New Four-Cylinders on the Way From Mercedes-Benz
Like Steve Austin’s doctors, Mercedes-Benz engineers realized they had the technology to make the brand’s four-cylinder engines better than they were before. Better, stronger…smaller.
As the automaker prepares to expand its lineup of compact, front-wheel-drive offerings to eight models, new powerplants are the order of the day. Designed to propel vehicles using the next-generation MFA2 platform, the new engine family comes in a variety of flavors, one of which will likely appear stateside.
According to Autocar, the M282 engines, developed in partnership with Renault-Nissan, will displace 1.2 and 1.4 liters. This represents a serious effort to squeeze power out of as little cylinder volume as possible. While 1.2 liters has “overseas only” written all over it, American carbuyers are now used to seeing 1.4-liter mills in Chevrolets and Volkswagens.
As the first application of the new engine family won’t come until this time next year — the next-generation A-Class — power figures remain unknown. Certainly, even low-end Mercedes vehicles require a measure of competitiveness.
After appearing in the newly enlarged A-Class (which Mercedes plans to offer in the U.S.), M282 engines will then appear in other front-drive models, including the B-Class, CLA and GLA. In an odd move, the A-Class will slot between the CLA and C-Class as an Audi A3 fighter.
Another model reportedly approved for a U.S. launch is the GLB compact utility vehicle, which will share the same MFA2 platform.
While the M282 engines are all-new, they won’t be the only new four-cylinders in the lineup. A premium nameplate requires an option for more displacement. As such, the automaker plans to offer a heavily revamped M274 engine it has dubbed the M260. That engine will arrive with 1.6 and 2.0 liters of displacement, no doubt serving as the go-to mill for the brand’s U.S. front-drive lineup.
An extremely hot turbocharged variant of the 2.0-liter should appear in AMG-badged vehicles, potentially passing the 400-horsepower mark.
[Image: Mercedes-Benz]
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Yawn. Saw an AMG CLA yesterday...what a royal waste of money. The internet does not have enough space for a list of more worthy cars at that price point. More fours ? A 400 hp four ? While I'm impressed by the specific output as a geek, I'm not impressed enough to actually send them money for it. A four is NOT a luxury class engine. Period. Not in an E Class or 5 series. Not in a CTS or CT6. I'm unhappy that the current Porsches have a 4 at that price point. Until gas goes to $10/gal like Europe (of course, we'd have to get the perfect roads, mass transit, and social health care too) a four has no business being in anything other than FWD-type small cars...topping out at GTi.
When will they bring that nice-looking inline-6 over here to the States in the E-Class? That seems like it would be a perfect combo.