Volvo plans three cylinder engine for 60- series cars

VOLVO is developing new three-cylinder engines that will appear in its 60-series cars, like the S60 sedan, V60 wagon, and the XC60 crossover.

   Part of an overhaul aimed at replacing and updating the company’s model lineup and developing new, more efficient powertrains, Volvo was able to spin off a three-cylinder engine from one of its new four-cylinder Drive-E engines, the latter of which are replacing inline-six and inline-five engines in its lineup.

   The development of three-cylinder engines represents the next step after the debut of Volvo’s four-cylider Drive-E engines in production cars.

   Volvo says that the new turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder gas engines will produce up to 180 hp without hybrid technology. The three-cylinder powerplant is still a couple years away from appearing in production cars, which will also include Geely models in the Chinese market. Geely is Volvo’s corporate parent.

   “We have learned a lot from the development of our 4-cylinder Drive-E engines and translated this into a highly responsive, compact and powerful premium-quality 3-cylinder engine,” said Michael Fleiss, vice president of powertrain operations at Volvo Car Group. “The engine is being developed primarily with our new CMA architecture in mind but will also provide power for our 60 Series cars thanks to Volvo’s advanced turbo technologies, while also meeting Euro 7 emission targets.”

   The three-cylinder engines from Volvo will join other three-cylinder units already on the market, such as BMW’s junior engine found under the hood of the Mini Cooper, the Ford Fiesta’s I-3, and the 1.2-liter inline-three found in the new Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback.

   Volvo has not disclosed specifics about the future availability of three-cylinder engines in cars bound for the U.S. market — the plans remain up in the air while the engines are being developed — but since Volvo plans to have nothing larger than a four-cylinder in its lineup in just a couple years, the company is expected to market a production three-cylinder appear in the states.