GDI SIGMA Series
Tokyo: Mitsubishi Motors Corporation announces the development of the GDI*1 SIGMA Series powertrain, which marries the eco-friendly high-output low-consumption GDI engine with various peripheral technology such as CVT*2, idling stop system, HEV*3 and turbocharger. The GDI SIGMA Series powertrain returns mileage that is between 10% and 30% better than for current GDI engines, as well as realizing improved driveability and a reduction in cost.
In August 1996, the company became the first automobile manufacturer to apply gasoline direct injection technology*4 in a production model. Today, GDI engines power eleven Mitsubishi Motors models, and the company plans to power all its models using this technology by the year 2010.
The company is currently developing other low-consumption technologies around the GDI engine. The first fruit of this program is the GDI SIGMA Series low-consumption powertrain, which incorporates four major technologies: (1)GDI-CVT, integrated control of GDI engine and CVT; (2)GDI-ASG*5, idling stop system; (3) GDI-HEV, hybrid system; and, (4) GDI-GPT*6, high-response, low-consumption GDI turbocharger. The company plans to start introducing the GDI SIGMA Series powertrain in its automobiles from the beginning of 2000.
The shared perception In Japan and Europe today is that gasoline direct injection will be the core technology in next-generation gasoline engines and several auto manufacturers are currently working on its development. Mitsubishi Motors' GDI engine is attracting considerable attention for the following reasons:
1. Because it employs a vertical Tumble to control in-cylinder flow and transport fuel closer to the spark plug, thus realizing efficient combustion;
2. Because of Mitsubishi Motors' ongoing development of technology that meets more advanced requirements, and its continuing evolution of the GDI engine;
3. Because the melding together of combustion and exhaust gas after treatment technologies means compliance with the emission standards forecast in Japan and Europe for around 2010 is already well within sight;
4. Because it is a mature and proven technology, with over 500,000 GDI engines having
been produced already.
*1: Gasoline direct injection
*2: Continuously variable transmission
*3: Hybrid electric vehicle
*4: Realizing stratified charge, leanburn combustion by gasoline direct injection
*5: Automatic stop & go
*6: Green power turbo
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