Tritec engine

Tritec engine

Manufacturer	Tritec
Production	1999–2007
Successor	Prince engine

In 1997, Chrysler Corporation and Rover Group (then a subsidiary of BMW) formed Tritec, a joint venture to design a new small straight-4 engine for small cars. They built a factory in Campo Largo of Curitiba, Brazil, to manufacture the engine. When BMW sold Rover Group, BMW retained the stake in Tritec.

It is also called the Pentagon engine. Production began in September 1999.

It is a modern engine with an SOHC 16-valve head, electronic throttle control, and meets Euro III emissions requirements. There are three versions of the engine, 1.4 L, 1.6 L, and supercharged 1.6 L.

BMW complained about the performance of the engine. According to Ward's Auto, Erich Sonntag of BMW described the Tritec engine as old fashioned and not very effective on function, performance and fuel efficiency.^[1] BMW has replaced this engine in the MINI with the new Prince engine family developed in partnership with PSA Peugeot Citroën, since Chrysler was a part of their rival DaimlerChrysler. BMW's contract with Tritec expired in 2007 and it terminated the joint venture with DaimlerChrysler in July. DaimlerChrysler passed on the engine factory to the Chrysler group when the two split up and Chrysler was sold off later in 2007.^[2]

In February 2006, the Chinese auto company Lifan bid to purchase the factory after 2007, when the current Tritec engine is no longer needed by BMW and Chrysler. Lifan's plan calls for moving factory tooling to China where it would produce a derivative of the Tritec engine by 2008. These engines would then be used by Lifan to begin an automobile export business to Europe and North America.

In March 2008 Fiat Powertrain Technologies announced it will buy the plant and licenses to produce Tritec engines. This investment is around 83 million euros.^[3]

1.4

The 1.4 L (1397 cc) version uses a 77 mm (3.0 in) bore and 75 mm (3.0 in) stroke. Like all Tritecs, it is an SOHC 16-valve cast iron engine with an aluminium cylinder head and multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection. Output is rated at 55 kW (75 PS; 74 hp) and 122 N·m (90 lb·ft). This engine was used in the Portuguese and Greek version of the Mini One.

Applications:

• MINI One (Portugal, Greece) (until 2008)

1.6

The 1.6 L (1596 cc) version uses the same 77 mm (3.0 in) bore with a longer 85.8 mm (3.38 in) stroke. Output is rated at 66 kW (90 PS; 89 hp) and 140 N·m (100 lb·ft) in the Mini One, and 85 kW (116 PS; 114 hp) and 149 N·m (110 lb·ft) in the Mini Cooper.

Applications:

• MINI One and Cooper (until 2008).
• Chrysler PT Cruiser (in non-US markets)
• Chery Flagcloud and Windcloud.
• Lifan 620
• Lifan 520

1.6 SC

The 1.6 SC uses a Roots-type Eaton M45 supercharger with intercooler. The compression ratio is reduced from 10.5:1 to 8.3:1. Output was initially rated at 120 kW (160 PS; 160 hp) and 210 N·m (150 lb·ft) but has since been increased to 125 kW (170 PS; 168 hp) and 220 N·m (160 lb·ft). The 1.6 SC won the "1.4 L to 1.8 L" category at the International Engine of the Year awards for 2003. It also won Ward's 10 Best Engines award for 2003.

Applications:

• MINI Cooper S

References

1. ^ "BMW sold Tritec engine joint venture". Moldova. http://auto.moldova.org/news/bmw-sold-tritec-engine-jointventure-56160-eng.html. Retrieved November 8, 2009. 
2. ^ Viknesh Vijayenthiran (June 7, 2007). "BMW signs-off Tritec engine project to Chrysler". Motor Authority. http://www.motorauthority.com/blog/1027256_bmw-signs-off-tritec-engine-project-to-chrysler. Retrieved November 8, 2009. 
3. ^ "13.03.2008 Fiat Powertrain Technologies buys CHRYSLER'S BRAZILIAN ENGINE UNIT". italiaspeed.com. http://www.italiaspeed.com/2008/cars/industry/03/tritec_brazil/1303.html. Retrieved 2008-03-13.