Hyundai reveals heavy-hitting new diesels

HYUNDAI has revealed details of an all-new high-performance diesel engine family that outperforms similar-capacity oil-burners from Europe.

No indicative fuel consumption figures are supplied, but the South Korean car giant’s new R-Engine will deliver best-in-class performance, with the 2.0-litre version producing 135kW of power and 392Nm of torque, and the 2.2-litre R-Engine developing an impressive 147kW and 436Nm.

Of course, those numbers are well up on the company’s existing diesel engines, including the Sonata sedan’s 110kW/305Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel and the 2.2-litre version that churns out 114kW and 343Nm in the Santa Fe SUV and Grandeur flagship.

More importantly, however, both engines also out-perform some of the world’s best diesels from Europe, including BMW’s 125kW/340Nm 2.0-litre and both 105kW/320Nm and 125kW/350Nm versions of VW/Audi’s 2.0 TDI.

While the 2.0-litre R-Engine all but matches the 125kW/400Nm 2.1-litre of Mercedes-Benz, the 2.2-litre R-Engine is in the same ballpark as six-cylinder diesels like Audi’s 140kW/400Nm 2.7-litre V6, Benz’s 140kW/440Nm 3.0-litre V6 and even BMW’s 160kW/480Nm 3.0-litre straight six.

Due to enter production in 2009 before appearing in 2010 model year versions of the Tucson SUV and Sonata, details of the new R-Engine were revealed this week at the eighth Advanced Diesel Engine Technology Symposium at the company's Namyang R&D centre.

Left: Hyundai R-Engine.

Hyundai says the R-Engine was developed over 42 months by a team comprising 150 members at a cost of about $285 million. It says more than 500 prototype engines were built during the project, which included computational flow dynamics, structural and thermal analysis, and computerised die-casting simulations, plus a range of emissions, NVH, cooling, lubrication and durability tests.

The 16-valve DOHC four-cylinder compression-ignition engine employs a third-generation Bosch common-rail fuel system, which features piezo-electric injectors that produce fuel pressure of 1800 bar “for an unprecedented degree of accuracy and control”, an electronically-controlled variable-geometry turbocharger and more advanced engine management system.

It also features a silent steel timing chain, a lower-mounted balance shaft encased in stiffened ladder frame housing for increased rigidity and weight-saving features like a serpentine belt with isolation pulley, a plastic cylinder-head cover, plastic intake manifold and plastic oil filter housing.

Joining the U-Engine (1.1-litre, 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre), A-Engine (2.5-litre) and S-Engine (3.0-litre V6) in Hyundai’s diesel engine family, the R-Engine meets the latest Euro 5 emissions regulations and is fitted with a close-coupled diesel particulate filter and efficient exhaust gas recirculation system with by-pass valve.

“R proves Hyundai's diesel development capabilities really are world-class,” said Dr Hyun-Soon Lee, the president of Hyundai’s corporate research and development division.

“With diesels becoming cleaner and more fuel efficient all the time, there's a growing demand for Diesel powerplants worldwide and Hyundai is well positioned to supply the market with the very best Diesel technology,"

Read more:

First drive: Santa Fe has a festive makeover

First drive: Diesel for Hyundai flagship

First drive: Sonata CRDi sings Hyundai diesel tune