Photo: Stefan Baldauf / Robert Kah
The 2015 Toyota Aygo sure looks apart, but styling and a few extra gizmos is not everything the new supermini comes with. Mechanicals have been revised too in order to make the car nippier and more fun to drive.
Moving on the the engine bay, Toyota said the 1-liter 3-cylinder gasoline engine has been updated to enhance performance and deliver class-leading fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions.
The compression ratio has been increased from 11:1 to 11.5:1, the combustion chamber is better cooled while a high tumble intake port ensures an optimal air/fuel mix in the cylinder. Friction loses were reduced by using a low friction timing chain with auto-tensioner and Dimond-like Carbon (DLC) valve lifters while a twin-tank oil pan further contributes to reduce internal resistance.
Finally, the engine received a lighter cylinder head and a retuned Variable Valve Timing program, so it now makes 69 hp at 6,000 rpm and 95 Nm of torque at 4,300 rpm, while a big chunk if 86 Nm is available from as little as 2,000 rpm.
Improved engine also leads an updated gearbox - the optional x-shift automatic which can be had instead of the manual five-speed one.
The x-shift gearbox is an automated manual transmission, meaning that there is no clutch pedal and all the shifting is done by a computer and some actuators mounted on the transmission’s case and clutch itself. The gear ratios have been revised for better balance of driving pleasure and fuel economy.
Also, the new gearbox comes with extra modes to help the driver tune the car’s behavior. By selecting E (Easy Mode), M (Manual) or R (Reverse) the car will be able to ‘creep’ like a conventional automatic. In E mode the system selects a suitable gear according to the accelerator pedal, speed and driving conditions. There is also a kick-down function which can be by-passed via the steering wheel-mounted paddles.
The compression ratio has been increased from 11:1 to 11.5:1, the combustion chamber is better cooled while a high tumble intake port ensures an optimal air/fuel mix in the cylinder. Friction loses were reduced by using a low friction timing chain with auto-tensioner and Dimond-like Carbon (DLC) valve lifters while a twin-tank oil pan further contributes to reduce internal resistance.
Improved engine also leads an updated gearbox - the optional x-shift automatic which can be had instead of the manual five-speed one.
The x-shift gearbox is an automated manual transmission, meaning that there is no clutch pedal and all the shifting is done by a computer and some actuators mounted on the transmission’s case and clutch itself. The gear ratios have been revised for better balance of driving pleasure and fuel economy.
Also, the new gearbox comes with extra modes to help the driver tune the car’s behavior. By selecting E (Easy Mode), M (Manual) or R (Reverse) the car will be able to ‘creep’ like a conventional automatic. In E mode the system selects a suitable gear according to the accelerator pedal, speed and driving conditions. There is also a kick-down function which can be by-passed via the steering wheel-mounted paddles.
Google News