Honda unveil New 1.6 Liter Diesel engine, Lightest in its class

 the 1.6-liter i-DTEC is the lightest in its class, yet puts out 120 PS (118 bhp) and 300 Nm (221 ft-lb) of torque.

The 1.6-liter i-DTEC is the product of Honda’s Earth Dreams Technology program and was developed using a ground-up approach based on improving a broad front of small details. The engine is intended to not only put a respectable amount of power from a small package, but also to be environmentally friendly with a fuel economy of 78.5 mpg (3 l/100 km) and carbon dioxide emissions of 94 g/km.

Each individual component was redesigned and manufactured with an eye on reducing weight and size until the 1.6-liter i-DTEC was 47 kg (103.6 lb) lighter than Honda’s 2.2-liter i-DTEC. It has an aluminum cylinder head joined to an open deck aluminum block, with the distance between the cylinders having been reduced. The cylinders are only 8 mm thick and the engine uses lighter pistons and connecting rods than the 2.2 liter version.

Another factor was reducing friction by various redesigns, such as a shorter and thinner piston skirt. This means that at 1500 rpm, the 1.6-liter i-DTEC produces about 40 per cent less friction than the 2.2-liter i-DTEC.

“This not only reduces emissions and improves fuel efficiency; it also improves the engine’s response, both on and off the throttle, making the car more fun to drive,” said Tetsuya Miyake, Project Leader for the 1.6-liter i-DTEC engine. “We have reduced the mechanical friction of the engine to the level equivalent of an existing petrol engine, which is an outstanding achievement.”