Imagine quick off-the-line acceleration reminiscent of a classic muscle car combined with the efficiency of a fuel-sipping compact sedan. Dream on? Believe it. The all-new 2014 Chevrolet Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel
uses a turbocharging feature called “overboost,” but still gets the
best highway fuel economy of any non-hybrid passenger car in America.
Cruze Diesel’s turbocharged 2.0L engine delivers a segment-leading
SAE-certified 151 horsepower (113 kW) and 264 lb-ft of torque (358 Nm),
but overboost can increase torque to 280 lb-ft (380 Nm) for about 10
seconds of stronger acceleration. That’s the equivalent torque delivered
by the 1972 Camaro Z28’s heavier 5.7L V8.
Unlike the muscle car era, Cruze Diesel marries that quick burst to a
segment-leading EPA-estimated 46 mpg highway, and demonstrated range of
717 miles on one tank of fuel.
“Overboost provides increased performance when the driver demands it,
like when passing on the highway,” said Mike Siegrist, GM 2.0L diesel
assistant chief engineer. “When the driver leans on the throttle, the
turbocharger increases the air and fuel intake over and above what the
engine needs for normal torque demand.”
So taking the “muscle” analogy one step further, overboost is to
Cruze Diesel as oxidation is to athletes when their muscles use oxygen
to break down carbohydrates, fat and protein to produce energy. The more
oxygen they take in, the better their performance. Cruze Diesel can
sprint from 0 to 60 in about 8.6 seconds – half a second faster than its
chief competitor, the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta 2.0L TDI.
Cruze’s 2.0L turbo-diesel provides greater fuel economy than a
comparably sized gasoline engine through greater thermal efficiency, a
higher compression ratio and an unthrottled combustion process. It
features an iron cylinder block and a forged steel crankshaft, each
designed to stand up to the greater cylinder pressures that come with a
turbo-diesel engine.
A lightweight aluminum cylinder head and aluminum intake manifold
contribute to the engine’s ability to deliver balanced ride and
handling.
Turbocharging is an increasingly popular choice with automakers and
car buyers. According to LMC Automotive, a provider of automotive
forecasts, turbo-charged passenger vehicle production in North America
is expected to double by 2018, from 14 percent in 2013 to 29 percent,
mainly due to increased diesel production, as well as four-cylinder
turbo gas engines replacing V6 engines.
“Cruze’s turbo-diesel engine is powerful, efficient and clean,”
Siegrist said. “It will change perceptions of what a diesel car can be
while giving customers another fuel-efficient choice in the Chevrolet
lineup.”
***Courtesy of media.gm.com
