Introduced back in 2012, on the M270 and the M274 four cylinder engines, Mercedes-Benz' Camtronic is essentially a variable valve lift system. Unlike more expensive and complicated continuously variable systems, the Camtronic is an innovative two-stage system.
Being a mechanically-operated system with only an electronically-controlled actuator, Mercedes-Benz says that it can achieve about 80% of the benefits of a continuously variable system with their entire thingamajig only costing a fraction, while its built-in reliability being much higher because of less parts.
Also unlike variable valve lift systems from its competitors, Camtronic isn't made for enhancing the engine's power but to cut fuel consumption by a rather good amount, which some sources put at 4%.
Currently, the system is only used on the Mercedes-Benz 1.6-liter gasoline four cylinders (A-Class, B-Class, CLA and C-Class), where, along with direct injection and a turbocharger can provide the fuel economy of a diesel engine from five-eight years ago. If you're interested to see how exactly the Camtronic works, Mercedes-Benz recently released a YouTube video with an animation of the system, which you can check out below.
Alex handled his first real steering wheel at the age of five (on a field) and started practicing "Scandinavian Flicks" at 14 (on non-public gravel roads). Following his time at the University of Journalism, he landed his first real job at the local franchise of Top Gear magazine a few years before Mircea (Panait). Not long after, Alex entered the New Media realm with the autoevolution.com project. Full profile
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