Photo: Toyota
Adopting the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform is just part of Toyota’s plan to reduce cost productions, increase efficiency and sell more cars. The new strategy also includes a massive engine lineup overhaul following the same standardization pattern.
In an interview with Automotive News, senior manager officer in charge of Toyota’s powertrain development Koei Saga said the automaker is designing common parts for engines as well, to cut the costs on key components of up to 50 percent as well as increase fuel economy by 30 percent.
Toyota’s goal to maximize performance and minimize costs will be achieved by standardizing the engines’ characteristics such as bore, stroke, combustion cycle, and valve timing, as well as components like engine blocks, cylinder heads, cam-shafts and crankshafts.
With the base set, the automaker will then add different components to customize each engine for the model that will require a certain amount of performance.
"First, we have to improve the performance of the base engine itself, then on top of that we will be utilizing kanzashi as occasion demands," Saga said. "Just like putting something beautiful on top of your hairdo, by using kanzashi through such things as turbocharging or downsizing, you can improve the performance of the engine."
This can be traduced through the addition of turbochargers, direct injection, EGR or stop-start systems. For example, your next generation Camry might get rid of the V6 engine in favor of a turbocharged inline-four unit.
The all-new Toyota Camry will be the first model to get the full TNGA overhaul, yet still the automaker is evaluating if American customers will accept a turbo-four as top spec version. On the other hand, this strategy looks to be where the auto industry is heading.
In fact, Toyota is a bit behind schedule, with other automakers like Honda, Mazda and Ford already offering such alternatives (Earth Dreams, Skyactive and Ecoboost).
The automaker’s first overhauled engine is that 1-liter three-cylinder unit that recently debuted, coming with a 30 percent better fuel economy than the outgoing model. It uses lower friction materials, new intake ports, exhaust manifold and it is just one of the 14 engines following to be introduced through next year.
Toyota’s goal to maximize performance and minimize costs will be achieved by standardizing the engines’ characteristics such as bore, stroke, combustion cycle, and valve timing, as well as components like engine blocks, cylinder heads, cam-shafts and crankshafts.
With the base set, the automaker will then add different components to customize each engine for the model that will require a certain amount of performance.
"First, we have to improve the performance of the base engine itself, then on top of that we will be utilizing kanzashi as occasion demands," Saga said. "Just like putting something beautiful on top of your hairdo, by using kanzashi through such things as turbocharging or downsizing, you can improve the performance of the engine."
This can be traduced through the addition of turbochargers, direct injection, EGR or stop-start systems. For example, your next generation Camry might get rid of the V6 engine in favor of a turbocharged inline-four unit.
The all-new Toyota Camry will be the first model to get the full TNGA overhaul, yet still the automaker is evaluating if American customers will accept a turbo-four as top spec version. On the other hand, this strategy looks to be where the auto industry is heading.
In fact, Toyota is a bit behind schedule, with other automakers like Honda, Mazda and Ford already offering such alternatives (Earth Dreams, Skyactive and Ecoboost).
The automaker’s first overhauled engine is that 1-liter three-cylinder unit that recently debuted, coming with a 30 percent better fuel economy than the outgoing model. It uses lower friction materials, new intake ports, exhaust manifold and it is just one of the 14 engines following to be introduced through next year.
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