Volkswagen Reveals New 268 Horsepower TDI Engine

The Volkswagen TDI line of turbodiesel engines has been a cornerstone of Wolfburg’s new car lineup for over three decades, and with each evolution it only gets better. Volkswagen has revealed a new 268 horsepower version of its 2.0 liter TDI engine, using an electric turbocharger to make it the most powerful TDI yet.

Electric turbochargers are going to play a huge role in Volkswagen’s lineup, with the Audi Q7 to debut the technology in a production model in the next couple of years. Despite having two fewer cylinders and a whole liter less of displacement, the new 2.0 liter TDI actually makes 10 more horsepower than the just-updated 3.0 liter V6 TDI, and about 30 horsepower more than the outgoing 2.0 liter TDI motor. It is however overshadowed by a more potent version of the 3.0 liter V6 found in the RS5 concept, churning out a healthy 326 horsepower.

Despite this though, the new motor is actually 14% more efficient, which could mean an extra 4 or 5 MPG on the road. Volkswagen isn’t talking torque numbers just yet, but it should be in the same area as the outgoing model, which offered 369 lb-ft of twist.

So where can we expect to find this uber-powerful TDI motor? The engine is going to be reserved for upper-end models, including the upcoming production version of the Volkswagen CrossBlue SUV concept. VW also released a few details on its upcoming 10-speed dual-shift gearbox (DSG), including a torque limit of 405 lb-ft and a coasting function that shuts down the engine similar to a start-stop system, but while the car is in motion at speeds under 4 MPH.

Volkswagen is also investing heavily into plug-in vehicles, which leaves the door open for a hybridized version of this drivetrain, perhaps pairing it with a couple of electric motors for even better performance. A guy can dream, right?

Source: Gas2

Electric Turbochargers Poised To Improve Fuel Economy

Automakers from every nation are embracing turbochargers as a means of downsizing engine size and improving fuel economy. The next step? Electronic turbochargers, designed to eliminate that pesky nuisance known as turbo lag while simultaneously making smaller engines even more miserly with their fuel.

A report by Navigant Research says that electronic turbos could be the next “big thing” when it comes to fuel economy improvements. “With an electric turbo, the engine management system can request small amounts of boost on-demand to increase torque while climbing a grade while keeping as many as half of the cylinders inactive,” Ronald Wegener, application engineering manager with Valeo, told Navigant. “This can yield up to a 10% improvement in efficiency.”

Audi is at the forefront of this technology, trotting out the RS5 concept and announcing that in 2016 the Q7 TDI SUV would be the first to use an electronic turbo in a production car. Combining an electronic turbo with cylinder navigation can net up to a 10% fuel economy improvement at very little cost. Electronic turbos can even be included on small 48-volt mild-hybrid systems that are expected to grow in popularity over the next decade.

Turbochargers are quickly becoming commonplace on many cars, with an estimated 75% of Ford’s 2014 global vehicle sales using turbochargers, and 85% of new Volkswagens embracing forced induction. Electronic turbochargers could become a frequent addition at little cost to automakers and consumers, while delivering the extra fuel economy government mandates require.

Source: Gas2