Posted on Friday 5 October 2007
As fuel prices continue to rise and governments take heed to concerns of climate change, carmakers are being forced to introduce more fuel efficient and cleaner engines a lot quicker than they’re normally used to. Some are developing new technologies and looking towards electric and hybrid drivetrains as the solution, Saab on the other hand will be sticking with a tried and tested method of small capacity engines with turbocharging.
Saab’s managing director in the U.K. Jonathan Nash has revealed to 4Car that hybrid powertrains and biofuels won’t be sufficient in the short-term. Saab will instead focus on turbocharged small capacity flex-fuel engines capable of running on E85 biofuel, Nash explained.
A unique design feature of Saab’s engines is that they deliver more power when the run on the blended ethanol fuel. By adding a turbocharger, engineers have been able to extra similar power levels as a 2.0L engine from a unit as small as 1.4L.
Saab is not alone in its quest to downsize. VW has already shown what can be achieved with its amazing TSI range and Renault is doing the same with its new TCE engine.
Can anyone please explain to me what is the point of Saab?
The current Volkswagen Golf GT is avaliable with a 170hp 1.4-litre petrol and a 170hp 2.0-litre diesel. If you double the figures, you get a 340hp 2.4 litre petrol or 340hp 4.0 litre diesel. BMW’s Z35 models are in fact 3.0 litres. Fiat is alreqady thinking of twin-turbo 1.6 and 1.9-litre diesels.
I think Saab is doing the right thing. The next-generation 9-5 and the future 9-4X should get few to none six-cylinders (I mean 2.4 litres+) and many turbocharged four cylinders (The 9-1 should get of course only the latter). With a 1.6-litre petrol or a 2.0-litre diesel you can easily get 160 to 180hp, and with a 2.0 litre petrol or a 2.4-litre diesel from 200 to 280hp.
need medicare
spaceship lads Greenbriar binges isolated,troubleshooting?