Volvo set to launch new, cleaner 1.6 litre petrol engines

Volvo plans to add two new 1.6-litre engines to its S60 and V60 ranges later this year, according to an official press release.

The new T3 and T4 engines, available in late 2010, will feature variable valve timing, direct injection and turbocharging. The T3 will produce 148bhp compared to the T4's 178bhp, with both engines meeting Euro V emissions requirements.

The engines have been developed using Volvo's GTDi (Gasoline Turbocharged Direct Injection) technology, which aims to offer better fuel consumption whilst maintaining performance levels.

In addition, both the T3 and T4 will come with Volvo's DRIVe technology, which helps to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions. The manual version has a Start/Stop feature which cuts off the engine when the car is stationary, and the driver releases the clutch to put the vehicle into neutral.

The engine then restarts as soon as the driver presses the clutch again. The Powershift version also features technology to reduce rolling resistance and improve fuel consumption.

Motorists thinking of selling a car and buying a Volvo may now be drawn towards the brand's new V60 range. V60 models will feature the new engines, and their fuel-efficiency is sure to be highly attractive for potential buyers.

Volvo's Magnus Jonsson said in a press release: "Small, high-performance GTDi engines are a part of our bid to get more energy out of smaller engines."

"We estimate reductions in fuel consumption and exhaust emissions in the region of twenty percent compared with a conventional petrol engine with larger displacement and similar performance," he added.

 

Dean McLoughlin, Liverpool, Ford Galaxy

Ian Wateridge, Ferndown, Renault Scenic