VW’s Boss Has Declared That Downsizing Is Dead

Speaking at the launch of the refreshed Golf, VW chairman Dr. Herbert Diess said the downsizing trend is at an end
VW’s Boss Has Declared That Downsizing Is Dead

When first perusing the press release for the facelifted VW Golf late last year, the first thing we noticed wasn’t the GTI’s power boost, nor the autonomous-ish tech. No, it was the new 1.5-litre TSI ‘Evo’ engine.

It’s a replacement for the old 1.4, so it represents something of an oddity in today’s downsize crazy car industry: an upsized engine. And it’s something we can expect a lot more of. When we queried the increase in capacity with VW chairman Dr. Herbert Diess at the refreshed Golf’s launch this week, he confidently declared that: “The trend of downsizing is over.” The reason is simple, with Dr. Diess adding: “Emissions tend to go up as engines get smaller.”

While it’s significant for a major industry figure for Diess to admit this, it’s not a surprise. It’s clear from real-world economy figures that while downsizing works jolly nicely on paper thanks to the highly unrealistic NEDC testing cycle, smaller turbo engines just don’t deliver anything like MPG and emissions figures they’re supposed to.

Meanwhile, Mazda is probably feeling quite smug it didn’t bother with any of this downsizing nonsense, sticking with comparatively large naturally-aspirated engines that achieve decent real-world fuel economy.

VW’s Boss Has Declared That Downsizing Is Dead

All this follows a report in Reuters last October, citing industry sources that indicated VW and other manufacturers are planning to scrap or increase the capacity of some of their smallest engines. The same report also mentioned Renault’s 0.9-litre H4Bt actually injects excess amounts of petrol to stop it overheating, for example, which is so stupidly wasteful it’s almost funny.

In the case of VW, what’s interesting is that while Dr. Diess concedes “displacements will go up,” he reckons the firm’s dinky 1.0-litre turbo three-pot is safe for now. “We will offer a three-cylinder 1.0-litre which is a very competent engine, but we don’t see any engines below that anymore,” he said.

The world of small engines is set to get quite interesting over the next few years.

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Comments

Anonymous

So you’re saying we’re gonna have more like this now? :D

02/03/2017 - 23:40 |
16 | 2
Anonymous

Some problem here :

  • can you recycling a used car?
  • I don’t care about downsizing, what I care the most is : how to decrease the amount of carbon dioxide at atmosphere?
  • even now, I never heard that used tyres are recycleable.
02/04/2017 - 01:15 |
0 | 6
Anonymous

Should we believe anything VW says though?

02/04/2017 - 05:20 |
0 | 0
Florin 1

So the engine are getting UP! Sized. Good news for the vw UP!

02/04/2017 - 06:23 |
4 | 2
Anonymous

Good guy Mazda not playing games with the rest.

02/04/2017 - 18:37 |
2 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

they sort of did, and won xD

02/05/2017 - 16:00 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

Essentially Diess is saying that VW Group’s use of small turbocharged engines was just an attempt to game the European NEDC emissions testing. These engines did not have efficiency and emissions benefits in real world driving. This, once again, shows the deficient ethics of VW Group engineering: make engines smaller and less reliable but convince buyers they are more environmentally friendly even though they are not. Why people continue to buy cars from these fraudsters escapes me.

02/04/2017 - 20:15 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

Well, downsizing was the biggest attempt to make an idiots from motorists. Probably every car owner is pulling his face when somebody tells him that 140hp from 1.4 will be possible for stock cars without affecting general engine reliability and its durability…

02/05/2017 - 01:00 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

Alright lets start getting some displacement

02/05/2017 - 02:27 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

I knew it from the start small engine in a large car doesn’t work never has, never will. Physics can’t be overcome….

02/05/2017 - 17:04 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

Who knew Murica was right all along for making 7 liter 200hp V8 moedurs

02/05/2017 - 17:38 |
0 | 0