Volkswagen: We Will NOT Kill The Three-Cylinder Engine
The future of small-capacity turbo petrol engines has been under intense scrutiny, especially with tightening emission norms in Europe. Recent reports suggested that the Volkswagen Group could phase out its smallest engine- the three-cylinder turbo-petrols, with Euro 7 norms kicking in. The company has now clarified that the widely used 1.0-litre TSI three-cylinder engine is not going anywhere- at least for now.
Talking to Motor1 about rumours, Stefan Voswinkel, Volkswagen’s Head of Product Communications confirmed that the company isn’t abandoning the three-cylinder turbo-petrol (EA 211). When the initial draft of the Euro 7 emission norms was published, development of the 1.0L engine was paused. Voswinkel also stated that EU subsequently approved relaxation in legislation and the same extended the engine’s lifespan.
That said, the small three-cylinder engine has already been removed from various Volkswagen Group cars. It is now offered only in models like the VolkswagenPolo, SEAT Ibiza, Skoda Fabia and the Audi A1. The A1 is set to be discontinued soon. The small engine makes a lot of sense on these models. It offers a perfect balance of performance and efficiency.
The three-cylinder engine produces between 94 hp and 114 hp, depending on the tune. It, however, had a poor reputation, especially on the refinement and reliability fronts. That said, this engine made a lot of sense, financially.
Without it, buyers would be forced to move up to the more expensive 1.5 TSI, increasing the overall cost of ownership. The Virtus sold in India, can give you a clear perspective on this. The Virtus Topline Automatic has an ex-showroom price of Rs 18.70 Lakh here. The GT automatic variant costs Rs 21. 60 lakh here- a difference of approximately 2.9 lakh rupees!
A heavily detuned version of the 1.5 TSI turbocharged petrol engine has replaced it on models which lost the three-cylinder engine. Bigger, higher performance models come with engines like the 2.0-liter TSI (EA888) petrol and 2.0 TDI diesel.
In short, Volkswagen will have to retire the three-cylinder engine in the coming years, but the Euro 7 norms will not hasten it. The block doesn’t have to be afraid of an immediate demise.
On April 3rd, alVolante.It, an Italian publication, reported that Volkswagen Group will transition its entire transverse engined product lineup to four-cylinder units. This was reportedly part of its effort to comply with the upcoming Euro 7 norms which set stricter emission standards.
According to these reports, the Group’s (mass-market) engine lineup will be streamlined to just three blocks- 1.5 TFSI, 2.0 TSI and 2.0 TDI ( the first two being petrol engines). The first one runs on Miller cycle for improved efficiency and will have a variable geometry turbo. The 2.0TSI will be used on performance-focussed models. The 2.0 TDI diesel does duty on multiple Skoda and VW models globally.
Under the revised strategy, the Group will reportedly build mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains based on these. Strong hybrid powertrains may also join the lineup in the future. The report also claimed that strong hybrids will feature a new epicyclic transmission.
While it doesn’t talk about any change in the electrification plans, the company’s latest statement has quashed reports about the 1.0-litre engine completely.
The quashing has, in a way, brought relief to people who have been wondering about the future of Volkswagen Group’s mass market models in India.
The cars produced under the India 2.0 Program, based on the MQB A0 IN platform are the biggest volume drivers for Volkswagen Group here. These are VW Taigun, VW Virtus, Skoda Slavia, Skoda Kushaq and Skoda Kylaq. These rely mostly on the 1.0L engine. The 1.5 TSI block is only available on higher trims ( the Kylaq is only available with the 1.0L engine).
The smaller engine has had a lot of acceptance in India. Killing it would have had an adverse impact on the business here, especially considering the fact that the upcoming BS7 norms would be roughly equivalent to Euro 7 norms.