Latest news with #combustion
Auto Blog
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Tuners Are Going To Love Toyota's Latest Overengineered Turbo Engine
Toyota Is Making Combustion Cleaner Toyota has long been claiming that there is no single path to carbon neutrality, arguing that cleaner combustion engines and hybrids need to bridge the gap to electric cars powered by renewable energy. With a back catalog of brilliant engines like the overengineered 2JZ, which is still revered 35 years after its 1JZ foundation was built, Toyota knows what it takes to beat the world's best, and its upcoming 1.5- (black top) and 2.0-liter (red top) four-cylinder engines appear poised to handle the weight of expectation with ease. According to Toyota engineers who spoke with German publication Auto Motor und Sport, the G20E (that's the 2.0-liter) is easily capable of exceeding the 400-450-horsepower figure of the mid-engine GR Yaris M concept: 'With a larger turbocharger, more than 600 hp is easily possible.' Numerous Potentially Imminent Sporty Applications Toyota has recently indicated that its sports cars could go hybrid, and with an engine this small and powerful supporting any electrification, that could be quite an exciting proposition. The MR2 is rumored to return with hybrid power, and a mid-engine sports car with a 600-hp thermal motor being complemented by an electric motor of another couple hundred horsepower could be quite a tantalizing entree to the forthcoming Lexus supercar. Toyota has confirmed that a new Celica is on the way, too, so there are plenty of applications for both new engines. The G16E-GTS turbocharged three-cylinder found in the production GR Yaris and its GR Corolla big brother already delivers in excess of 300 hp, so a detuned G20E (or even its 1.5-liter sibling) could be an immensely reliable – and likely even more fuel-efficient – replacement for both cars. It's also safe to assume that Toyota is considering putting this in the next GR86, since many buyers have clamored for the torque of a turbocharged engine, and if Toyota strengthens it further, it may even have a future in a pickup. Overengineered, Tuner-Friendly Engine Can Be Enlarged Toyota has reportedly been testing the engine in Lexus sedans, so it could be refined enough for a luxury application like the imminently departing IS. What really piques our interest, however, is a comment made by one of the engineers to the German publication: 'We left enough space between the cylinders so that the engine can be bored out considerably.' That's more good news for all the aftermarket tuners who will doubtless begin seeking to extract more power from the G20E the moment they get their grubby paws on it, but it also means that Toyota itself may well enlarge this four-cylinder to provide a smoother experience in cars that may otherwise have been powered by six-cylinder engines. Not that there's any reason to worry in that regard – reports out of Japan claim that, if BMW's B58 is dropped, Mazda will provide the straight-six for the next Supra. Although unconfirmed, this news seems credible since the G20E and its 1.5-liter sibling were not announced in isolation; Mazda and Subaru also presented rotary and boxer prototype powertrains when the G20E was revealed as part of the triarchy's 'Multipathway Approach,' announced almost exactly one year ago. The rush to create evermore efficient combustion engines may well be less frenetic with a collaborative approach to innovation. About the Author Sebastian Cenizo View Profile
Auto Blog
29-05-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Why GM is Investing Almost $1 Billion in Combustion Engines While Others Go Electric
It feels like just a few years ago, V8 engines were destined for an early extinction. But in the face of disappearing EV incentives and changing demands, more and more automakers, like GM, are sticking with combustion. V8s may be disappearing, but GM's apparently aren't going anywhere GM's been resolute, for the most part, on electrification. With the Silverado EV released and a mix of electric SUVs across the Chevy and Cadillac brands (Escalade iQ and Lyriq, Chevy Equinox and Blazer EV), the brand has committed harder than any other American automaker. That's not to say the automaker's commitment to internal combustion is gone, though. Tonawanda Propulsion, a GM-owned plant covering 190 acres and comprising three separate facilities, has received nearly $900 million in funding, securing over 850 jobs and production of GM's sixth-generation V8 engine. The 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe rolls off the line at GM's Arlington Assembly plant. A worker at GM's Bedford Casting Operations in Indiana Friday, Nov. 18, 2022. (Photo by AJ Mast for General Motors) The investment is a 'new chapter' for the plant, but it's also a change of direction for GM The investment is important to a lot of people. 'This investment marks an exciting new chapter for our plant,' said Tara Wasik, the plant's director. 'This is a testament to the hard work of the membership of Local 774,' said Raymond Jensen Jr. in an interview with local news. 'It's extremely important to the community, to the surrounding areas, and to New York State itself.' The impressive sum of $888 million will go towards new machinery, equipment, tools, and renovations as part of the more than $1.5 billion GM has invested in New York State in the last 15 years. It's also hardly the first time in recent memory that GM has extended the V8's lifespan. In 2023, GM invested $579 million in its Flint, Michigan production site. There, too, V8 production will continue to chug along. CEO Mary Barra addresses the gathering during the grand opening celebration at the GM Factory ZERO EV assembly plant. (Photo by Rob Widdis for General Motors) GM Oshawa Assembly Plant in Ontario, Canada However, it doesn't account for the $300 million commitment made two years ago in union negotiations to produce electric vehicles, specifically at Tonawanda. And it's not the first area where GM has had to pump the brakes on EV endorsements. The company has sold off its stake in a battery production facility to its partner, LG Energy. In other areas, GM has pushed back against California's 2035 plan to eliminate sales of gas-only vehicles, which is now, by the way, completely dead. On the other hand, GM pushed into the number two spot for April EV sales, capturing nearly 15% of EV sales. Getting mixed signals? Us too, but we blame the current political and economic climate, not necessarily GM. CEO Mary Barra emphasizes the importance of heritage and US jobs Outfitting the plant for V8 production is important for CEO Mary Barra, too. 'Our significant investments in GM's Tonawanda Propulsion plant show our commitment to strengthening American manufacturing and supporting jobs in the U.S.,' she said in a press release. She further emphasized the plant's importance to the brand, citing its 87 years of operation. The plant will finish production of GM's fifth-gen V8 before commencing work on the sixth-gen product. Final thoughts This $888 million investment marks the largest single investment GM has ever made in an engine-producing facility. The fact that it happens to make V8s is almost irrelevant; it implies the combustion engine at large still has several decades of work ahead of it. GM isn't faring poorly in the EV arena, either, so unlike other automakers that have rekindled V8 production, this isn't a crutch. GM's going where the money is, and that's just good business.
