 77.4 mm exceeding its diameter of 74.0 mm. For high power, a compression ratio of 10.5:1 is combined with turbocharging and high-pressure direct fuel injection.

The cylinder head features a water-cooled exhaust manifold integrated within the aluminum casting. This single-piece concept provides a number of benefits: it contributes to fast engine warm-up, and enhances durability by eliminating the need for gasket sealing around the exhaust ports, as well as offering under-hood packaging advantages.

For structural stiffness, the block has cast-in-place iron cylinder liners, with aluminum cast over the top surfaces to optimize cylinder head gasket sealing. The bedplate bulkheads also contain cast-in, nodular iron inserts for localized structural stiffness. Additional structural strength is contributed by the die-cast aluminum sump.

A six-counterweight, forged steel crankshaft transfers the high specific output of the 1.0 SIDI Turbo to the driveline with a minimum of vibration. The upper front main bearings are polymer coated for enhanced durability, particularly under Start/Stop conditions.

The steel con-rods are forged from Powder Metal (PM), which provides equivalent or improved strength compared to a standard forging, while ensuring reduced mass variation. An oil-retaining groove, in combination with an optimized taper angle at the small end, reduces bushing wear. Under-skirt oil jets cool the aluminium pistons and provide additional bore lubrication, which also reduces engine sound during cold starts.

Dual overhead camshafts, operating four valves per cylinder with low-friction, hydraulic roller finger followers, are hollow in section to save weight, and driven by a timing chain with life-long automatic hydraulic tensioning. Aluminum cam phasers enable variable timing for the opening and closing of the inlet and exhaust valves, giving best possible fuel consumption, performance and low emissions under all engine load conditions.

Direct fuel injection delivers more power and greater fuel economy

The 1.0 SIDI Turbo packs a punch, generating 30 percent more torque than Opel’s current 1.6 liter, naturally-aspirated engine, as well as the same 85 kW/115 hp maximum power output. Peak torque of 166 Nm is available across a wide plateau from 1,800 rpm to 4,700 rpm, while maximum power is delivered at just 5,200 rpm. This is an engine that is small in size but big in performance.

The 1.0 SIDI Turbo is also extremely frugal, delivering a 20 percent improvement in fuel economy compared to the 1.6-liter engine. In the Opel ADAM, it will give CO2 emissions of well under 100 g/km, as well as combined cycle fuel consumption approaching 4.0 l/100 km.

Key to both power and frugality is a high-pressure, direct fuel injection system, which helps extract as much energy from the fuel as possible. The six-hole, SIDI injectors, operating at a maximum pressure of 200 bar, are ideally positioned over the center of the combustion chamber and deliver a fine, homogenous spray without wasteful wetting of the inlet valves or port walls. The fuel flow rate at the injectors supports the metering of small, multiple injections.

There is no metal-to-metal contact between the cylinder head and the fuel rail or the injectors. This careful isolation eliminates a major, structure-borne path for operating noise from the injection system. The fuel rail is decoupled by a rubber/steel damper and the injectors are isolated in the combustion chamber by carbon-filled Teflon seals. Acoustics are further enhanced by software algorithms suppressing noises generated from a high pressure fuel pump needle and a foam outer shell.

The longer firing intervals of a three-cylinder enable the use of wider cam profiles than possible with a four-cylinder engine, which extends the duration of the valve opening times to give better cylinder scavenging (gas exchange) for more complete combustion.

To further improve fuel economy and engine operating efficiency, oil is circulated by a two-stage, variable displacement oil pump. This supplies high or low pressure as required by running conditions and includes on-off control of the under-skirt piston cooling jets. A switchable water pump, which is disengaged when the engine is cold in order to give a faster warm-up, also contributes to low fuel consumption.

The Front End Accessory Drive (FEAD) – a five-rib belt connecting the water pump, the alternator and the air conditioning compressor – features a mechanical isolator to remove the effect of crankshaft oscillations. In addition to refinement benefits, this also allows a reduction in tensioning force to reduce friction levels and improve efficiency.

Ultra-compact, fast boost turbocharging system

While high-pressure, direct injection fills the engine’s combustion chambers with a fine mist of fuel, an ultra-compact turbocharging system packs its cylinders with air. Leveraging the design advantages of the cylinder head-integrated exhaust manifold, the 1.0 SIDI’s turbocharger is more closely coupled to the engine than on any other power unit – giving the driver a fast and strong throttle response.

The integration of the water-cooled exhaust manifold within the cylinder head, and the design of the tiny, low-inertia turbocharger, which is also water-cooled, is an exercise in jewel-like, precision engineering.

The sizing of the turbocharger is key to achieving a fine balance between the need for strong low-end torque, fast throttle response, reduced fuel consumption and high maximum power. A single stage, single scroll turbocharger generating maximum boost pressure of 1.5 bar with an intercooler and pressure-operated wastegate was selected as the best configuration. The diameter of the turbine wheel is just 35 mm, while the low-hiss compressor measures only 40 mm across. This combination delivers an excellent transient throttle response, generating 90 percent of maximum torque within 1.5 seconds from just 1,500 rpm. That entails a six-fold increase in cylinder pressure, with the turbo shaft spinning at up to 250,000 rpm.

Water-cooling of the exhaust reduces temperatures for improved emissions control, while also reducing heat build-up around the turbine. This allows the use of an Inconel turbine wheel and a medium grade austenitic steel turbine housing. The gasket to the cylinder head is integrated in one of the heat shields, and V-band clamps and a weight-optimized design all contribute to the turbocharger's lightweight construction.

The turbo feeds the engine through high tumble intake ports, which facilitate early combustion phasing, a short burn duration and good combustion stability. Running turbocharged engines at high loads usually requires retardation of the spark timing to avoid ‘knocking’ or harmful pre-ignition of the intake charge. A high tumble port minimizes the need for this measure.

Meeting current and future needs

The launch of the 1.0 SIDI Turbo is the latest step in the substantial renewal of Opel’s powertrain portfolio, which will see 13 new engines introduced between 2012 and 2016, plus a host of new transmissions.

The program has already begun with the launch of the first 1.6-liter turbo engines from new medium displacement gasoline and diesel families. Now the 1.0 SIDI Turbo arrives as the first example of a new, modular small displacement gasoline engine family, comprising three and four-cylinder engines of less than 1.6 liters displacement. All variants of these new engine families are built at Opel’s state-of-the-art plant in Szentgotthard, Hungary, where gasoline and diesel engines are produced on a shared assembly line.

While the 1.0 SIDI Turbo makes its debut next year in the small ADAM, it can also be used globally in a range of GM applications including larger vehicles, in combination with manual or automatic transmissions.

Like all new-generation Opel power plants, the 1.0 SIDI Turbo is successfully focused on meeting a growing customer demand for ‘downsized’ engines which are able to deliver reduced fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, as well as the power and refinement typical of larger displacement engines.

!NEW! Opel engine plant in Szentgotthárd to be expanded

• Additional 130 million euro investment in modern engine plant in Hungary
• Annual production to increase by 100,000 engines
• Series production of new-generation Opel engines already started

Plans to expand the newly built, flexible Opel engine plant in Hungary were announced today by Opel Vice President Government Relations Joachim Koschnicke (left) and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (right).

Plans to expand the newly built, flexible Opel engine plant in Hungary were announced by Opel Vice President Government Relations Joachim Koschnicke and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Opel will invest an additional 130 million euros in its new facility, where series production of the new generation 1.6 liter, four cylinder, SIDI (Spark Ignition Direct Injection) ECOTEC Turbo engines started last week.

New Opel 1.6 SIDI ECOTEC Turbo petrol engine

“Opel is in the midst of a product offensive: 23 new models and 13 new engines will be launched by 2016 and many of these engines will be built in Hungary.” said Joachim Koschnicke.

With this additional investment, the plant will be enlarged by 1,600 square meters, over 80 new machines will be installed and the new facility’s annual production will be increased by 100,000 engines. Including this expansion, total Opel investment in Hungary will be approximately 1.4 billion euros and the new engine plant’s annual production capacity will increase to 600,000 engines.

Koschnicke said: “Opel continues to be a strategic player in the Hungarian economy. We were the first automotive company to invest in this country back in 1991 and our latest investments underline our partnership and commitments here. We are proud of our history and of our success: Opel is the number one brand on the Hungarian car market and the strength of the brand is also supported by our strong manufacturing presence.”

New Opel 1.6 CDTI ECOTEC Turbo Diesel Euro 6 engine

The manufacturing portfolio in the new Opel engine plant will consist of a family of small gasoline engines, a family of medium-sized gasoline engines and a family of medium sized diesel engines. The new engine families will meet future Euro 6 emission standards, add direct injection to gasoline powertrains, secure a low power/weight ratio, provide smooth running and substantially reduce fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions. Series production of the 1.6 liter gasoline engines has already started, and the new 1.6 liter diesel units which already meet future Euro 6 emission standards will follow by the end of this month.

!NEW! 1.6 liter Turbo Diesel engine continues powertrain renewal at Opel

• New family of four cylinder,  1.6 liter ECOTEC Turbo Diesel engines
• Class leading refinement, high power / torque density
• Fuel consumption reduced by up to 10 percent
• Compliant with future Euro 6 emissions requirements

Opel continues the fundamental renewal of its powertrain portfolio with an all-new four cylinder, turbo diesel engine. The second family of new downsized power units to be introduced after the gasoline 1.6 liter SIDI ECOTEC, the 1.6 liter CDTI ECOTEC diesels will replace existing 1.7 liter engines and certain lower powered versions of the 2.0 liter range.

Featuring closed loop combustion control and an aluminum block, the new 1.6 CDTI ECOTEC is the first diesel from Opel to comply with future Euro 6 emissions requirements. The engine will be available in a variety of power outputs across several carlines.

Class leading attenuation of noise, vibration and harshness, high power/torque density and low fuel consumption were the main development objectives. Initially maximum power and torque have been increased versus the 1.7 liter engine to 100 kW/136 hp and 320 Nm respectively, while fuel consumption has been reduced by up to 10 % compared with similarly powerful 2.0 liter diesels.

“The comprehensive renewal of our powertrain portfolio continues at wide-open throttle,” said Dr. Thomas Sedran, Deputy Chairman of the Opel Management Board. “Our new 1.6 liter 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.”

The new 1.6 liter diesel and its innovative engine control unit have been entirely developed in-house by a global team of engineers in Turin, Ruesselsheim and the USA. This approach has enabled a comprehensive system optimization from the very beginning of the design process. Beginning in spring, the 1.6 CDTI ECOTEC will be manufactured at the same “flex plant” as the new 1.6 liter gasoline engine, in Szentgotthard in Hungary.

!NEW! Hungarian Police relies on Opel

• 1250 Astras expand the national fleet
• Opel is the market leader in the Hungarian car market

Opel Astra Classic

 The Hungarian Police has opted for Opel. Expanding its fleet by 1250 Opel Astra Classic coming nationwide in daily police used. Opel had prevailed in a Europe-wide tender.

The 115 hp version of the Opel Astra Classic vehicles that are equipped with custom special equipment will be assembled at the plant in Bochum. The major contract specifies the work to end of this year an eight additional shifts on weekends. The order is the largest fleet of business for Opel Hungary since the entry of the brand into the Hungarian market in 1991.

938 pieces of Opel Astra F supplied to Hungarian Police in 1997

With a share of 11.5 percent, Opel is the number one in the Hungarian car market. In the first nine months of 2012, the brand with the flash set in new registrations by more than 12 percent over the same period last year. The most successful model is the Opel Astra.

In the location Szentgotthárd near the border with Austria, the Opel GM company manufactures engines since 1992. The plant plays an important role in the Opel model offensive in the coming until 2016 for 13 new advanced engines on the market.