Le retour aux 4 cylindres?

[wezo00]

C'est sans doute le prix à payer pour une orientation vers la réduction de consommation... Volvo va abolir les 5 et 6 cylindres.

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/16/v...-xc90-in-2014/

[rj240]

Oui, éventuellement tout le moteurs essence de Volvo va devenir des moteurs haute-rendement 4-cyl turbo avec injection direct, etc...

C'est leur serie de moteurs "VEA", pour la mouvelle serie de voitures "SPA"

La premiere model pour avoir un des moteurs "VEA" a 4-cyl ca va etre la XC90, et ensuite tout les autres modeles a venir...

Les autre manufacturiers europeen vout aussi aller dans cet direction; regard la nouvelle Serie 3 de BMW, la moteur de base 6-cyl a ete remplacer par un turbo 4-cyl...

Volvo Car Group invests in Sweden for next-generation vehicle architecture and engines

Volvo Car Group's future as a strong, independent car maker based in Sweden is now being reinforced with a multi-billion dollar investment in SPA (Scalable Product Architecture) and VEA (Volvo Engine Architecture). The main part of the two projects will be carried out in Sweden, constituting one of Sweden's largest ever industrial investments.

SPA (Scalable Product Architecture) is a flexible, scalable product architecture that covers most of Volvo's future car models. It is a product range consisting of shared modules and scalable systems and components, all manufactured in a flexible production system. In parallel with SPA, Volvo Car Group is also developing an all-new four-cylinder fuel-efficient engine family known as VEA (Volvo Engine Architecture). These engines will be built in Skövde and assembly of all drivelines, including hybrid drivelines, will be integrated in the Torslanda plant in Gothenburg.

"Almost half of the approximately 11 billion USD investments covering the years 2011 to 2015 will be spent in Sweden in the form of infrastructure for the new vehicle architecture and engine family. This is a proof of Volvo Car Group's determination to strengthen the company's position as a Swedish car maker with a unique attractiveness on the global market," says Håkan Samuelsson, President and CEO of Volvo Car Group.

"SPA and VEA sharpen our cars' attractiveness in all areas - design, driving pleasure and quality down to the smallest detail. And of course we are at the same time boosting our core values of safety and environmental care."

Expansion of production capacity in Sweden

About one-third of the investments in Sweden are earmarked for expansion and upgrades of Volvo's Swedish production facilities. A significant sum is being invested in the construction of the new bodyshop in Torslanda, which will be completed during the second half of 2013.

In addition to Torslanda, there will also be considerable investments in the bodyshop in Olofström, which has to be modified for the new car models based on the new architecture. The Skövde engine plant will also undergo comprehensive changes for production of the all-new 4-cylinder engine family.

Technological independence with increased competitiveness

Product development represents the major part of the investments in Sweden, with work on the new vehicle architecture and engine family taking place in Volvo's development centre in Torslanda, Gothenburg.

"SPA makes us technologically independent, without any link whatsoever to our previous owner. The new architecture covers about two-thirds of our total sales volume. With about 40 percent of all components shared by all car models irrespective of size, we will benefit from economies of scale, thus boosting our competitiveness," explains Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President Research and Development.

"With lower costs for development and parts designed to be shared by all our models, there will be more capacity left for focusing on individual details that are important to our customers."

The first car model based on the new architecture is the next-generation Volvo XC90, which will be launched at the end of 2014.

[rj240]

Et aussi:

Volvo Car Corporation’s world-class technology initiative:

New downsized engine range – without compromising luxury or driving pleasure

The Volvo Car Corporation is taking the next step towards zero emissions and climate impact through a new, downsized engine range consisting solely of four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines.

“It’s time to stop counting cylinders. At the Frankfurt Motor Show we will reveal a new concept car. It proves that downsized engines can go hand in hand with our customers’ expectations on luxury and driving pleasure,” says Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President Research and Development at the Volvo Car Corporation.

The Volvo Car Corporation’s upcoming four-cylinder VEA (Volvo Environmental Architecture) engine range includes common rail diesels and direct injected petrol engines. It covers the whole range from high power and torque variants to fuel-efficient derivatives.

“Our four-cylinder focus is the perfect way for us to quickly reduce CO2 emissions and fuel consumption. We will develop four-cylinder engines with higher performance than today’s six-cylinder units and lower fuel consumption than the current four-cylinder generation,” continues Peter Mertens.

The new VEA engines reduce the number of unique parts by 60 percent. The new powertrains are also up to 90 kg lighter than the present ones and fuel economy is improved by up to 35 percent.

Pioneering flywheel technology

Modularity and compact transverse design are also ideal for future electrification developments. To cover all customer requirements, certain engines will gain added performance via hybrid or other spearhead technology, such as flywheel drive.

Later this autumn, for instance, the Volvo Car Corporation will become one of the first car makers in the world to test the potential of flywheel drive on public roads. The so-called KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) captures braking energy in a flywheel that spins at up to 60,000 revs a minute. Once released, this stored energy can either accelerate the car or propel the vehicle once it reaches cruising speed.

“The flywheel system offers the driver an additional 80 horsepower while reducing fuel consumption by up to 20 percent,” says Peter Mertens.

Competing with the best

The Volvo Car Corporation will promote economies of scale within the company’s own model range via a new vehicle architecture: SPA (Scalable Platform Architecture). SPA allows most Volvo models to be built on the same production line irrespective of vehicle size and complexity.

“We’re taking our technological future into our own hands. Both our new architecture and the new engine range will enable us to be on par or even beat our toughest competitors in crucial areas such as driving dynamics and fuel economy,” says Peter Mertens.

Volvo takes the lead in lightweight design

In addition to the industrial benefits of common vehicle architecture there are also significant product-related advantages. The Volvo Car Corporation will take the lead in automotive lightweight design with upcoming SPA models being 100-150 kg lighter than current models of the same size.

The new architecture enables electrification at all levels – and new chassis technologies combined with the lower weight and improved weight distribution will boost driving dynamics. The electrical architecture is the backbone of the company’s drive to reinforce its leading position in active safety.

Promoting exciting design

The new concept car unveiled next week in Frankfurt also shows that SPA offers the Volvo Car Corporation’s design team greater freedom to give forthcoming Volvo models more exciting looks.

“The new architecture means we can sharpen our design language, carving out just the right athletic and dynamic aura that is so important to the most demanding prestige car buyers. The Frankfurt concept car is a great example of what we can achieve with the new architecture,” relates Peter Horbury, Vice President Design at the Volvo Car Corporation.

[GroanMan]

La bonne nouvelle c'est que le rayon de braquage devrait s'améliorer! Lol!

[Volvo_FTW]

Je suis pas contre cette idée de 4 cyl., je crois que Volvo vendrait pas mal plus si c'était plus économique. Pas plus tard que le mois passé, malgré toute mon acharnement à la convaincre d'opter pour une S60 '12, ma tante a opté pour une Camry XLE '12 car moins dure sur le gaz...

Sinon, j'aime bien leur sarcasme sur le «delightfully refreshed»! LoL! C'est vrai que le XC90 doit être un des plus vieux véhicules en 2013, il a 10 ans!

[kearmith]

YÉ ma banane va revenir à la mode!

[vwoval56]

Snif je vais manqué mon 5 cylindre. Je les mets au défi de construire un 4 cylindre peu bruyant et doux. Fini les bancs lourds et les moteur doux. On coupe dans le poids pour réduire le co2 et le $ pétrole au détriment du confort sonore. Je suspecte que ça va diluer le Brand côté sécurité aussi. Moins poids nécessite de couper partout.

a voir

[ketthos]

voit ca du sens que la valeur du 5 cyl va grimper comme c'est pas possible!
Moi ce que je me pose comme question, c'est pourquoi tout de suite sauté sur du 4 cyl obligatoirement. Ils aurait pu diminuer tranquillement.
Par exemple plus de 6 cyl, ok c'est correct, mais laisser le 5 cyl et le 4 cyl mais diminuer la consommation.

Par exemple avoir un 5cyl 2l. Ils vont gagné en vendant des chars de matante, mais ils vont perdre de la jeune clientele.
Mais comme dit plus haut, ca ne fait que suivre la chaine.. Dommage!

[Phil]

La bonne nouvelle c'est que le rayon de braquage devrait s'améliorer! Lol!

Hahaha! Tant qu'à y être, remettre le tout en propulsion comme le reste des voitures haut de gamme!

[lesaint73]

Ce qui est le plus impressionnant, c'est de voir des ingenieurs nous faire croire que c'est le moteur qui est la faute de la consommation d'essence ( a 10% vrai) mais la vraie magie c'est la transmission qui nous l'apporte. Le 5.7 hemi avec une transmission 5 vitesses fait du 26mpg dans un 300c , et avec une transmission 8 vitesses pres de 37mpg
Alors qu'il laisse le repute 5cyl en place et qu'ils se penchent sur leurs transmission. Moi aussi j'aime la fiabilitee du 5 cyl c'est pourquoi je suis avec vous!