General Motors announced today that it would be overhauling its smallest engines, replacing three engine families with a new, modular Ecotec design. Production of new three- and four-cylinder powerplants should begin mid-decade, ramping up to over two million engines a year by 2020.
While GM didn’t indicate which models might benefit from the redesigned mills, with displacements ranging from just 1.0 to 1.5 liters, these new Ecotecs are more likely to find homes outside of North America. GM did state that the U.S. is “not in initial market plans” for the three-cylinder. The company expects to use the engines throughout its global vehicle programs, with multiple manufacturing locations. The engines were co-developed with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. (SAIC), Shanghai General Motors (SGM) and the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC).
As for details on the new design, GM said in a statement, “They will feature lightweight design and advanced technologies such as direct injection, turbocharging and alternative fuel compatibility” as well as being “designed to reduce noise, vibration and harshness.”
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