Opel presents its new 1.6 turbo engine

Opel has set about renewing its engine range, with three completely new families of petrol and diesel engines that will gradually replace the current range. The aim is to achieve a significant reduction in fuel consumption, emissions and noise.

The first engine to be presented is a four-cylinder turbo petrol engine, 1.6 litres, with direct injection and Start/Stop. The new ECOTEC SIDI engine (Spark Ignition Direct Injection) will be available in several power outputs and will be fitted to different model ranges.

The technical department of Opel has focused its efforts on improving torque. The engineers have achieved 187.5 Nm per litre of displacement, an important figure for mass-produced petrol engines. Maximum torque is over 300 Nm and is available from just 1,700 rpm; maximum power is over 200 CV and is reached at 4,700 rpm. Compared with its predecessor, the 1.6 turbo petrol engine, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions have been reduced by 13%. Opel highlights from this new engine its smooth acceleration, strong pulling power from low revs, low noise levels and reduced fuel consumption.

The next engine to adopt a similar architecture will be the two-litre direct-injection unit fitted to the Astra OPC, which would mean almost 300 horsepower. Things are looking set to get quite interesting.