• + Gasoline turbocharging goes broader and deeper
  • + OEMs look to Honeywell’s global infrastructure to support growth

Boosting Gasoline Success Worldwide

Posted 08.12.2009

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From micro-engines below 1L to V12s, there’s a whole new generation of fuel efficient, turbocharged gasoline passenger cars taking to the road and transforming the automotive landscape. This gasoline turbo revolution is accelerating exciting advances in aerodynamics, bearings and high temperature materials – and even prompting engineers to rethink engine system design and turbo integration.

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“The growth curve in turbogasoline cars is being driven by consumer demand for fuel efficiency and performance and the need for automotive manufacturers to meet increasingly stringent emissions standards” says David Paja, Vice President of Global Marketing at Honeywell Turbo Technologies.

As automakers push the envelope in gasoline engine design, the demand for gasoline technologies that are both innovative and reliable has never been higher.

In the past two years, Honeywell has supported an unprecedented number of gasoline car launches – from Alfa Romeo to Roewe; from Ford to Fiat – in every corner of the world and covering a wide spectrum of engine sizes.

Among these successes is the Honeywell bi-turbo system developed for BMW’s new “ActiveHybrid” engine (4.4L V8 407hp) destined for the 7-series and X6 vehicles. This concept combines, for the first time at BMW, a hybrid architecture with an advanced gasoline turbocharged engine, and provides a reduction in fuel consumption and emissions of more than 30% compared with a non-turbocharged gasoline engine with a similar power rating.

In addition, the Euro V and ULEV II compliant BMW 760 Li features a 6L V12 gasoline engine block (also used on the Rolls-Royce Phantom), which delivers a stunning 544hp of power and 750Nm of torque with the help of two Honeywell turbos situated on both flanks of the V.

In the US, Ford’s 3.5L EcoBoost engine, a Honeywell turbocharged V6 that performs like a V8 but lowers fuel consumption by 20 percent, is winning over consumers in the mainstream turbo gasoline segment.

Boosting Gasoline Successes Worldwide

Meanwhile, two of the biggest names in auto manufacturing – GM and Fiat – are driving the benefits of Honeywell turbocharging further into smaller displacement gasoline engines, with new mainstream 1.4L engines exhibiting excellent power to fuel ratios. And look out soon for turbocharged micro-cars that will create exciting mobility opportunities in both developed and emerging regions.

Of course, gasoline turbocharging comes with its own challenges and complexities, notably in handling temperatures up to 1050°C. But Honeywell has developed a portfolio of solutions that stretches up to 6L and include options such as twin-scroll technology, electric recirculation valves, low-Nickel content stainless steel components and welded manifolds. “Going forward, our rich turbocharging expertise and our aerospace heritage will become increasingly valuable to our customers as we optimize aerodynamic performance and leverage the materials science that will deliver best-in-class engine boosting solutions,” says David Paja.

“As a global partner in turbocharging, we are extremely well positioned through the investments we have made in our global engineering and manufacturing infrastructure and in our talent pool, and our stream of recent successes in gasoline boosting proves that our strategy has paid off.,” says David Paja. “Indeed our ability to run programs that are both global and regional in their scope is one of the key advantages that sets us apart and really adds value to our customers.”

Photo Credit: Alfa Romeo, Ford Motor Company, Lincoln Motors, Opel (GM Group)