General Motors designs new turbo-diesel engine to be used first in Indian market

PRESS RELEASE

* 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine to have best-in-class fuel efficiency and performance for its size
* General Motors Torino Engineering Center development team was supported by GM India Engineering
* Production begins in Talegaon, India in June 2011
* First application to be the Chevrolet Beat for India market

Torino, Italy -- A multinational team led by GM's Torino Engineering Center and supported by engineers from GM India today announced that production of a 1.0-liter three-cylinder diesel engine will start in June 2011. The diesel expertise of the GM's Torino engineers has resulted in an engine that is expected to enhance GM's competitiveness in the Indian market.

"The exclusive design leveraged the capabilities of dozens of Torino-based diesel engineers to deliver what is expected to be a leader for its size in performance and fuel efficiency for the Indian market," said Stefano Caprio, the 1.0-liter engine global program manager and chief engineer. "Contributing to the great fuel economy is an innovative, lightweight three-cylinder design."

The new compact engine will also be the peak torque leader for its displacement in the Indian market (140 Nm @ 1,750 rpm) and low-end peak torque leader for its displacement worldwide at 100 Nm @ 1,250 rpm.

GM Torino and GM India Engineering collaborated closely to design in specific regional features and content requirements. Features of the engine include an iron block, aluminum DOHC cylinder head, lifetime maintenance-free timing chain, centrifugal blowby separator filter for lower oil consumption, low-noise timing gears, a balancer shaft for state-of-the-art NVH and a precisely sized waste-gated turbocharger.

The 1.0-liter turbo-diesel engine will be manufactured at GM India's Talegaon plant in Maharashtra and will be launched on the Chevrolet Beat in the second half of 2011.

"GM India President & Managing Director Karl Slym said, "This new state-of-the-art turbo-diesel engine will enhance the competitiveness of our Chevrolet line-up in the Indian market. The addition of diesel options to our portfolio will continue to improve our sales volume and market share," Slym added.

About GM Engineering Center in Torino: the GM Engineering Center in Torino was established in 2005 with 80 employees. In September 2008, the center moved into its new Politecnico facility, making GM the first automotive company to become a physical part of a university campus. The collaboration brings strength to engineering research and development. The center engineers and develops diesel engines, controls and advanced propulsion systems. It currently employs more than 500 people.

About General Motors India: General Motors India has completed 16 years of operation in India. GM India started its journey in 1996 and now offers products under the Chevrolet brand, which was introduced in India in 2003. Chevrolet had already emerged as one of the fastest growing automotive nameplates in India. GM India produces the Chevrolet Captiva, Chevrolet Optra, Chevrolet Cruze, Chevrolet Aveo, Chevrolet Aveo U-VA, Chevrolet Spark, Chevrolet Beat and Chevrolet Tavera for sale in India and operates state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Halol, Gujarat and in Talegaon, Maharashtra

General Motors designs new turbo-diesel engine to be used first in Indian market

Press Release

• 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine to have best-in-class fuel efficiency and performance for its size

• General Motors Torino Engineering Center development team was supported by GM India Engineering

• Production begins in Talegaon, India in June 2011

• First application to be the Chevrolet Beat for India market

Torino, Italy -- A multinational team led by GM’s Torino Engineering Center and supported by engineers from GM India today announced that production of a 1.0-liter three-cylinder diesel engine will start in June 2011. The diesel expertise of the GM’s Torino engineers has resulted in an engine that is expected to enhance GM’s competitiveness in the Indian market.

“The exclusive design leveraged the capabilities of dozens of Torino-based diesel engineers to deliver what is expected to be a leader for its size in performance and fuel efficiency for the Indian market,” said Stefano Caprio, the 1.0-liter engine global program manager and chief engineer. “Contributing to the great fuel economy is an innovative, lightweight three-cylinder design.”

The new compact engine will also be the peak torque leader for its displacement in the Indian market (140 Nm @ 1,750 rpm) and low-end peak torque leader for its displacement worldwide at 100 Nm @ 1,250 rpm.

GM Torino and GM India Engineering collaborated closely to design in specific regional features and content requirements. Features of the engine include an iron block, aluminum DOHC cylinder head, lifetime maintenance-free timing chain, centrifugal blowby separator filter for lower oil consumption, low-noise timing gears, a balancer shaft for state-of-the-art NVH and a precisely sized waste-gated turbocharger.

The 1.0-liter turbo-diesel engine will be manufactured at GM India’s Talegaon plant in Maharashtra and will be launched on the Chevrolet Beat in the second half of 2011.

"GM India President & Managing Director Karl Slym said, “This new state-of-the-art turbo-diesel engine will enhance the competitiveness of our Chevrolet line-up in the Indian market. The addition of diesel options to our portfolio will continue to improve our sales volume and market share,” Slym added.

About GM Engineering Center in Torino: the GM Engineering Center in Torino was established in 2005 with 80 employees. In September 2008, the center moved into its new Politecnico facility, making GM the first automotive company to become a physical part of a university campus. The collaboration brings strength to engineering research and development. The center engineers and develops diesel engines, controls and advanced propulsion systems. It currently employs more than 500 people.

About General Motors India: General Motors India has completed 16 years of operation in India. GM India started its journey in 1996 and now offers products under the Chevrolet brand, which was introduced in India in 2003. Chevrolet had already emerged as one of the fastest growing automotive nameplates in India. GM India produces the Chevrolet Captiva, Chevrolet Optra, Chevrolet Cruze, Chevrolet Aveo, Chevrolet Aveo U-VA, Chevrolet Spark, Chevrolet Beat and Chevrolet Tavera for sale in India and operates state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Halol, Gujarat and in Talegaon, Maharashtra

General Motors Contemplates All-Electric Chevrolet Beat for India Market

General Motors of India announced last week that a pre-production version of its all-electric Chevrolet Beat mini-car would go on display in April to spur interest for what could become GM India’s second Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV).

In January 2010, at GM’s 10th Auto Expo, Chevrolet showcased its first BEV concept, the e-Spark mini-car, a project jointly created with long-established Indian electric automaker REVAi.

The e-Spark is scheduled to launch as India’s first 4-door electric passenger car by the end of 2011. The popular car was chosen as the first to electrify, even as GM also ramped up production for the internal-combustion-powered Spark, and the 100,000th model traversed the assembly line not long after.

Of the conventional Spark, Chevrolet – GM’s only Indian brand as of yet – says “it has already emerged as the most sought after mini car in its segment,” and won J.D. Powers’ accolades in 2007, 2008, and 2009.

At this point, GM says the electric Beat – also popular in gas-powered form – is not yet a certainty for production, but dependent on how much demand it can drum up, and government incentives it can help foster.

An electric-powered version of the Beat will be exhibited next month. (Gas-powered version shown. Photo courtesy of GM.)

Presently, incentives for Indian hybrid and electric automobiles include exemption from customs fees and breaks on other duty charges.

As of yet, we know little about the electric powertrain or performance capability for the prototype electric Beat. Requests for information from GM India were not returned before deadline.

Source: GM-Volt.com

Chevrolet Beat LPG Now Being Offered By GM India

Without making much hue and cry, GM India has silently updated its website with information of the Chevrolet Beat LPG. Question is, "What prevents this car from being sold in the US?"

The Chevrolet Beat will be the first car to benefit from the 1.2-liter Smartech Engine. It will have an Advanced Multipoint Sequential LPG Injection Technology type kit. The LPG kit comes with a capacity of 26.2 L (filling) for LPG. Chevrolet is estimating that when the car is loaded with both fuels (LPG and gasoline) it can carry on for 1,000 km.

Chevrolet Beat LPG

We are not sure whether the car is available in showrooms for test-drive but are told vehicles have been sent to dealerships.

Chevrolet Beat LPG features

* Less weight
* No power loss
* No jerks and backfires which means smoother hassle-free transition from petrol to LPG and back.
* Better routing control and no kinking.
* No chance of inside/outside corrosion for life.
* The LPG kit is intelligently placed in the engine compartment, hence consuming lesser space and giving enough room for the passengers.
* The cabin space is not affected due to LPG kit and hence passengers can enjoy the same space as Beat petrol.
* High Pressure LPG pipes made of High Strength Nylon.
* At 13.29 kmpl in LPG mode (Certified by ARAI), it stands first in its class for mileage.
* Power – 80.4 PS@6400rpm
* Torque – 104Nm@4400rpm
* Beat automatically shifts from LPG to petrol if you run out of fuel.

We think Chevrolet will have a press conference soon about this product.

Source: Indianautosblog