Volkswagen throws its weight behind petrol power with the unveil of its new 1.5-litre turbo four.
Volkswagen chose the 2016 Vienna Motor Symposium to debut its newest TSI small-capacity turbocharged engines to replace the current 1.4-litre four-cylinder mills deployed in everything from the Polo to the Passat.
Its replacement, named EA211 TSI evo, is a 1.5-litre four-cylinder that Volkwagen touts as being a pioneer by featuring variable turbine geometry turbocharger in a volume-produced petrol engine. This type of turbocharger is usually reserved for more expensive cars and is more recently being used in the turbodiesels of pickups. Porsche, for example, uses VTG in their turbocharged models such as the 911 Turbo.
This new generation of engines will be just as versatile, no doubt earmarked to see action in variety of vehicles under the Volkswagen Group, but also offer gains in fuel efficiency, torque, and response.
To help achieve these goals, the EA211 TSI evo uses a Miller combustion cycle and features (among other things) an overhauled thermal management system along with cylinder deactivation technology.
The move to the Miller cycle is a telling one and could herald a group-wide switch to better prepare them for the stricter Euro regulations taking effect later in the year. After all, the Audi A4’s 2.0-litre TFSI (EA888) engine recently made the switch to a Miller combustion cycle.
While exact fuel economy predictions were not specified, Volkswagen did cite a 10 percent improvement over the outgoing 92kW 1.4 TSI.
They say the new engine will offer peak torque as early as 1,300rpm and is able to maintain that urge for a wider spread of revs compared to the outgoing 1.4-litre TSI. Initially, however, the engines will be offered in two levels of tune: 96kW and 110kW.
It’s a near-certainty that that output can and will be raised as the engine’s design and manufacturing process is refined over the course of its production life.
For more on the full range of Volkswagen vehicles, including prices and specifications, check out our Showroom.
