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Renault Plans New Diesel Engine in France

Following the so-many Zero-Emission agreements the Renault-Nissan alliance has signed in various regions of the world, the group is now continuing the green efforts with a new 1.6-liter four-cylinder diesel engine to be produced in a facility near the northwestern French city of Cleon. According to Autonews, the engine is expected to enter production in 2011 and will be installed on both Renault and Nissan models.

Beside helping the alliance concentrate its efforts on environmentally-friendly units, the new engine will indirectly fight against the economic turmoil by preserving around 450 jobs at the factory, the aforementioned source nots. Furthermore, building it in France is a decision that perfectly complies with French President Nicolas Sarkozy's requirements who asked the domestic automakers to maintain operations in the country in exchange for government funds.

The Cleon production plant was severely hit by the economic recession, with engine production down to 569,000 units in 2008 compared to 740,000 units in 2007. Additionally, transmissions production fell from 783,000 units in 2007 to 653,000 units in 2008.

Since it will be launched in 2011, the new engine will perfectly meet Euro 5 emission regulations, which become mandatory in 2010. And speaking of emissions, the French manufacturer says the CO2 levels of the upcoming unit will be cut by around 30 grams per kilometers while fuel consumption is reduced by around 20 percent, Autonews wrote.

Specifically, the diesel unit will generate 130 horsepower, similar to the current 1.9-lite diesel configuration already included in Renault's lineup. The first models to get the new engine will be Megane, Laguna plus a series of light commercial vehicles.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
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Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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