The bell tolls for Volvo's 5-cylinder engines

[craigv60]

Well, Volvo has been talking about it for a while, and now it's finally introducing the engine that will replace the 5-cylinder petrols and diesels.

A first drive of the V60 with the new modular engine is here: http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/...t-drive-review

It's a real shame, the 5-cylinder engine has such character

[Harvey1512]

For mechanically ignorant people, ie me, why does moving from 5 cylinders to 4 either improve matters or make people go misty eyed with sadness? Noddy language please.

[Ninja59]

Because some people dislike the sound of a 4 cylinder engine preferring the nature of an engine with a cylinder count of 5 + cylinders which give a more "emotional noise related connection".

Furthermore one has to question any potential "longevity" of a 2,3,4 cylinder engine that we are seeing now that are using turbos and downsizing which I think that is something that has been highlighted in other downsizing engine threads focusing on Ford, Fiat and of course the new VEA engines (for example the new T6 which has reviews of being lacking in emotion if you will).

I cannot deny for me personally a small light car with a 4 cylinder is great fun but in something bigger then are larger cylinder count engine seems more "fitting" owing to a more relaxed "less busy" engine. However, one cannot deny that a 4 cylinder with turbos etc. offers the potential for better fuel economy and emissions than a larger cylinder count engine. My caveat with this though is that the current fuel economy testing is not fit for purpose and the current "eco" based engines have come no where near realistic values in many cases.

[Brodick]

Yeah, quite a few reviews going around
one here from Swedish magazine (pinched from general forum!)

http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=188775

It is a big gamble for the manufacturer. They know that many of the current customers enjoy the 5 cylinder engines and so to try an replicate the power & sound of a 5 cylinder but at the same time offer better fuel economy and emissions. The motoring press are going to try and find every little fault they can with the engines.

I myself will be interested to test drive the new D4 and the new D5 when it comes out. I hope for Volvo's sake they have got it right. Don't want to see them going the same way as Saab.

[Ninja59]

In relation to a complete switch to four cylinders it might loose some customers wanting 5+ but overall not many people care about cylinder count what most people will see for example with the T6 is maybe FWD in it's current only format (AWD is coming down the pipeline as a VEA engine), 300 horses, low emissions and decent fuel economy.

D4 - in a manual format below 100 g/km, lower emissions and better MPG than a BMW 320 if my mind is right with the same amount of power.

[craigv60]

Ninja59 is right, not many people care that much about what's under the bonnet of their car. Even BMW is starting to move from its traditional 6-cylinder engines in its higher-end cars to turbocharged 4-potters.

However, for me, one of the main reasons for choosing the Volvo was the 5-cylinder motor ... having owned or test-driven all of the mainstream rivals in the repmobile class, which all have 2-litre, 4-cylinder turbodiesels**, the Volvo was just head & shoulders above the rest.

The engine gives it real character that the others lack, in my view. That offbeat snarl and double-edged warble when I boot the throttle still makes me grin even after 2 years ownership.

I do hope it takes a while to homologate the motors for mass production, and that I can get a last 5-cylinder V60 when my lease runs out next year.

(** of course, Audi and BMW both have 6-cylinder diesels, but these are stupidly expensive in company car tax, and beyond my means)

[Harvey1512]

So, to sum up for the mechanically naive: the 4 cylinder engines have to work harder, have less power but are more efficient in term of theoretical emissions and mpg tests that mfrs are now judged by. 5 or 6 cylinder engines have more power, make a better noise but are not as good at getting around the tests.

So far in the real world these new engines improve economy by about 1-2mpg at best. Worth the change? Mmmmmmmmm

[Ninja59]

Originally Posted by craigv60

Ninja59 is right, not many people care that much about what's under the bonnet of their car. Even BMW is starting to move from its traditional 6-cylinder engines in its higher-end cars to turbocharged 4-potters.

However, for me, one of the main reasons for choosing the Volvo was the 5-cylinder motor ... having owned or test-driven all of the mainstream rivals in the repmobile class, which all have 2-litre, 4-cylinder turbodiesels**, the Volvo was just head & shoulders above the rest.

The engine gives it real character that the others lack, in my view. That offbeat snarl and double-edged warble when I boot the throttle still makes me grin even after 2 years ownership.

I do hope it takes a while to homologate the motors for mass production, and that I can get a last 5-cylinder V60 when my lease runs out next year.

T6 6 cylinder inline engine (not a V6 like oh so many reports!):

(** of course, Audi and BMW both have 6-cylinder diesels, but these are stupidly expensive in company car tax, and beyond my means)

The VEA engines are already in production and beginning to see the first of the machines they are going in if you wish to avoid then you need a D3 or D5 the D4 is the first to be a VEA 4 cylinder engine.

Originally Posted by Harvey1512

So, to sum up for the mechanically naive: the 4 cylinder engines have to work harder, have less power but are more efficient in term of theoretical emissions and mpg tests that mfrs are now judged by. 5 or 6 cylinder engines have more power, make a better noise but are not as good at getting around the tests.

So far in the real world these new engines improve economy by about 1-2mpg at best. Worth the change? Mmmmmmmmm

The bit in bold is not true in many cases these 4 cylinder engine if focusing on the VEA engines from Volvo either produce about the same within reason or more power.

If focusing generally on downsizing an FI engine has more potential for tuning, in the case of the T6 VEA it has huge potential for tuning.

Old T6 6 cylinder inline : Top speed: 155mph; 0-62mph: 6.2sec; Economy: 28.5mpg (combined); CO2: 231g/km; Engine: 6 cyls in line, 2953cc, turbocharged petrol; Power: 300bhp; Torque: 324lb ft; Gearbox: 6-spd automatic

New S'charged and Turbo T6 VEA 2.0 4 cylinder: 0-62mph 5.9sec; Top speed 143mph; Economy 44.1mpg (combined); CO2 149g/km; Engine 4 cyls, 1969cc, turbo and supercharged, petrol; Power 302bhp at 5700rpm; Torque 295lb ft at 2100-4500rpm; Gearbox 8-spd automatic

[NewVolvo]

New VEA engines are now included on the online configurator for Holland (but not yet for Sweden, UK or Germany!).