VW , where our heads are firmly buried in the sand.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/apr/28/vw-and-shell-try-to-block-eu-push-for-cleaner-cars

And didn't Mazda sell a Miller cycle engine in a couple of models way back in the nineties?

Alistair

> On Apr 29, 2016, at 8:39 AM, Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> 
> From Gizmag.com today:
> 
> Manufacturers are leaving no stone unturned in the quest to improve the
> efficiency of their internal combustion engines. Just this week, we've seen
> a fastidiously engineered diesel engine
> <http://www.gizmag.com/ford-ecoblue-diesel-engine/43016/> from Ford
> and a camless
> engine <http://www.gizmag.com/qoros-qamfree-camless-engine/43045/> from
> Qoros. Now Volkswagen, no stranger to doing whatever it takes to lower
> consumption (figures), has joined the party by releasing a 1.5-liter Miller
> Cycle <http://www.gizmag.com/audi-high-efficiency-two-liter-engine/37428/>
> engine
> tasked with improving fuel consumption and increasing low-down torque.
> 
> Volkswagen's engineers say there are a number of improvements that come
> courtesy of the improved thermodynamic efficiency associated with Miller
> Cycle engines. An increase in the geometric compression ratio has,
> according to VW, allowed for improved efficiency in the load range most
> customers will actually use, while the final compression temperature has
> been lowered through early closing of the intake valve and the expansion
> cooling that brings.
> 
> Thanks to these improvements, VW claims its new engine offers up peak
> torque from just 1,300 rpm, while also improving fuel economy by 1 l/100 km
> (235 US MPG) compared to the current 1.5-liter TSI engine.
> 
> Working tandem with these big changes to the combustion cycle are a number
> of small changes that, when combined, contribute to the longevity and
> efficiency of the engine. On the 110 kW (148 hp) version of the engine, the
> cylinder liners are coated with an atmospheric plasma spray to cut down on
> friction, improve heat dissipation and improve corrosion resistance.
> 
> The engine's cooling system has also come under the microscope, and now
> will make sure the water in the crankcase and engine remains stationary
> while the car is warming up. As well as cutting the amount of time spent
> without the engine operating at ideal temperature, VW says the system helps
> warm the cabin more quickly on cold mornings.
> 
> Although it's usually used on high end, big displacement engines, VW has
> even fitted cylinder deactivation to the new engine, allowing it to run as
> a two-cylinder under light loads.
> 
> An increasing injection pressure 350 bar has improved the mixture formation
> in the engine, which should also lead to lower particulate emissions.
> 
> Interestingly, the release makes it very clear the efficiency and emissions
> improvements are unlikely to show up under test cycle conditions, but
> argues that they're likely to have a "distinct impact on the customer's
> everyday driving."
> 
> The new four-cylinder engine will find its way into showrooms later this
> year in 96 kW (129 hp) and 110 kW (148 hp) guises. It's currently on show
> at the Vienna Motor Symposium.