New Opel Engine 13% More Efficient, 33% More Powerful

General Motors Co.'s Opel unit has unveiled two new 1.6-liter Ecotec gasoline engines that will debut in its vehicles early next year.

The base engine features direct injection, turbocharging and two balance shafts. Opel says the powerplant, which produces 170 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque, is 13% more fuel efficient and as much as one-third more powerful. A performance version of the engine uses a tweaked turbocharger and pistons to make 200 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque.

Both iterations use a thin-wall cast iron cylinder block designed to withstand peak cylinder pressure of 130 bar (nearly 1,900 psi), according to the company.

Opel opted for a compact turbine-integrated exhaust manifold rather than bulkier twin-scroll turbocharging. It says its design delivers strong low-end torque and uses low- and high-pressure resonators to suppress noise.

The new engines are scheduled to go into production late this year at Opel's plant in Szentgotthard, Hungary.