The New Global Passenger Car Diesel Engine: will it be a Downsized 3-Cylinder Engine?

The demand for downsized lightweight, cost-effective diesel engines will cause the dominance of in-line 4 cylinder configurations to be reviewed. New 3 cylinder engine designs targeting specific ratings of 75 kW/7 and above, with improved NVH characteristics compared to current 4 cylinder engines are under development.

This paper will summarize the strengths of the L3 layout when compared with current L4 best-in-class powertrains, and comment upon the L3 design in terms of package, performance, emissions and NVH attributes. A 3-cylinder, low fuel consumption research engine will be highlighted as the potential basis for future application both in the developing and mature marketplace.