Mitsubishi To Get Diesel From Peugeot

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation and PSA Peugeot Citroën have entered into a pact where PSA will supply the patented 2.2-liter common-rail, direct-injection diesel engine with particulate filter to Mitsubishi. Under the agreement, PSA will start supplying engines to the car maker starting mid-2007.

Mitsubishi is set to unveil its new Outlander sport utility vehicle in Europe this month. By the end of this year, the automaker intends to add a new diesel version of the SUV which is going to be powered by PSA’s diesel. The latter will also utilize the engine for its 4007 and C-Crosser vehicles. These vehicles from PSA are expected to be launched in the middle of this year.

The renowned auto companies have also decided a joint venture on a SUV-type 4WD vehicle for PSA. This vehicle will be based on a brand new platform, which is now under development at Mitsubishi’s plant. The pact made by the automakers mirrors an extension made to the original agreement entered by both companies in regard component auto parts supply.

The 2.2-liter diesel engine is an aftermath of Phase 4, which consists of rigid studies, and testing made by PSA in cooperation with Ford Motor Company. The engine is specially designed to blend well with Mitsubishi body parts to further enhance the performance of the latter’s lineup. Ford and PSA designed the engine to yield the best performance of all 2.5-liter diesels on the market. The engine also features superior environmental performance that complies with Euro IV emission standards and being equipped with a particulate filter.

In addition, it also enhances fuel efficiency and reduces carbon dioxide emissions. The engine variant produced by PSA uses the Extreme Conventional Combustion System (ECCS) combustion chamber that diminishes emissions of regulated pollutants at source by 30 per cent while boosting the performance of the car and reducing its running noise. The combustion chamber is made larger and with low compression ratio to create a more uniform air and fuel combination.

The dimension of the combustion chamber limits the amount of fuel that touches the walls hence; it ensures that fuel combustion is more efficient than others. Piston geometry and styling have been modified to produce a 25 per cent larger diameter combustion chamber compared with the previous engines. The sophisticated piston design is also attributed to the utilization of aluminum, which has very high mechanical and thermal properties. To minimize heat loss to the walls and eventually improve the engine efficiency, the company used special engine geometry that reduces swirls.

The combustion system produced is combined with a Bosch third-generation common-rail 1,800-bar injection system. All-new Bosch piezoelectric injectors with 7 135 µm nozzles combined with high injection pressure produces up to 6 injections per engine cycle. This upgrade makes fuel injection more precise and injection duration efficient.

The engine is also equipped with a parallel sequential turbo that boost power. The tiny, low-inertia turbo is capable of providing superb support even at low engine speed. A second turbo kicks in at 2,700 rpm. These turbos are fully administered by the engine management system.

Ford, Peugeot and Honeywell Turbo Technology have filed 5 patents for their innovative technology. Basically, these engines are famed for making torque available at low revs. They respond instantly when the turbo come on line. Moreover, a third-generation electrically controlled variable geometry turbo was also created for applications that do not need bi-turbo boost at low engine speed.

Further, Mitsubishi has announced earlier that Lancer will also have a diesel engine by 2010. Said diesel engine will also be acquired from PSA. The automaker has reported an overwhelming loss in the past. This includes the 15.1 billion yen loss for the first quarter through 2006 of last year. This has resulted to losing ground in favor of Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. Mitsubishi, though, is determined to put up a good fight this time and it starts by delivering ideal engines to its lineup.