Opel/Vauxhall will take on global responsibility for developing the next-generation of high-efficiency petrol engines for all Groupe PSA brands – Vauxhall, Opel, Peugeot, Citroën, and DS Automobiles. The engines will be produced at its engineering centre in Rüsselsheim, Germany.
The next generation of four-cylinder engines will be optimised to work in combination with electric motors. Used in the drive-train of hybrid systems, they’ll appear in-market in 2022.
The new generation of engines will be highly-efficient, with low fuel consumption and low CO2 values. They will be designated for use in all Groupe PSA brands in China, Europe and North America, meeting the future emission standards of these markets. The power units feature state-of-the-art technologies such as direct-injection, turbocharging and variable valve control.
“Rüsselsheim already had global responsibility for engine development when we were still part of GM. With the development of the new generation of four-cylinder petrol engines, we can exploit one of our key competencies. The economic direct-injection, in combination with hybrid technology, will consolidate the strong position of Groupe PSA in lowering CO2 emissions,” said Opel/Vauxhall’s Managing Director Engineering, Christian Müller.
The Rüsselsheim Engineering Centre has decades of experience in building efficient petrol engines. Its engineers are now developing the new engine generation, which is based on the current Groupe PSA four-cylinder PureTech units. These all-aluminium engines, which have a displacement of 1.6 litres, deliver a high level of efficiency and direct throttle response.
The upcoming four-cylinder units will form the second petrol-engine family of Groupe PSA from 2022, alongside the well-known three-cylinder PureTech turbo engine that only recently won the ‘Engine of the Year’ award for the fourth time in a row.
In addition to its responsibility for the new engine family, the Rüsselsheim engineering team also leads the development of light commercial vehicles (LCVs) for the entire group. This includes developing LCV platforms and modules, from advanced development to production maturity.
Groupe PSA has also established 15 centres of competence in Rüsselsheim, from Hydrogen & Fuel Cell to Seat Development.