Turbocharging
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Lately, automakers haven't been touting the rising fuel economy of new vehicles, but it has to continue rising to meet reductions in the legal levels of carbon emitted. While major strides in fuel economy have been made over the past five years, the complex engine technologies and other improvements turn out to have less effect in real-world driving than the numbers would indicate. In layman's terms, a tiny turbocharged inline-4 cylinder engine may not be as efficient as lab results suggest. DON'T MISS: Fuel-efficiency rules create jobs too, contrary to industry plaints Those findings come...
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Small turbo engines get good MPG ratings; real-world use may be a different story
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...
Stephen Edelstein -
VW suggests engine downsizing is done; emissions rules are the reason
When it comes to improving fuel efficiency, simply making an engine smaller is a fairly direct way to get results. It's the approach that many automakers have taken in recent years. They have downsized engines across model lines, usually adding turbochargers at the same time to match the power...
Stephen Edelstein -
Tougher testing for emissions may mean bigger engines, but why?
On-road emissions testing may cause carmakers to go back to bigger engines.
Stephen Edelstein -
Conventional Gasoline Engines A Minority In 2 Years? Not So Fast...
Progress must be coming at a much faster pace than we thought: Conventional gasoline engines will power only a minority of the new cars sold just two years hence, according to a new report. That means more than half the vehicles sold will have hybrid, diesel, natural gas, or plug-in electric...
John Voelcker -
2015 Ford Mustang With EcoBoost Four Recalled For Fuel-System Fix
The 2015 Ford Mustang not only includes V-6 and V-8 models, per longstanding tradition, but also a new turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost version. Now, the first four-cylinder Mustang in more than 20 years is being recalled to inspect and fix a possible issue with its fuel system. DON'T MISS: 2015...
John Voelcker -
A Japanese company unveils a prototype hybrid system with an exhaust-powered generator.
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New Volkswagen TDI Turbodiesel Engine: 268 HP, Electric Turbocharger
Volkswagen will launch a 2.0-liter diesel engine with an electric turbocharger.
Stephen Edelstein -
Volvo's Triple-Turbo Four-Cylinder Engine: 450 HP From 2.0 Liters
Prototype Volvo engine produces impressive power with help from three turbochargers, one of which is electric.
Stephen Edelstein -
2015 Ford Mustang Gas Mileage: EPA Ratings For All Models Released
At its most fuel efficient, the 2015 Ford Mustang is rated at 26 mpg combined.
Stephen Edelstein -
Audi SQ7 SUV Confirmed To Get Electric Turbocharger In 2016: UPDATE
Electric turbocharging will debut on a sporty version of Audi's next-generation Q7 SUV.
Stephen Edelstein -
Even Ferrari To Cut Carbon Emissions, With Hybrid V-12 & Turbo V-8 Engines
The fastest, most expensive sports cars and supercars must constantly boost performance to stay competitive--and now they're also having to cut their carbon emissions at the same time. Ferrari, possibly the best-known among sought-after supercar brands, plans to cut average carbon emissions across...
John Voelcker -
"Turbo" was the word to have on your car in the 1980s. Preferably in huge, bright script, completely out of correlation with the car's actual performance. Now, it's more often used as an indication of efficiency--take Ford's Ecoboost brand, for example. Audi has used them for many years on its gasoline and diesel models, and has now put its latest innovation--electric turbochargers--in a fully-working prototype vehicle. Based on the firm's RS5 performance coupe, Audi's turbocharged tech could legitimately wear bright 80s-style turbo stickers. And in fact, it does--in a sort of restrained...
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2015 Ford Expedition EcoBoost: Giant SUV Gets Smaller Engine
The 2015 Ford Expedition full-size SUV will be offered exclusively with a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6.
Stephen Edelstein -
Hybrids, Electrics Not Needed To Reach 54.5 MPG In 2025: Industry Exec
For some companies in the auto industry, building cars to hit a target of 54.5 mpg by 2025 may seem like a near-impossible task. But to others, the EPA's Corporate Average Fuel Economy targets agreed in 2011 aren't simply achievable by that date, but could be reached today--and with today's...
Antony Ingram -
Annual 10 Best Engines List: Diesels, Turbos, And Electric Too
You might think that a list of the best engines on sale would be dominated by screaming sports car engines or a muscular V-8 from the latest muscle car. And while it's true that both feature on the Wards Automotive list of its 2014 Ten Best Engines, as well as several other high-performance units...
Antony Ingram -
2015 Ford Mustang Revealed, With First 4-Cylinder Since 1993 (Photos)
You may or may not be aware that the new 2015 Ford Mustang has now officially been unveiled. Perhaps you saw it this morning on Good Morning America, or came across some of the other coverage that's emerged over the last couple of days. MORE: 2015 Ford Mustang Preview: Official Photos And Video The...
John Voelcker -
Before Plug-In Hybrids, Volvo Preps Efficient New Gas Engines
As German luxury brands have moved to smaller turbocharged engines with much-improved gas mileage, Volvo's entire U.S. lineup has remained powered by five- and six-cylinder engines. Yet with the introduction of a new generation of so-called Drive-E engines—and eight-speed automatic...
Bengt Halvorson -
Volkswagen will eliminate the last of its naturally-aspirated engines as models are refreshed or redesigned.
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2025 Gas Mileage Reachable With 'Radical Downsizing' HyBoost Engine, Says Ricardo
Noticed engines getting smaller recently? You're not alone. "Downsizing", as it's called, involves using a smaller engine to do the work of a larger alternative--usually through turbocharging--while enjoying the fuel efficiency benefits associated with its size. Engineering firm Ricardo thinks this...
Antony Ingram -
New Gas Mileage Rules Will Reshape What Americans Drive: Engines And Transmissions
Smaller, more efficient engines better matched to more complex transmissions will have some of the biggest effects in making tomorrow's cars more fuel-efficient. The 2025 corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) level of 54.5 mpg translates to about 42 mpg on the EPA window sticker. And while Toyota...
John Voelcker -
2014 Ford Fusion: 1.5-Liter EcoBoost Engine For China, Coming To U.S.--Maybe
There have been several rumors flying around as to the full details of Ford's new 1.5-liter Ecoboost engine. The first of these relates to how many cylinders the new unit has. Ford's crypic press release didn't make this clear, with no menion of a cylinder count. Road & Track however has heard...
Antony Ingram -
Do Small Turbo Engines Really Give Better Gas Mileage?
Back in November, we asked whether tinier, turbocharged engines were really the best way to get good gas mileage. Our assertion was that with the latest generation of small turbocharged engines replacing larger variants, the real-world gas mileage improvement is nowhere near that of the on-paper...
Antony Ingram -
Next Step In Audi's Turbocharging Tech? Electric Assistance
Turbochargers always used to be about performance, but in recent years they've become very popular as a way of improving the efficiency of regular engines. Forced induction by turbocharging is still a good way of developing power, and many performance cars take just such a route. But using the same...
Antony Ingram