tech briefs 2006 technology in review

AEI editors look back at some of the most significant engineering and innovation stories of the past year.

The latest and most powerful member of Toyota's GR-series V6 family, the 2GR-FSE, encompasses the company's leading-edge injection gasoline engine technology. As fitted to the Lexus IS350 and other Toyota models, it employs two (port and direct) injectors per cylinder with new “double vertical fan-shaped spray” to achieve a homogeneous and dense fuel mist. Yamaha and Denso contributed to the design and development of the D-4S injection system, and Yamaha played an important role in the design and development of the engine's injection system. The stoichiometric direct-injection's benefits are lower mixture temperature by charge vaporizing effects, improving volumetric efficiency and precluding early knocking, thus allowing a higher compression ratio at 11.8:1. Injection ratio between the two injectors is continuously varied, depending on rpm and load. The engine has gained about 7% in WOT performance versus the port-injection version, producing an additional 16 kW (21 hp) and 28 N·m (21 lb·ft). In the U.S.-market Lexus IS350, it is rated at 306 hp (228 kW) at 6400 rpm and 277 lb·ft (376 N·m) at 4800 rpm.