Fiat Launches Two-Cylinder Engine For European 500
As much grumbling as there is among US-based enthusiasts about increasing efficiency standards, Europe’s emissions requirements are yielding even stranger fruit than mere V6-powered Porsche Panameras. One such product of the conintental obsession with downsizing: Fiat’s new TwinAir engine, available this summer on European-spec Fiat 500s. The 900 cc turbocharged twin generates 85 horsepower while emitting fewer than 100 grams of C02 per kilometer, and uses Fiat’s much-vaunted MultiAir technology. An uprated turbo version with 105 hp will become available later, reports Edmunds, as will a 60 hp naturally-aspirated version. The only other automaker to offer a two-pot in a road car? That would be Tata, which equips its Nano with a 33 hp, 632 cc engine. Given the close ties between Tata and Fiat, could Europeans have a 100 hp+ Abarth-branded Nano in their future?
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Having ridden motorcycles for years, "900cc turbo twin" sounds like fun until it needs an expensive rebuild every 4 or 5 years. I like the idea of micro-cars, but would it be so bad to simply stick a Honda Fit engine in there? It could be geared to loaf along all day at 1500 rpm, with outstanding efficiency, low maintenance and long-term durability.
A motorcycle engine needs a rebuild that often because it uses a ton of revs to make that power. A modest turbocharged 900cc engine won't have the high boost or high revs to unduly stress the internals, and the meaty powerband given by the turbo should make it more tractable at low rpms than the displacement suggests. - Of course, twins are boring. Three-pots sound much better. I'm waiting for Honda to sell me a Fit with a turbocharged 3-cylinder 1.0.
i would drop one in an old school beatle
Hmm, 'not having at least 300hp' misses the point entirely. It's not a 2 cylinder for power - somewhat obviously - but the important issue is co2 output - less than 100g/km. Not much point having 300hp if you're sitting in traffic most of the time. 'Wouldn't work in America' is another matter entirely. When fuel prices in the US match those in most other places - Europe is around 2 to 3 times the US price (location dependent) - there may be a change in attitude. US fuel price is around 37p/litre - UK is 96, Netherlands is 100.3.