turbocharged
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Automakers may gradually be putting more emphasis on plug-in electric cars and conventional hybrids, but they are far from done with plain old internal combustion. Over the past few years, automakers have applied more technology to a wider array of cars in order to boost their efficiency to meet stricter fuel-economy standards. The most popular manifestation of this is downsized turbocharged engines, which aim to produce similar power to larger naturally-aspirated engines with the better fuel economy of their lower displacement. DON'T MISS: VW suggests engine downsizing is done; emissions...
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Fiat Chrysler to offer turbo-4 to boost fuel economy in next Jeep Wrangler
FCA will reportedly launch a 4-cylinder engine with nearly 300 horsepower in the next Jeep Wrangler.
Stephen Edelstein -
Ford EcoBoost Sales Continue To Rise: 1 Million In 2015 Projected
Ford expects to sell 1 million EcoBoost-equipped cars and trucks this year.
Stephen Edelstein -
2016 Honda Civic Sedan: Sleek Lines, Turbo Engine, CVT For Efficiency
The redesigned 2016 Honda Civic sedan broke cover ahead of its arrival in U.S. showrooms later this year.
Stephen Edelstein -
Future BMW M4 To Use Water Injection For Power, Efficiency At Same Time
The BMW M4 GTS will mark the carmaker's first production application of water injection.
Stephen Edelstein -
2014 Ford Fiesta EcoBoost: Gas Mileage Test Returns 40 MPG
As a general rule, we like small cars, and small cars with small engines. Eighteen months ago, when we first drove prototype versions of the 2014 Ford Fiesta EcoBoost, we knew we'd be eager to get our hands on the little subcompact with the turbocharged three-cylinder engine for a longer drive...
John Voelcker -
The Ford Escape, entirely redesigned for 2013, is one of the best-selling entries in the popular category of compact crossover utility vehicles. The real-world gas mileage of the latest Escapes, however, does not quite seem to equal those cars' combined EPA ratings. Ford has put a great deal of effort into engineering its EcoBoost four-cylinder engines, which use direct injection and turbocharging to make smaller engines produce the same power as the larger ones it previously used. 2.0-liter EcoBoost: struggle to hit 24 mpg When we tested a 2013 Ford Escape with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine...
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Five Turbocharged Green Cars You Need To Drive
There was a time when a turbocharger under the hood meant one thing and one thing only: that the car you were driving was a performance-oriented, sporty beast with that oh-so-addictive turbo whine. Today, the turbocharger has become the biggest thing in green car technology since the hybrid...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
2013 Chevrolet Sonic RS Priced At $20,995: No Gas Mileage Yet
It’s been a long time since it was unveiled at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, but Chevrolet has finally detailed pricing on its 2013 Sonic RS. At $20,995, the sports-styled, hatchback-only version of the popular Sonic subcompact is Chevrolet’s attempt to make the car more appealing to...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
So-Long V-6, V-8: High-MPG 4-Cylinder Now The Most Popular Engine
For as long as we care to remember, U.S. roads have hummed to the tune of the V-6 and V-8. Low-stressed and powerful, we’ve used V-engines in everything from pickup trucks and hotrods to family sedans and crossover SUVS. Times, however, are changing. According to JD Power Associates (via...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Turbos Grow Much Faster Than Hybrids In Quest For MPG
There's a quiet revolution going on in the auto world, one that isn't as trendy as plug-in cars or hybrids: turbocharged engines. Cheaper to build and buy than hybrid systems, they offer great gas mileage and great performance. In some cases, such as the 3-cylinder 2014 Ford Focus 1.0-liter...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Smaller Engine Watch: VW 1.4 Turbo To Replace 2.5 Five In U.S.?
We've been saying for a long time that one way carmakers will meet new, tougher gas-mileage rules is to make their engines smaller but more efficient. Ford's EcoBoost lineup of direct-injected, turbocharged engines is one example, from a 3.5-liter V-6 used in full-sized pickups all the way down to...
John Voelcker -
If you remember Volkswagen’s Super Bowl advert from earlier this year involving a pint-sized Darth Vader, its 2011 Passat had a particular affinity with the dark side of the force. But as of 2013 the evil Pasatt will have a nemisis in the form of the 2013 VW Jetta Hybrid, complete with a noticiably greener tinge thanks to the power of a 1.4 liter hybrid drivetrain. According to Car and Driver, the hybrid Jetta will be officially unveiled at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show with sales starting some time by the end of 2012. VW plans to market the gasoline electric hybrid as a sports hybrid...
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Mercedes-Benz Concept A-Class Previews New U.S.-Bound Compact
Mercedes-Benz is working on a family of new small cars, several of which will be heading to the U.S., possibly by the end of next year. Designed to compete with BMW’s 1-Series range, the new Lexus CT 200h and even the Audi A3, the new family of small cars will serve as the replacements for...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class: Half of Sales To Be High-MPG Fours
Mercedes-Benz likes to launch technologies and lead trends, but sometimes they follow along with the crowd. In this case, Hyundai's doing it. Chevy's doing it. Chrysler's going to do it. Even Porsche will be doing it. And now Mercedes-Benz has joined the gang: The luxury carmaker too will fit a...
John Voelcker -
Toyota Hops On the Direct Injection And Turbocharging Bandwagon
Toyota is the latest automaker to announce it’s headed down the downsized engine path as it strives for improved fuel economy, following the likes of Ford, Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai, all of which have announced similar plans in the recent past. Toyota has long been the champion of hybrid...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Number Of Turbocharged Vehicles To Soar Thanks To CAFE Mileage Rules
There’s no doubt new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulations introduced by the federal government are hitting automakers hard, especially here in the U.S. where traditionally low gas prices have meant vehicle size, weight and efficiency have never been much of an issue. But thanks...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
How Smaller Engines Offer More Power: Superchargers Vs Turbos
Turbochargers have been with us in volume production only since the Seventies, but superchargers have a long and honorable automotive history. They were used on the Blower Bentleys that won Le Mans 80 years ago, and have appeared ever since on high-performance engines, often larger ones. A boost...
John Voelcker -
Used to be that turbos were used in performance cars, from the Saab Turbos of the late Seventies to BMW's current range of twin-turbo sixes. These days, the little air pumps more often make smaller engines perform like bigger ones to give fuel economy. In brief, a turbocharger uses exhaust gases to drive a turbine that pumps more air into the intake manifold, so more gasoline can be burnt for greater power. We write about this engine downsizing theme a lot, and we're hitting it again because our colleague Bengt Halvorson just looked at the 1.4-liter turbocharged four that GM fits to the...
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Fuel Efficient Fours Gain Ground on V-6s, V-8s In New Cars
At December's Los Angeles Auto Show, Hyundai made a big splash by saying it would no longer offer V-6 engines in its Sonata midsize car or its Tucson compact crossover. Instead, it replaced them with higher-performance, more fuel-efficient four-cylinder motors. But Hyundai's just one of many makers...
John Voelcker -
Hyundai: No More V6s For Midsize Cars or Compact Crossovers
One of the standouts among the global carmakers at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show was Hyundai. The Korean company has seen its market share rise from 3 to 4 percent during a dismal downturn, even without any new volume models to spur excitement. Now, with its Los Angeles launch of the 2010 Tucson...
John Voelcker -
2011 Chevrolet Cruze Compact Car Launch Delayed Til Next Fall
As U.S. carmakers get serious about building world-class compact cars, one of the most eagerly awaited entries is the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, which will face off against a totally new 2012 Ford Focus as well as revised models of the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, and Nissan Sentra. Now reports say that...
John Voelcker -
Will the 2011 Ford Mustang Get An EcoBoost Engine Too?
We always enjoy talking cars with the opinionated Alex Nunez from Autoblog, most recently last week when we both appeared on FoxNews.com's Fox Car Report with dapper host Gary Gastelu. This week's guest was Derrick Kuzak, who heads up global product development for Ford. Meaning he's the guy...
John Voelcker -
Electric Supercharger Boosts Gasoline Engines To Diesel Efficiency
In the accelerating quest for greater fuel efficiency, boosting engines--with turbos or superchargers--is one way to pull more power out of a given displacement. Traditionally, superchargers have been driven by chain or belt powered from an engine's crankshaft. Now, a British engineering firm has...
John Voelcker