To achieve quick improvements in fuel economy, General Motors is adopting an off-the-shelf technology: small engines with turbochargers. Next year GM will introduce a turbocharged 1.4-liter gasoline engine for small U.S. cars. The Chevrolet Cobalt and Saturn Astra are candidates for the engine, which is available without a turbocharger in the European Opel Astra.
GM engineering chief Jim Queen confirmed the company's plans to use the powertrain and said it could be used in mid-sized vehicles, too. Queen did not indicate where the engines would be made or predict their fuel economy.
Automakers find turbochargers a cost-effective way to improve fuel economy. This month Ford Motor Co. announced its EcoBoost system, a turbocharged gasoline engine with direct injection.
The 1.4-liter turbocharged engine is small by U.S. standards. With its 1.6-liter powertrain, the Korean-built Chevrolet Aveo currently has the smallest GM engine sold in the United States. The Saturn Astra has a 1.8-liter engine.
Turbochargers could cost GM $200 to $450 per vehicle depending on the system's sophistication, said Jim Hall, director of industry analysis at 2953 Analytics in suburban Detroit.
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They are seeing the turbo light.
Its like the 80s all over again, Chrysler did this to the whole lineup back then
1989 Turbo Trans Am #82, 2007 Cobalt SS G85
i thought a while back they said they were going to use the 2.4 Eco for the turbo version of the Cobalt
nah there was talk of making the 2.4 direct injection though
1989 Turbo Trans Am #82, 2007 Cobalt SS G85
over weight turbo sprints here we come
1.4 isnt a bad idea in a car sized like a metro , but in a 3000lb car , even with a turbo is gonna works its ass off
[quote=97cavie24ls()]over weight turbo sprints here we come
1.4 isnt a bad idea in a car sized like a metro , but in a 3000lb car , even with a turbo is gonna works its ass off
Amen.
I liked the turbo sprint. I saw one stock with slicks run a 13. Not bad.
Our safety standards keep going up. Probalby only to protect the average compact driver from being smoked by a soccer mom in an SUV...oh sorry Crossover. Economy standards are supoposed to markedly improve, yet our compact cars keep getting heavier. For god sakes, a Mini comes in over 3000lbs.
there are a couple guys here in phx that ride super bikes , well they also own a couple suzuki swift turbo's(same as the sprint)
well just like their bikes being fast , both of the swift's run in the 12's , and they prob still get better than 30mpg
id take a sprint turbo , with a lsd , and today technology for the computer , bet that car now would beat alot of cars out there
bwm mini's over 3000lbs , and a smaller turbo motor with less power than the s/c motor had , made from the french froggie car , LOL
I'm all for it, but I figured they'd use the turbo 1.6L. I'd still buy a turbo Astra. Awesome.
they need to put that bad boy in the Aveo. There's your next gen turbo sprint.
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Craig Lewis wrote:[quote=97cavie24ls()]over weight turbo sprints here we come
1.4 isnt a bad idea in a car sized like a metro , but in a 3000lb car , even with a turbo is gonna works its ass off
Amen.
I liked the turbo sprint. I saw one stock with slicks run a 13. Not bad.
Our safety standards keep going up. Probalby only to protect the average compact driver from being smoked by a soccer mom in an SUV...oh sorry Crossover. Economy standards are supoposed to markedly improve, yet our compact cars keep getting heavier. For god sakes, a Mini comes in over 3000lbs.
The other option is use thinner gauge everything, and have a fold-up car. Have you seen all the crap they stuff into the car?
what kind of gas will they be running?
i can't see the turbo being a huge help without premium fuel to allow higher boost levels...
GAM (The Kilted One) wrote:Craig Lewis wrote:[quote=97cavie24ls()]over weight turbo sprints here we come
1.4 isnt a bad idea in a car sized like a metro , but in a 3000lb car , even with a turbo is gonna works its ass off
Amen.
I liked the turbo sprint. I saw one stock with slicks run a 13. Not bad.
Our safety standards keep going up. Probalby only to protect the average compact driver from being smoked by a soccer mom in an SUV...oh sorry Crossover. Economy standards are supoposed to markedly improve, yet our compact cars keep getting heavier. For god sakes, a Mini comes in over 3000lbs.
The other option is use thinner gauge everything, and have a fold-up car. Have you seen all the crap they stuff into the car?
In the past, the fold-up cars did relatively well against other fold-up cars in wrecks. Cars are built to be disposable anyway. That's why they are built like cans. It was the giant and solid cars that did the most damage in earlier years.
Im my opinion, the efforts to make the average street car ultimately safe is a battle against human nature. The more safe a driver feels, the more risk they take. We make heavy cars that still have limited protection against a Tahoe and vehicles that can speed with the misguided confidence of stability control, air bags and crumple zones. We can have more accidents or we could attempt to have less accidents in the first place. It seems that our society is by design revolved around the lowest comon denominator and the decreased expectaiton of driving responsibly. Screw heavy cars and get people off the @!#$ cell phones!!!! Our efforts are misguided to say the least. Yet the industry of safety goes on while doctors still kill more people than cars every year. WTF are we doing? Adding weight and expecting economy is conflicting. How heavy is safe enough. A heavy car can get good mileage on the highway, but good milleage in stop and go traffic really does require a lighter vcehicle to be efficient.
I am excited about the Astra. GM has not bothered too much with the premium compact in North America. I would be really excited if it was coming with and
LNF or comparable engine. Hell, even Volvo offers a 2.5 turbo in a premium compact. I enjoy European chasis', but have grown accustomed to North American low end grunt. Even if the engine runs out of breath up high. I am considering one to be a project this year.
The Suzukis were far superior to the Sprint. The little 16 valve was fun enough bone stock in a car so light The sprint N/A 1.3 was not a fun engine. My father drove a white 5 door sprint for a while. I can assure you, I never asked to borrow the car. His 16v 4 door sedan was a blast.
ah come on now craig you know you asked
my sister had a metro LSi vert , i gotta saw that little car was fun as hell , even though people prob thought i was a idiot for having fun in it , lol
first car was a 72 vega , it is still the best car ive ever owned
Add a turbo to the Astra and I'm suddenly interested. Nice lines, good power and good mileage. I'd look at one for sure.
Somebody asked on the power. GM has given out any numbers on the 1.4L, but there is a new 1.6L turbocharged engine for the Opel/Chevrolet/Vauxhall Astra and Opel Vauxhall Meriva. In the Opel Astra, this engine (132 kW/180 hp) replaces a 2.0L turbo (125 kW/170 hp) and improves fuel consumption and reduces C02 emissions by 14 percent.
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180hp wouldnt be to bad , but still needs to loose 500lbs atleast
They should have done this a long time ago. Most regular cars don't need V8's or even V6's. What's kind of stupid is that they're talking about getting rid of all V8s in all cars, which is moronic. I couldn't imagine a Mustang without a V8. At the very least they should make high strung 3 and 4 liter V8's to replace the current lineup that they so badly want to replace. No V6 drives like a V8 no matter what anyone says.
Still, this doesn't bug me. The chances of me buying a new car are slim to none so this won't really ever affect me.
At least the Astra is below 3000 lbs. 2833 lbs for the 3dr XR to be exact. Still, it'd be nice to see it weigh in around 2500 lbs.
You guys are killing me. You still have the turbo 2.0 that'll push out 260 or whatever it's rated. These are for the lower models, correct?
Not every compact car that comes out needs 300 HP for people. Hell, most people can't handle 150 HP.
O noes!
It is all about fuel economy on the entry level boxes ...
And until I see EPA MPG #s ... or some blonde asians ...
I couldnt care less.
Smokey wrote:Not every compact car that comes out needs 300 HP for people. Hell, most people can't handle 150 HP.
That's why this has me interested. I'd like a version with about 150-160hp. As much fun as it could be, 260 hp is too much, and I can't imagine it being too drivable in the winter. But the current 1.8L is a little too slow; A Civic 1.8L will do 0-60 over 1.5 seconds quicker according to the magazines I've read, and Civics aren't that fast. Although I should really drive one before I say it's too slow.
