Currently reading: Vauxhall Adam to get new 1.0-litre three-pot engine
Geneva motor show debut for Luton manufacturer's frugal new powerplant, which will be available in Adam supermini in two states of tune

Vauxhall's brand new 1.0-litre, three-cylinder powerplant will appear for the first time in the Vauxhall Adam supermini at next month's Geneva motor show.

The new, all-aluminum Ecotec direct-injection turbocharged petrol engine – which is a competitor for Ford's groundbreaking 1.0 EcoBoost installed in cars such as the Ford Focus and Ford Fiesta – has been developed at Vauxhall/Opel’s International Technical Development Centre in Rüsselsheim, Germany.

The 12-valve engine will be offered in 89bhp and 113bhp power outputs. Both variants generate 122lb ft of torque at 1800rpm; almost 30 per cent more than Vauxhall's naturally aspirated 1.6-litre generates at the same rpm.

The lower-powered unit has stop-start fitted as standard and Vauxhall claims it can return 62mpg on the combined cycle, together with CO2 emissions of 99g/km.

Vauxhall set out to make the new powertrain the most refined in its segment by minimising balance, noise and vibration issues.

The Luton manufacturer explained that in bench testing at full throttle, the 1.0 unit emits lower noise levels across all engine speeds than similarly powerful petrol naturally aspirated engines of 1.6-litre displacement.

Countering the typical offbeat running characteristics of a three-cylinder engine is a chain-driven balancer shaft mounted in the sump. Noise reduction features include acoustically optimised engine covers, a specially tuned intake system and a low-hiss turbocharger compressor.

The 1.0 Ecotec marks the next step in Vauxhall’s powertrain offensive following the recent introduction of new 1.6-litre mid-size petrol and diesel engine families. The new engine strategy started in 2012 and will deliver up to 13 units by 2016.

The 1.0-litre unit, which was showcased at last year's Frankfurt motor show, is the first in Vauxhall's new SGE (Small Gasoline Engine) family and will spawn other lightweight aluminium three and four-cylinder petrol engines of between 1.0 and 1.6 litres.

The engine will go on sale in the Vauxhall Adam three-door hatch in the spring and will come mated to a new, compact six-speed manual transmission. It has a dry weight of 37kg – about 30 per cent lighter than transmission units it replaces.

The new gearbox will eventually be rolled out across the entire Vauxhall range.

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fadyady 18 February 2014

Open your mind

Petrol engines are finally catching up with the diesels in terms of claimed MPG figures, by relying on blowers. How much of these efficiency gains translate into real life is yet to be seen. However for those who love low-end torque for the so-called effortless driving, these small petrol units couldn't have come earlier.
scotty5 17 February 2014

Still lagging behind Ford?

If I read the story right, here we have two new turbocharged 1.0 3 cyl units, the lower of which produced 89bhp, emits 99g/km and is good for 62mpg. The more powerful unit is 112bhp but no further details are given.

Ford's lesser 3cyl turbo 1.0 produces 98bhp, emits 99g/km and 65mpg, with the more powerful producing 123bhp, still 99g/km and still 65mpg.

Two additional years development on Ford and Vauxhall still can't match them.

Dark Isle 17 February 2014

I thought...

...the SGE (and LGE) powertrains were created in partnership with MG's parent SAIC? I'm sure I read somewhere that MG is getting them in a year or two as well.