NEWS
Volvo's three-cylinder future
Lightweight three-pot powerplant will be Euro 7-compliantVolvo engineers are already embarked on a test program for a new three-cylinder engine, the Swedish firm has revealed today.
According to the manufacturer, the new petrol engine family will deliver lightweight design and it will comply with upcoming Euro 7 emissions legislation. In different applications the engine's output will range up to a maximum of 135kW. Designed primarily for existing 60 Series models and new vehicles developed on Volvo's CMA architecture, the three banger will run down the same production line as the current Drive-E four-cylinder engines.
"We have come a long way in the last few years at Volvo," says Dr Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President Research & Development at Volvo Car Group.
"Investments from our parent company, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, have enabled us to recapture our position as a leader in the field of powertrain engineering. The development programme for the new three-cylinder engine is very advanced and we have already begun prototype testing of the unit."
Volvo has introduced the Drive-E four-cylinder engines without sacrificing much in the way of driveability, and the company claims that lessons learned from the four-cylinder development have been applied to the three-cylinder also.
"We have learned a lot from the development of our 4-cylinder Drive-E engines and translated this into a highly responsive, compact and powerful premium-quality three-cylinder engine," says Michael Fleiss, Vice President Powertrain at Volvo Car Group.
"The engine is being developed primarily with our new CMA architecture in mind but will also provide power for our 60 Series cars thanks to Volvo's advanced turbo technologies, while also meeting Euro 7 emission targets."
Volvo has made no admission concerning the likely displacement(s) of the new engine, or the breadth of its application, but presumably it will eventually power a wide selection of vehicle types – potentially anything from plug-in hybrids up to luxury SUVs.
Engines with fewer than four cylinders are increasingly common in Europe, as stricter emissions control legislation begins to bite. Ford and PSA Peugeot Citroen have already headed down that path. Volvo may have drawn on long-range plans formulated during the years it was part of Ford's 'Premier Automotive Group', although the company stresses that all engineering work for the new engine took place in Sweden.
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Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
If the price does not contain the notation that it is "Drive Away", the price may not include additional costs, such as stamp duty and other government charges.
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