General Motors has carted the new Cruze all over the world showing off the successor to the Chevy Cobalt and this morning in a series of press releases, the General rolled out a ton of official information for the sporty new entry-level model with a focus on the engines. While we already knew that the 2011 Cruze would receive a turbocharged 4 cylinder along with a naturally aspirated (NA) 4 cylinder but rather than a pair of 1.4L engines, the turbo 4 displaces 1.4L while the NA models get a 1.8L powerplant.

The Ecotec 1.8L engine is standard in the 2011 Chevy Cruze LS, offering 138 horsepower and 125lb-ft of torque with the use of variable flow intake manifold technology. When the engine is running below 4,000rpm, engine intake air travels through roughly 35 inches of tubing before entering the throttle body, allowing for stronger low-end torque across a broader rpm range. When the engine climbs over 4,000rpm, a rotary sleeve closes off a large portion of the intake runner, sending air through just 10.2 inches of the intake before entering the throttle body – allowing for more horsepower at the top of the powerband.

The Ecotec 1.4L turbo engine is stand in the 2011 Cruze LT, LTZ and Eco and while this smaller engine makes the same horsepower as the Ecotec 1.8L, the boosted 4 cylinder for the Cruze offers more torque (148lb-ft in the 1.4L compared to just 125 in the 1.8L). This engine not only offers more torque in 2011 Cruze models but it also has a larger powerband, making peak torque from 1,850 to 4,900.

All of the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze trimlines (LS, LT, LTZ, and Eco) have the option of either an automatic or manual 6-speed transmission with the Eco models offering a specially geared transmission to optimize fuel economy. All of the 6-speed automatic transmissions feature ActiveSelect manual control, giving the driver some control of the shifts for a more engaged driving experience.

This new turbocharged engine offers excellent fuel economy and power, considering the relatively small displacement, but a turbo engine in the sporty new Cruze frame could make the car a big hit with the “tuner” crowd. This 2011 Cruze will effectively replace the Cobalt which replaced the Cavalier and both of those models were very popular in the sport compact market. General Motors has already made some moves to put the Cruze in a performance venue with their World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) models and the factory turbocharged engine will definitely add to the performance interest of the vehicle.

Even though the goal of the Ecotec 1.4L turbo engine is fuel economy, if you know turbo engines you know how easily they can be tweaked to increase performance so the prospect of getting into a low priced, sporty sedan with a factory forced induction setup could blow up the popularity of the 2011 Chevy Cruze.

Check out the images below for a closer look at Stay tuned to your Detroit Autos Examiner for all of your local automaker news from around the D and around the world!

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Tags: 1.4L, Cruze, ecotec, ls, turbo
Posted in 2011 Chevrolet Cruze | No Comments »

Honeywell said that it’s turbo technologies designed for small gasoline engines (1.4L), will be launched in GM’s Chevy Cruze in the US. It is expected to reach up to 4-6% penetration in all US light vehicle sales by 2014.

The GM 1.4L engine is equipped with Honeywell’s gasoline turbocharger technology, which incorporates new enhancements in bearing technology and aerodynamics suited for small gasoline engines.

According to the company, the turbo growth is linked in US to CAFE standards which require fuel economy improvements of around 40% in light vehicles by 2016. Overall, turbo penetration is expected to reach 25% by the year 2014, up from 5% in 2009, driven mostly by the growth in gasoline engine.

Alex Ismail, president and CEO of Honeywell Transportation Systems, said: “Thanks to a turbo’s unique ability to increase the performance output of smaller displacement engines, a downsizing revolution is underway in the US and around the world.

“Over the next 10 years, this mega trend will see average engine displacement in the US reduce from 3.6L to 2.9L moving from V8 and V6 engines to 4 cylinders a major reflection of this trend being high volume growth in smaller, 4-cylinder turbocharged passenger cars of around 1.4L. As the world’s leading turbo manufacturer, we are well positioned to benefit from the move, which will help drive greater energy efficiency and reduced emissions in the auto industry.”

Honeywell Turbo Technologies is an automotive turbocharger developer and is a business unit of Honeywell Transportation Systems, which also consists of consumer products group and friction materials. Honeywell Transportation Systems facilitates vehicle performance, efficiency and appearance through technologies, brands and global solutions tailored for its automotive customers.

source

Tags: 1.4L, Alex Ismail, CAFE, honeywell, Honeywell Turbo Technologies
Posted in 2010 Chevrolet Cruze, 2011 Chevrolet Cruze | No Comments »

General Motors announced today it will be spending just a little over $500 million on an expansion to build a manufacturing plant for the engines that will be powering the upcoming Chevy Cruze and Chevy Volt.

Press release below:

GM Announces $370 Million Investment for New Small Engine Manufacturing in North America

New GM engines will power Chevrolet Cruze and electrify Chevy Volt New, highly flexible manufacturing facility is planned

FLINT , Mich. – General Motors Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rick Wagoner today announced that the company will invest $370 million in the U.S. to build a new manufacturing plant for its global 4-cylinder engines in Flint, Mich. The plant will begin production in the U.S. in 2010, and will be the exclusive manufacturing facility in North America to produce the Chevrolet Volt’s range extending engine.

The investment in Flint is one of several that have been announced at U.S. plants in the past 10 years, adding up to over a $9 billion total investment in Michigan and more than $42 billion in the United States. “GM, the UAW and the City of Flint have had a long- standing relationship,” Wagoner said. ” Based on the capability and the commitment of the men and women who will work here, the tradition and leadership from UAW Local 599, the tremendous automotive heritage that underlies this region, and the strong partnerships we enjoy with local, state, and federal governments… we are confident that Flint is exactly the right place to build our all-new powertrain plant.”

“We are proud that General Motors has chosen Michigan as the best place to develop and produce the revolutionary Chevy Volt and other next-generation vehicles and components,” Governor Jennifer M. Granholm said. “Our competitive business climate, outstanding workforce and aggressive strategy to diversify our economy put us in a strong position to win this project and be the state that helps GM produce the cars and trucks that will help end our nation’s dependence on foreign oil.”

The investment includes construction of the new 552,000 square foot plant, machinery, equipment and special tooling to support production of the new 4-cylinder engines. In addition to the $349 million facility investment, GM will invest an additional $21 million for vendor tooling to support the new Flint operations. Construction on the new facility is slated to begin immediately, with completion in 2010. The project will retain about 300 hourly jobs.

Two engines will be built at the new facility. A 1.4-liter turbo for the Chevrolet Cruze and 1.4-liter naturally aspirated engine for the Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle (E-REV), will be new members of an engine family already deployed successfully around the world, primarily in Europe. The engines will play a key role in GM’s plan to double global production of small four-cylinder engines by 2011, with more than half of that increase coming from North America.

Tom Stephens, GM Executive Vice President of Global Powertrain and Global Quality spoke to the role the 1.4-liter turbo will play in the company’s line-up. “The new 1.4L turbo for the Chevrolet Cruze highlights GM’s global commitment to offering engines that provide outstanding fuel efficiency without compromising vehicle performance. The new 1.4L turbocharged engine has the power of a larger engine, but retains the efficiency of a small-displacement four-cylinder. And with this engine, we expect the Cruze to be a fuel economy leader in its segment when it’s introduced in early 2010 . “

Within the new engine plant will be GM Powertrain’s most flexible and competitive engine assembly lines in the world, with approximately 300 highly flexible stations that will allow assembly of multiple 4-cylinder engine families without retooling. The plant will be a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified facility, the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. And the plant will be landfill free, meaning no waste from manufacturing operations will go to landfills, but will be recycled, reused or converted to energy, proving the plant will be as environmentally sound as the products it manufactures.

Tags: 1.4L, chevy, Cruze, Flint, Michigan, Volt
Posted in Chevrolet Cruze | No Comments »