(Hat tip to Brett!) [GM-Volt]

Chevrolet at the Los Angeles International Auto Show
November 17, 2009

o U.S. premiere of the all-new Cruze, delivering up to 40 mpg highway
o Volt electric vehicle to be available in select markets in 2010
o Camaro, Equinox and other hot-selling Chevrolet vehicles also on display

DETROIT – Chevrolet affirms its commitment to fuel solutions and building refined, eco-friendly vehicles with the debut of the U.S. production version of the Cruze sedan at the Los Angeles Auto Show, on Dec. 2. The Cruze, along with the much-anticipated Volt electric vehicle, will give visitors to the L.A. show a close-up view of Chevrolet's expanding lineup of gas-friendly to gas-free products.

"With expected highway fuel economy up to 40 miles per gallon, Cruze will be extremely gas friendly while the Volt electric vehicle can be operated gas-free," said Brent Dewar, vice president, Chevrolet. "Chevrolet's focus is on forward-looking technologies to the benefit of our customers, such as the highly efficient, small-displacement turbocharged engine in the Cruze or the Volt electric vehicle with extended range."

The Cruze has already launched to high acclaim in Europe and Asia and has undergone refinement for America. It goes on sale in the U.S. in the third quarter of 2010 but has already logged more than 4 million miles in quality and durability testing worldwide, making it one of the most globally tested Chevrolet products prior to a U.S. launch.

Cruze is designed to achieve class-leading highway fuel economy using a new family of efficient engines that include a 1.4L turbo. It will lead the way for Chevrolet in small-displacement, turbocharged engines that are designed for excellent fuel efficiency and durability – while also being fun to drive.

Defying preconceptions of what a compact car can be, Cruze will offer a more spacious interior and cargo capacity than the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, and upscale infotainment amenities such as a navigation system, Bluetooth connectivity and XM Satellite Radio. Ten standard air bags that provide a safety cocoon for occupants – along with OnStar– also make it one of the safest vehicles in the segment.

The Chevrolet Volt is an electric vehicle with extended-range capability. It is expected to drive up to 40 miles on electricity without using gasoline or producing tailpipe emissions. When the Volt's lithium-ion battery is depleted of energy, an engine/generator seamlessly operates to extend the total driving range to more than 300 miles before refueling.

Chevrolet will announce plans for initial retail markets where the Volt will be sold. Chevrolet will also announce the winner of a nationwide consumer competition to name a Volt unique paint color. Consumers determine the winner by voting now for their favorite of three finalist names at www.chevroletvoltage.com, until 8 a.m. Eastern time on Dec. 1.

From Nov. 27-29, the Volt will be on display next to Bloomingdale's at the Westfield Century City mall in West Los Angeles. During regular mall hours, visitors to the Chevrolet Volt display may get two free tickets each to the L.A. Auto Show, while supplies last. The L.A. Auto Show opens to the public Dec. 4.

Production for the Volt is expected to begin in late 2010. Pricing has not been announced.

The Chevrolet show exhibit also will feature the all-new, 2010 Chevrolet Camaro sports coupe and Chevrolet Equinox compact crossover SUV. The popularity of these vehicles helped Chevrolet boost sales by 9 percent in October, including a significant 31-percent increase in retail sales.

The Camaro continues to distance itself from its closest competitor as a fuel-efficient interpretation of a 21st century sports car, achieving 29 miles per gallon on the highway when equipped with the popular 304-horsepower direct injected V-6. Camaro has been a leader in the regular sports car segment for the last five months.

Demand for the Camaro continues to be strong, as Chevrolet now has more than 36,000 sold orders for the car.

The all-new 2010 Equinox is a compact crossover that combines distinctive design, extensive functionality and outstanding efficiency. At 32 mpg highway, the Equinox gets better fuel economy than the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV-4. It even beats the Ford Escape Hybrid while costing $7,000 less.

In just a few short months, Equinox has captured 10 percent of the critical compact crossover segment, its best share since August of 2007 and up 4.6 percent from a year ago. More than half of 2010 Equinox customers traded in a non-GM vehicle (based on internal PIN data). Demand is so strong for the Equinox that the plant where it is built recently added a third shift.

About Chevrolet

Chevrolet is one of America's best-known and best-selling automotive brands, and one of the fastest growing brands in the world. With fuel solutions that range from "gas-friendly to gas-free," Chevrolet has nine models that offer an EPA-estimated 30 miles per gallon or more on the highway, and offers three hybrid models. More than 2.5 million Chevrolets that run on E85 biofuel have been sold. Chevrolet delivers expressive design, spirited performance and strives to provide the best value in every segment in which it competes. More information can be found at www.chevrolet.com. For more information on the Volt, visit http://media.gm.com/volt/.

While a production date has not been set, the Converj will join the Caddy lineup as its second hybrid following the Escalade, though it'll be considerably more serious about fuel mileage than that behemoth. With a 40-mile all-electric range just like the Volt, the Converj will be able to command a higher premium at the dealer, or at least not induce the sticker shock everyone has over the Volt. The entire Volt program now makes a lot more sense to us financially. [Detroit News]

By the way, try saying that headline ten times fast.

The Chevy Cruze-based development mules will slowly be replaced by these close-to-production Volt bodied prototypes, marking a huge leap forward in the step to electrified propulsion. GM's says that it will build up to 80 Volt prototypes for testing out on public road over by October which will help engineers sort out all the little issues with the vehicle before it goes on sale to the public.

Andrew Farah, GM's Chevy Volt Vehicle Chief Engineer wrote in a Volt blog post;

We're producing a few Volts per week now, but we'll quickly ramp up to 10 per week and will have approximately 80 pre-production vehicles built by October. By exceeding our own pre-production deadlines it allows us additional time to refine the vehicle. We've already discovered a few small tweaks we need to make, but nothing out of the ordinary for this stage of development.

With pre-production Volts now running around Metro Detroit, who's up for a game of Volt-spotting?

The Volt project's often dismissed as a marketing stunt, a gimmick, too expensive for the segment, or a toy for wealthy eco-nuts. We withheld our judgment until we had the chance to do a test drive. Now, after driving a Volt-in-a-Chevy-Cruze-shell powertrain mule, we're prepared to declare it — much to the delight of the Volt's PR team, engineering crew and Bob Lutz — utterly unremarkable.

The Volt's unremarkable because it's exactly like driving any other appliance car on the road today, and that's the point. GM is trying very hard to make the Voltec system driving experience as familiar as anything before it and even at this early prototype mule level they've succeeded quite nicely. The Voltec system consists of a 1.4-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine driving a generator, an electric motor driving the wheels and a lithium ion battery pack in between the two to hold plug-in and regenerated power. This doesn't work like a Prius or an Insight, there's no transmission, the engine doesn't power the wheels; it's an EV that goes 40 miles and then it runs off the generator, and it works.

Our ride in the Volt was up to about 55 MPH on the grounds of GM's Warren Tech Center and the cars are, dare we say it, peppy. There are no whirs or whines or whistles like in a traditional EV, just silence, like the motor has stalled out and you're coasting along on momentum. There's no shifting going on as there are no gears to shift, just direct power, and unless you're paying attention you don't even notice. Stab the go-pedal and it responds happily, it's even got a little get-up and go. According to Lutz the current prototype accelerates from 0-to-60 MPH in around 8 seconds — that's about 2.0 seconds faster than a 2009 Toyota Prius and about 3.5 seconds faster than a Chevy Aveo. Not too shabby for an appliance if you ask us.

There are two drive modes, a normal highway type where you accelerate and coast normally, and a second drive mode which maximizes regenerative braking in city traffic. It feels like you're hitting the brakes but you aren't hitting the brakes. We had hoped the Volt would give us a back-rub and deliver a milkshake, but it's just a car, even bridging on the pedestrian, the bland, the appliance. But this is again, the point, to make this huge paradigm shift and make it seem easy.

The Volt is coming, and from a powertrain perspective, it's pretty darn good. Lutz was adamant on that point saying "Volt is currently on time and we fully believe it will hit the market as expected." The Chief Engineer, Frank Weber, a rather intense German who has been extraordinarily cautious in the past about the program's hurdles, seems to be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Yesterday he remarked "There are no more large elephants in the room, only hundreds of small ones."

In June, GM will be completing the first full prototype vehicles, nearly 80 in total, which will look and feel and operate like real Volts. They'll have all the correct body panels, interior bits, and system calibrations and we'll be driving those eventually. At that point we'll be much more able to judge the complete vehicle. Until then, we're kind of hopeful the Volt might actually be fun to drive, along with being frugal at the pump.

Click HERE to see the exclusive video from WXYZ's coverage of the event.

Not only did Obama's auto task force visit GM, but they also traveled down the street to Chrysler's Warren manufacturing plant. Both GM and Chrysler are begging asking for an additional $17.4 Billion in government loans, needing this money to survive throughout the coming months.

We're happy the Arizona Senator and Presidential hopeful, John McCain, isn't in charge based on his quote on CNBC today:

"I think the best thing that could probably happen to General Motors, in my view, is they go into Chapter 11. They reorganize, they renegotiate ... the union-management contracts and come out of it a stronger, better, leaner more competitive automotive industry."

Thanks, Senator McCain, for staying positive.

Both GM and Chrysler released statements regarding President Obama's auto task force visit which you can read below:

GM Statement:

"We were pleased to host the Task Force so they could experience firsthand the new products and technologies that are an integral part of GM's near- and long-term competitiveness. We look forward to continuing to support the efforts of the Task Force as they move quickly to address their critical tasks. We believe today's visit provided a constructive glimpse of GM people, their passion for their work, and the technology solutions that are behind the pages of our viability plan."

Chrysler Statement:

Chrysler was pleased to meet today with the Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry here at our manufacturing plant in Warren, Michigan. Warren Truck Assembly Plant is home to 2,600 Chrysler employees and produces Dodge pickup trucks, including one of the company's best known products, the
Dodge Ram, winner of Car and Drivers' 2009 truck comparison.

We can confirm that on behalf of Chrysler LLC, the meeting was attended by Chairman and CEO Robert Nardelli, Vice Chairman and President Tom LaSorda, Vice Chairman and President Jim Press, and Chief Financial Officer Ron Kolka. In addition to meeting, the group toured the assembly plant and reviewed Chrysler current and future products, including electric and hybrid vehicles.

Beyond this, we are not commenting on the details of our meetings with the Presidential Task Force.

We're fully engaged with the Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry, the U.S. Treasury and the White House during this process of ensuring the industry's viability going forward. We look forward to continuing our dialogue.

We'll see in the coming weeks how this visit helps our struggling U.S. automakers. Cross your fingers.

[via WXYZ]

We managed to get you some revealing European patent filing images earlier this week, but the always sly guys at World Car Fans did one better and got images of the actual Opel Ampera out in the open during a photo shoot for its European reveal next month. Follow the link below to see the images of the European Chevy Volt.

[via world car fans]

GM had hoped to keep the little plug-in electric under wraps until its official debut in March at the Geneva Motor Show, but thanks to these European patent images we can show you that the Opel Ampera is nothing more than a rebadged Chevy Volt. The Ampera does receive new front and rear fascias and a new set of alloys all inspired by the 2007 Opel Flextreme Concept, but that's about it as far as differentiation.

The Opel Ampera is on track to launch in Europe roughly one year after the Volt goes on sale in the U.S. in late 2010. There will likely be a Vauxhall variant as well, but changes for that model will only include a badge swap and nothing more. The European Opel Ampera will carry the same Voltec Electric Propulsion System as the Chevy Volt and will provide 40 miles of driving when powered by its 230v charged lithium-ion batteries or, for longer drives, it will continue use juice generated by the small internal combustion engine.

[via carscoop]

The GM "Plug-In-Ready" program is a plan to get the biggest target buying markets for the 2011 Volt ready to accept the car and maximize it's effectiveness as a plug-in. It's also part of the ongoing effort to work out how electricity providers commercialize the infrastructure needed to support plug-in hybrids and manage billing rates to the consumer.

The first efforts of the program are centered on the metropolitan areas of San Francisco and Washington D.C. as well as areas identified as lousy with early adopters. This news comes on the heels of announcements last fall from cities and municipalities planning partnerships with Better Place, a plug in power post company.

This kind of background information serves as a reminder this Volt thing is more than a project about just the car. GM has taken a big bite here and is chewing it's way through an awful lot of problems. Hopefully they don't choke on it.

General Motors Outlines Roadmap for Cities to Plug Into the Chevrolet Volt Electric Vehicle

* Plug-in-ready communities key to commercializing electric vehicles
* Next phase of getting the Volt ready for market will include communities such as Washington, D.C., San Francisco and other early-adopter markets
* GM and a broad group of utilities working together to establish infrastructure and accelerate the commercialization of plug-in electric vehicles

WASHINGTON - General Motors today outlined a comprehensive plan of action to help communities get ready for plug-in electric vehicles such as the upcoming Chevrolet Volt. GM announced details of the plan at the Washington Auto Show.

"Collaborating with communities such as San Francisco and metropolitan areas such as Washington, D.C. - where there's already an interest in plug-in vehicles - is another important step toward raising customer awareness of the environmental and economic benefits of vehicles such as the Volt," said Ed Peper, GM North America vice president, Chevrolet.

General Motors is working with key stakeholders in cities such as San Francisco to develop policies and enablers to accelerate the transition to plug-in electric vehicles. GM will undertake similar efforts around the country in communities such as Washington, D.C. These actions will help ensure the early success of the Chevrolet Volt - which hits the market next year - and other plug-in vehicles. Stakeholders that are key to establishing plug-in-ready metropolitan areas and regions include:

* State, city and county governments
* Electric utilities
* Regulators/public utility commissions
* Permitting and code officials
* Clean Cities coalitions
* Local employers
* Universities
* Early electric vehicle adopters

"Cities have an indispensable role in making plug-in vehicles successful," said San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. "Here in San Francisco, we are acting now to make sure the charging infrastructure will be available to support these vehicles as soon as they are ready for sale, and we are working with other cities in the region to make the Bay Area a thriving market for electric transportation."

Challenges that need to be addressed include consumer incentives to make this early technology more affordable; public and workplace charging infrastructure; consumer-friendly electricity rates and renewable electricity options; government and corporate vehicle purchases; supportive permitting and codes for vehicle charging; and other incentives such as high-occupancy-vehicle (HOV) lane access.

GM is making great strides toward bringing the Volt from concept to the showroom. More than 30 prototype vehicles powered by lithium-ion battery packs are undergoing rigorous testing at GM's Proving Ground in Milford, Mich. In addition, last month at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, GM announced it will manufacture the Volt battery packs in the United States.

"The Chevy Volt is truly coming to life, but preparing the market for electric vehicles also requires capable partners from outside the auto industry," said Peper. "Momentum is building as governments, technology companies, communities and universities are increasingly working together to prepare the market for electric vehicles."

Several recent positive developments in this regard include:

* Last October, the federal government approved a $7,500 tax incentive for consumers of plug-in electric vehicles such as the Chevy Volt.
* In November, the California cities of San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland announced a plan for plug-in vehicle infrastructure, incentives and enablers.
* A new Michigan law expedites the development of advanced battery manufacturing and research capabilities in the state.

GM is also helping to pave the way to plug-in commercialization on several other fronts, including:

* Working with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and a coalition of more than 40 utilities to solve challenges and accelerate the commercialization of plug-in electric vehicles.
* Playing a lead role in helping to create Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) standards for the vehicle charging interface.

"We know plenty of work still remains, both within and outside of GM," said Peper. "But today's and other recent announcements underscore the comprehensive work being done to bring the Chevrolet Volt and other electrically driven vehicles to market - and they also highlight why we are so optimistic about the ultimate success of the Volt."

[Source: GM]

Roberto Orci, head writer on Transformers:Revenge Of The Fallen, the sequel to the blockbuster of two summers ago, claimed in a web chat on fan-site TFW2005 that the Chevy Volt was not in the original script, but rather was foisted upon them at the last minute.

When asked the question:

Was the Chevy Volt TF kind of shoved into the film by GM and not really in the script?

Orci responds:

Yes. Had to figure it out last minute.

This confirms other reports we'd heard from movie insiders who've told us the Volt was a last minute requested addition by the General. Apparently, the GM team was adamant the Volt be included and wouldn't take no for an answer. Keep in mind this is different than what Michael Bay did in the first movie — personally selecting all the vehicles to appear in the film. (Hat tip to Jack!)

[via TFW2005]

Details are thin on the concept, but we expect the coupe to get the complete E-Flex system developed for the Volt with the T-pack battery and the direct injection 1.4 liter four cylinder. Styling is said to be even better than on last years surprise Cadillac CTS Coupe, so even if you don't care for the all-electric 40 mile drive hook, you'll still have something to ogle. More important than the eye-candy this new concept car will provide, it showcases the result of development on the modular E-Flex system, which is expected to make it into more than just the Volt. [Business Week]

Back in September GM announced it would construct an all-new plant in Flint, Michigan to produce the 1.4 liter direct injection inline four cylinder engine planned to act as a generator in the Chevy Volt and main power in the Chevy Cruze.

GM Spokeswoman Sharon Basel would not say when construction might resume if government loans are made available, but asserted there is time in both programs to accommodate the delay, and GM currently builds the engine in Austria, so they "...have lots of options. The construction of the new plant is not going to interrupt our plans for the Volt or Cruze."

Due to a tightening cash situation GM is immediately halting construction of the plant in an effort to stay afloat over the sea of bankruptcy. A delay in the production timing for both the Cruze and Volt so far have not been similarly delayed. Construction will resume as soon as GM is in a cash position which will allow them to buy important stuff like girders and concrete. [MSNBC]

The European Volt (Opel Volt perhaps?) will be built in the UK at the Ellesmere Port plant, home of the current Vauxhall Astra, and not imported from the Hamtramck plant in the U.S.

GM sources say that the project has caught the interest of UK business secretary, Lord Mandelson and that he is interested in seeing the plug-in electric car manufactured locally in the UK.

GM Europe President, Carl-Peter Forster said,

“We would look at assembling Volt at Ellesmere Port if super-credits were included in the EU CO2 legislation - because this would encourage automakers to provide more ultra-low CO2 vehicles earlier and in greater volume. While the CO2 policy is close to finalisation, we will wait to see the final policy before making any further decisions."

It is expected that within the next couple months GM will release a business plan before continuing talks with the UK government.

This possible manufacturing split will help GM save some cash in the long run but will dramatically cut production numbers from its Hamtramck plant in Michigan. Will the cut costs translate to a lower price of entry for potential buyers of the Volt? We’ll have to wait and see.

[via: AutoCar]

Ford: Escape Hybrid SUV

Ford CEO Alan Mulally started this trend by first claiming that he'd drive to D.C and, not surprisingly, showed up in a 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid. It shows to Congress and the world how Ford, which is in a better financial position than the other two, is making fuel efficient cars people want to buy and already has good hybrid technology. Ford also showed up with a 2009 Ford Flex to, we assume, move staff around.

Chrysler: Aspen Hybrid SUV

Chrysler's Bob Nardelli also drove to Washington, D.C. in a hybrid SUV: the 2009 Chrysler Aspen Hybrid. How does the Aspen Hybrid stack up against the Escape Hybrid? It gets worse gas mileage, it uses mediocre hybrid technology developed in conjunction with GM and is built into a car that's proven to be wildly unpopular.

But don't worry, they've already cancelled it — just four months after starting production. This not only demonstrates the company is unable to build attractive, efficient vehicles. It's another reminder parent company Cerberus is just waiting for Chrysler to get sold off to someone else.

He showed up to the hearing in a JEEP EV, a futuristic electric vehicle that will be a great halo vehicle for whichever company ends up owning Jeep.

General Motors: Chevrolet Volt Mule/Malibu Hybrid

General Motors' man at the helm Rick Wagoner drove to Washington, D.C. in a 2009 Chevy Malibu Hybrid but drove to the Senate hearing in a 2011 Chevy Volt test mule. There was also a Chevy Suburban and Cadillac CTS in the area, perhaps to shuttle executives around when not in front of the camera.

The fact that GM brought two different hybrid vehicles down shows the company is willing to work hard for the money, so hard for the money. The Volt prototype clearly demonstrates they're on the path to creating a mass production hybrid vehicle. The Malibu just shows they're not dumb enough to drive around Washington, D.C. in something unreliable.

The Entourage

Special thanks to STR8SIX for getting these live shots togther. His report below.

I made a short trip into downtown DC this afternoon. I was only able to spend about a half an hour snooping around the senate buildings. I found the Ford Flex and Escape hybrid from the Ford convoy. I also found an Aspen hybrid. Each of the vehicles had a driver sitting in it with the engine running. Unfortunately, I was unable to locate the Chevy Volt mule. One of the security officers said that GM was giving test drives in the Volt and did not know if it would reappear this afternoon. A dark red Cadillac CTS with the engine running was parked in front of the Ford vehicles. That may have been Wagoner's ride back to the hotel.

[Additional Photos From Win McNamee/Getty Images, Ford, Chrysler GM]

As with any steady-state output, sometimes there will be surpluses. Those surpluses of electricity not used by the electric motor, as might occur during light loads, will be dumped into the battery so that energy isn't wasted. But recharging the battery is not the objective of running the engine. In addition to extra electricity from the engine/generator, energy reclaimed from regenerative braking will also be stored in the battery. Over an extended period of these surpluses being added to the battery, it's possible for the engine to switch off and the car to return to all-EV mode for an unspecified distance.

So, let's be clear here — contrary to the second set claims of GM PR on the Volt's engine — it can in fact recharge the batteries. You could almost say GM was for this claim before it was against it — and is now for it again. Stinkin' buncha flip-floppers.[Edmunds Inside Line]

GM's 'Boost' In Efficient Four-Cylinders Includes More Turbos
Strategy Highlighted by the 2011 Chevy Cruze's new 1.4L Turbo that is Expected to Be a Fuel Economy Leader

FLINT, Mich. – GM will double its global production of small four-cylinder engines (1.0L to 1.4L) by 2011, with more than half of the increase coming in North America. The strategy is highlighted by an all-new, 1.4L Turbo engine that will power the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze.

The 1.4L Turbo enables great vehicle performance and fuel economy. In fact, the Cruze is expected to be a fuel economy leader in its segment when it launches in mid-2010, and its new engine reinforces GM’s commitment to replacing larger-displacement engines with more compact, advanced four-cylinder engines that optimize performance and fuel savings.

One-third of GM’s North American engine volume will be four-cylinders by 2011, and 21 percent of the four-cylinder volume will be turbocharged – a seven-fold increase over today’s volume of turbo engines.

“Power-dense four-cylinders such as the 1.4L Turbo are an integral part of GM’s portfolio of advanced propulsion technologies, including cam phasing, direct injection, Active Fuel Management, clean diesels, hybrids, flex-fuel vehicles, six-speed transmissions and electric propulsion,” said Tom Stephens, executive vice president, GM Global Powertrain and Global Quality. “GM is focused on delivering vehicles that look great, are fuel efficient and fun to drive.”

The Chevy Cruze is such a vehicle. It is an all-new, global compact car that will be built for worldwide distribution at GM’s Lordstown, Ohio facility. It will be offered with the 1.4L Turbo in North America, along with additional small-displacement engines for models sold outside of North America.

A non-turbocharged 1.4L variant will serve as a secondary energy source for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle. For trips up to 40 miles, the Volt’s primary source of power comes from its lithium-ion battery. When the battery’s energy is depleted, the 1.4L engine activates, generating electricity to power the Volt for several hundred additional miles until its battery is recharged.

1.4L Turbo details

At 100 horsepower per liter, the new turbocharged 1.4L has the power of a larger engine but retains the efficiency of a small-displacement four-cylinder in most driving conditions.

“Because of the turbocharger’s on-demand power and responsiveness, it’s like having two engines in the same vehicle – one for power and one for fuel economy,” said Stephens. “It’s truly the best of both worlds.”

The 1.4L’s turbocharger is integrated within the exhaust manifold, for reduced weight and greater packaging flexibility in smaller vehicles. A reinforced crankshaft and stronger connecting rods are unique, delivering additional strength to support the engine’s pressurized, high-rpm performance.

Estimated power ratings for the 1.4L Turbo will be 140 horsepower (104 kW) with a torque rating of 148 lb.-ft. (200 Nm).

In addition to the Chevrolet Cruze, GM will introduce the 1.4L turbo in the U.S. in two additional GM models in 2011.

Global engine family

GM’s small four-cylinder gasoline engines include displacements of 1.0L, 1.2L and 1.4L. The engines were designed with fuel efficiency in mind, including technology such as full variable valve timing that optimizes power and fuel efficiency across the rpm band.

More importantly, torque for these engines – the pulling power that is felt when accelerating from a stop – is generated at lower rpm, for strong, off-the-line launches and confident acceleration at all speeds. Supporting powertrain features, such as torque converter design and transmission gearing, accentuate engine power and contribute further to the feeling of performance.

All engines in the family have premium design elements that contribute to world-class smoothness and durability, including:

* Dual overhead camshafts
* Roller-finger follower valvetrain
* Chain-driven camshafts
* Flow-controlled oil pump
* Piston-cooling oil jets
* Thermal management

The engines also incorporate numerous mass-reducing features, including a cast iron block with a hollow frame structure, hollow-cast camshafts, and on non-turbo engines, crankshafts with hollow-core main bearing journals and connecting rod journals.

[GM]