Opel ADAM’s new 3-cylinder powerhouse premieres in Geneva

One year after its launch, ADAM just keeps getting better. Opel’s chic urban trend-setter and individualization champion is already established as the most customizable and best connected small car on the market. At the next Geneva Motor Show (March 6 - 16, 2014), it will also pack an all-new, three-cylinder turbo gasoline engine endowed with benchmark-setting running refinement, low-end torque and efficiency. And that’s not all: this new generation powerhouse will be mated with a 6-speed manual transmission that is also from a new generation. In addition, more new color and trim options will further extend ADAM’s near limitless scope for personalization possibilities. ADAM is the first car in the Opel range to receive this new, all-aluminum 1.0 ECOTEC Direct Injection Turbo gasoline engine that has been developed at the manufacturer’s International Technical Development Center in Rüsselsheim, Germany. This pocket powerhouse will come in two configurations, respectively giving 66 kW/90 hp and 85 kW/115 hp. Both deliver strong, low-end torque of 166 Nm from just 1,800 rpm. Like the two new generation 1.6-liter mid-size units Opel just launched in the last months (the 1.6 ECOTEC Direct Injection Turbo gasoline and the 1.6 CDTI diesel), the new 1.0 ECOTEC Direct Injection Turbo offers benchmark refinement with outstandingly low noise and vibrations for a three-cylinder motor that are even superior to many four-cylinder units. Mated to an all-new, six-speed gearbox, the new generation three-cylinder engine comes with Start/Stop functionality as standard. The 66 kW/90 hp version gives ADAM combined cycle fuel consumption as low as 4.3 liters per 100 kilometers, with CO2 emissions of just 99 g/km (according to NEDC test procedure; preliminary data). These are outstanding results for a gasoline-powered model, especially with such generous output and high torque values. Efficiency enablers include direct fuel injection, variable valve timing, weight-saving all-aluminum construction and a switchable water pump. 1.0 ECOTEC Direct Injection Turbo-powered Opel ADAM models will go on sale in late spring 2014 and their production will start in the summer. Not only new powertrains will be available, but also new colors for ADAM’s apparel. At the Frankfurt Motor Show last September, Opel had given a preview of ADAM’s further individualization possibilities that are now being launched. In Geneva, more colors, interior décors and trim options will be revealed. Customization, ADAM-style, gets even more individual! Smooth: Pocket powerhouse sets new benchmark for three-cylinder refinement Smooth, strong and clean: ADAM’s new mini motor is small in size but big on driving appeal. It melds jewel-like precision engineering with state-of-the-art technologies to deliver performance levels that belie its diminutive size. Just as important for the pockets of ADAM drivers, it delivers remarkable fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, as low as 4.3 liters per 100 kilometers and 99 g/km CO2 in the combined cycle – putting the ADAM in favorable categories in those countries where the taxation system is based on CO2 emissions. The first in a completely new family of small displacement gasoline engines that will grow further over the next years, the 12-valve 1.0 ECOTEC Direct Injection Turbo is the next step in Opel’s powertrain offensive following the recent introduction of new 1.6-liter mid-size gasoline and diesel engine families. These three new powertrain families share a common DNA and development target: to be the most refined in their respective categories. Starting with a clean sheet of paper, Opel engineers in Rüsselsheim focused on eliminating ‘off-beat’ running characteristics which traditionally detract from the economical driving appeal of three-cylinder engines. “We not only set out to minimize fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, we also wanted to demonstrate that three cylinders can be just as refined as four or more,” says Dr. Matthias Alt, Opel’s Chief Engineer, Small Gasoline Engines. “We tackled at source the balance, noise and vibration issues typical of conventional three-cylinder engines, and we’re confident ADAM customers will be enthusiastic about the results.” The cylinder block, in high pressure die-cast aluminum, is designed to reduce radiated and structure-borne engine noise, as well as reduce weight. The high-pressure fuel rail and injectors are also structurally isolated from the cylinder head to minimize the transmission of pulsing, while both the fuel pump and fuel line are acoustically treated. A further contributor to running refinement is the installation of a balance shaft in the oil sump. Driven by a chain with inverted teeth for quiet running, it counter-rotates at crankshaft speed and is carefully mass-optimized to offset the inherent vibrations of a three cylinder operation. Other noise attenuation measures include: acoustically-optimized covers for the top and front of the engine, the intake manifold and camshaft housings; crankshaft isolation with iron main bearing inserts; inverted teeth for camshaft drive chains; a low-hiss turbo charger, and a lower oil pan in steel. With all these ‘sound engineering’ features, the new 1.0 ECOTEC Direct Injection Turbo is not only more refined than other three-cylinder engines, it’s also quieter than many four-cylinder units. For example, in bench testing at full throttle, it emits lower noise levels across all engine speeds than similarly powerful gasoline naturally-aspirated engines of 1.6-liters displacement. Strong: Small engine with big appeal The new 1.0 ECOTEC Direct Injection Turbo also packs a punch. It has all the power characteristics to make down-sizing feel like right-sizing, generating more torque, for example, than most 1.6?liter, naturally-aspirated engines. In the ADAM, the 1.0 ECOTEC Direct Injection Turbo produces 166 Nm from just 1,800 rpm. That’s almost 30 percent more pulling power than the naturally-aspirated 1.6-liter generates at the same rpm. The 85 kW/115 hp version extends the torque plateau to up to 4,700 rpm. Jewel-like precision is used for the integration of the exhaust manifold within the aluminum cylinder head, to which the tiny, low-inertia, water-cooled turbocharger is directly bolted. This compact installation contributes to the delivery of a fast boost charge which gives the 1.0 turbo such strong, low-end power. The six-vent fuel injectors in the direct injection system are centrally located above each piston to provide efficient combustion, and dual cam-phasing enables variable valve timing for optimum engine breathing. A twin displacement oil pump and a switchable water pump, which is disengaged when the engine coolant is cold in order to accelerate warm-up, also contribute to low fuel consumption. The new generation 1.0 ECOTEC Direct Injection Turbo with a new six-speed manual transmission is added to ADAM’s current powertrain line-up of naturally-aspirated, four-cylinder units combined with 5-speed manual gearboxes: the 1.2-liter with 51 kW/70 hp  and 115 Nm, and the two 1.4-liter units offering 64 kW/87 hp and 74 kW/100 hp, both with 130 Nm of torque. Precise: New, lightweight gearbox with smooth shifting An all-new, six-speed manual gearbox is mated to ADAM’s new three-cylinder engine. With a compact design and a dry weight of only 37 kilograms, it is about 30 percent lighter than units it replaces. Featuring superior shift quality and excellent precision, with a short lever travel and low shifting effort, the new transmission incorporates many of the smooth shifting refinements recently introduced by Opel. These include the use of gears with wide, asymmetrically-cut dog teeth and triple-cone synchronizers for first/second gear, with double cones for third/fourth. Reverse gear is also synchronized. In addition to ADAM, this slick-shifting new gearbox will be progressively introduced in other Opel models. Individual: More customization opportunities for the best connected small car Already crowned as Opel’s individualization champion, ADAM just keeps getting better and better. The two-tone color palette is being extended in the next weeks and will be further enriched in the coming months. With the addition of seven more body and four new roof colors, it gives ADAM an exceptional total of 18 body colors plus six roof colors for two-tone color combinations. The five new body colors that will be introduced through the spring are: an elegant silver (“Silverwalker”), a rich dark brown (“Mr. Darkside”), a vibrant blue (“Let it Blue”), an audacious lime green (“Dancing Green”) and a subtle warm grey (“Pink-Kong”). The list of further individualization possibilities for the ADAM continues to grow and now includes five new seat fabrics, seven new cabin décors, four new interior colors, one new headliner and two new interior mirror colors, as well as four new logo bar colors and two new sets of exterior decals. At Geneva Motor Show, further new body colors and interior trims will be revealed. With all these new choices, the customization potential of the latest ADAM range is now nearly limitless, ensuring that buyers can put together the car of their dreams. After designing their car exactly the way they want it, customers can look forward to enjoying the best in-car connectivity available in the small car class. ADAM features Opel’s sophisticated IntelliLink system that offers state-of-the-art connectivity and apps. This infotainment system is fully compatible with latest smartphones using both ANDROID and Apple iOS. It provides USB and Bluetooth connectivity, audio streaming, a 7-inch high-definition color touch-screen and seven speakers. Opel’s IntelliLink system in ADAM provides navigation with the BringGo app as well as the Stitcher and TuneIn apps. The integration of Apple iOS devices into the system enables SIRI EYES FREE voice control. This makes it possible, for instance, for drivers to have incoming SMS read aloud and to dictate SMS while they keep their eyes on the road and their hands on the steering wheel. IntelliLink is award-winning, safe and easy-to-use technology that is also amazingly affordable and makes ADAM the best connected small car on the market. Source: Opel