Volvo unveils new engine family

August 16, 2013: Volvo is claiming a revolution in diesel engine technology as part of its all-new engine family. The new family of engines will replace current units found in Volvo's entire line-up.

Later this year, Volvo will roll out its exclusively 2.0-litre, four-cylinder DRIVE-E diesel and petrol engines initially in the S60, V60 and XC60. These will replace eight existing engine families across all model lines and spell the end four five-, six- and eight-cylinder Volvos.

The engines will be offered with different levels of turbocharging and, in some instances, mated to front or rear-mounted hybrid systems for front- or all-wheel drive to power anything from a super-frugal economy model to cars with performance comparable with a V8.

Each will be hooked up to a new eight-speed automatic or ‘enhanced’six-speed manual gearbox.

"We have created smaller, more intelligent engines with power curves that give exciting driveability compared with engines with more cylinders yet deliver the fuel economy of only four cylinders. In addition, by adding electrification such as plug-in hybrid technology, we will reach power figures in the V8 territory," says Derek Crabb, vice-president (Powertrain Engineering) at Volvo Car Group (pictured).

The diesel breakthrough, Volvo claims, is with its i-Art injection technology. Each injector in the common rail is fitted with a small computer that ensures the optimum amount of fuel is injected into each cylinder at a pressure of up to 2500 bar, rather than each injector providing a constant, single pressure. Improved economy, performance and sound are all promised.

The first DRIVE-E diesel engine to get the i-Art technology will be the D4 unit with 179bhp. Diesels with between 118bhp and 227bhp will be offered.

The Volvo designed and developed DRIVE-E engine family, which was known as Volvo Engine Architecture or VEA through its development, also includes petrols with between 138bhp and 300bhp-plus.

The first petrols are a 302bhp T6 and a 230bhp T5. Higher performance petrols feature a supercharger as well as a turbocharger to provide more low-end torque for a more linear torque curve and normally aspirated feel. MARK TISSHAW, AUTOCAR UK

Photographs: The new Drive-E diesel engine which features world-first i-Art technology, and the most powerful petrol version comes with a class-leading combination of a compressor and a turbocharger. With i-ART, each of the four injectors has an integrated fuel pressure sensor and a small computer which monitors injection pressure. Using this information, the self-adapting i-ART system makes sure that the correct amount of fuel is injected during each combustion cycle.