Opel's New 1.6-liter Headed to America

[nsap]

GM's newest turbo four will proliferate the U.S. lineup - eventually.
www.GMInsideNews.com
August 21, 2012
By: Nick Saporito

Back in May GM's European subsidiary, Opel, announced an all-new turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. The new engine is the first of three new lines of four-cylinder engines that have been largely engineered by Opel. While GM has reserve committing the new engine to anything in the U.S. market, GMI has been told that the new small displacement mill will eventually find its way to North America.

The new 1.6-liter turbo is an all-new design, not to be confused with the current 1.6-liter turbo already in use in Europe and Asia by several GM products. This new variant utilizes direct fuel injection and start/stop technology, both in an effort to maximize fuel economy. According to Opel, the 1.6-liter will generate up to 300 Nm of torque, which translates to about 221 foot-pounds of torque across the pond. Production of the new engine will commence later this year at GM's Hungary production facility.

Here in North America the 1.6-liter is expected to start launching in new products in 2014 calendar year. GM product timing changes so frequently, it is difficult to nail down the exact time and product that the engine will first show up in, but GMI does know of a few products that will utilize the engine.

According to sources familiar with GM product planning, Chevrolet will be the main user of the new engine. The Chevrolet Malibu, Equinox and Sonic are all expected to receive the engine between 2014 and 2015. The next generation GMC Terrain is also expected to utilize the 1.6-liter turbo.

The new 1.6-liter turbo will be one of several engines that GM is bringing to the North American market with start/stop technology. It's a safe bet that this engine will be GM's direct response to Ford's new 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine, which is now in the Equinox and Malibu's Ford counterparts.

[bballr4567]

Finally.

I wonder if this will be the base engine in many of the "family" type vehicles. Im betting the Cruze will be the first to get the engine.

[nsap]

Finally.

I wonder if this will be the base engine in many of the "family" type vehicles. Im betting the Cruze will be the first to get the engine.

I thought that too, but Cruze isn't in the cards for it.

[Spottie2301]

221 lb feet of tourque from a 1.6L sounds pretty darn sweet

[61BelAir]

Sounds like that could be a fun engine for the Sonic RS

[bballr4567]

Wha???

It would be perfect to combine the Eco with the start/stop. So strange.


So, if the Cruze isnt in the cards then it has to be going into the Malibu/Equinox/Verano and the like.

[ChevyRules]

Is this going to be the new generator for the Volt/ELR?

[nsap]

I named all of the NA products that are currently slated to get it.

[krusshall]

Finally.

I wonder if this will be the base engine in many of the "family" type vehicles. Im betting the Cruze will be the first to get the engine.

The current 1.4L Family 0 engine will probably get replaced in due course by something from this new generation. I'm guessing but I'd say they will shrink displacement too when they replace it.

[zl-1]

Hope it's sooner rather than later. The upcoming 1.0L to 1.4L (if memory serves me) family of DI engines would be very welcome to replace the current Cruze engines.

[Tone]

Sonic + 1.6T/M6 = a car I'd like to have!!

[CJH]

Is the Cruze 1.4T finally going to get DI?

220 TQ is fantastic from that small of an engine.

[ne_one]

Any word on hp?

With that much torque and a smaller displacement it sounds like this could be a good alternative to the 2.4L and even the 2.5L. Hopefully this means the 1.8L is on the way out as well.

[EJD1984]

221 lb feet of tourque from a 1.6L sounds pretty darn sweet

Great. But what about the horsepower rating?

[VetteZ06]

So it'll be in the Sonic, but not the Cruze? That's odd, unless there's another updated/new engine slated to go in the Cruze.