New line of twin cylinder engines coming from Fiat
Cutting an engine's cylinder count seems like an easy way to increase fuel efficiency and reduce vehicle emissions. Smaller engines also weigh less, and all automakers are eager to lower the mass of their new vehicles. To that end, Fiat is working on a new line of 900cc engines that feature just two cylinders as opposed to the current, more common choice of four. Rumors indicate that the engine would be available in four separate states of tune and would range from 65-105 horsepower. High-performance versions may feature turbocharging to increase their power levels. Green technology like Fiat's Multiair hydraulic valve-actuation technology and the ability to run on compressed natural gas are also being planned for the twins, as is stop/start capability. Expect this new line of powerplants to first show up in Fiat's retro 500 coupe, Panda and Grand Punto along with the Lancia Ypsilon. What's more, we know that Fiat and BMW have been in talks to share platforms and engines, so these new engines could make an appearance in either future MINI models or in the long-rumored line of city cars.
[Source: Channel 4]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Peter L 6:23PM (12/05/2008)
The 500 from the 60s was a twin
My VStrom 650 is one sweet motor
If the bodies are light enough why not
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ryan 8:16PM (12/05/2008)
The 3 cylinder 660cc kei cars that I have driven in Japan were quite loud. It is actually pretty easy to tell that a passing car is a kei (without seeing it) as they constantly sound like they are on the verge of exploding. Drop the cylinder count down by one and I could only imagine that the noise would get worse. I sincerely hope that Fiat addresses this issue, either through active or passive solutions. The fuel economy, if tuned right, could be awesome, so this is something that I will be keeping my eyes on.
Peter L: In what ways is your VStrom 650 awesome? Can you elaborate?
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rob 9:10PM (12/05/2008)
Lordy, another wee-strom owner!
The wee-strom is awesome in that it gets 55mpg, does 0-60 in 4-ish seconds, is comfortable enough to ride hundreds of miles a day, can carry two week's worth of camping gear, and it also thinks it's a dirtbike...
http://urwinr.googlepages.com/notadirtbike.jpg
As for a 900cc 2-cylinder engine from the Torino area... Anything else immediately think "Ducati?"
And it's a great idea. Compact packaging, similar output to a 1.5L 4-cyl, lower internal frictional losses, lower part count, lower manufacturing cost. It's what the Volt really should be using for a range extender (a 650cc single would probably be about perfect for that).
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MikeW 11:19AM (12/07/2008)
Two cylinders are insufficient for cars.
an Inline3 is as small as you want to go.
motorcycles can tolerate odd firing v twins
http://www.timberwoof.com/motorcycle/V-TWIN-7.html
and parallel twins, come on get an inline3
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