Confirmed: VW to replace 2.5 I-5 with 1.8t

[vrsexxy_GTI]

http://www.leftlanenews.com/volkswag...n-the-u-s.html

Volkswagen will replace the naturally aspirated inline-five motor used in U.S. products with a turbocharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder in a move designed to boost fuel efficiency and decrease manufacturing costs.

Two sources at Volkswagen confirmed the change in the German automaker’s powertrain lineup to Car and Driver. The new engine, code named EA888, is a derivative of the corporate 2.0-liter turbo four used in a wide variety of VW and Audi vehicles. Unrelated to VW’s “1.8T” mill used in the 1990s and 2000s, the 1.8-liter turbo has the potential to return highway mileage close to the magic 40 mpg number favored by marketing types and consumers alike. In contrast, the 2.5-liter inline-five mustered just 33 mpg on the highway in the manual-transmission Jetta.

Power for the new motor will be comparable to the inline-five despite the increased fuel economy. Compared with 170 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque served up by the five-banger, the 1.8-liter turbo makes 158 horsepower and 185 lb-ft of twist in European applications, and those numbers shouldn’t change much when the mill is offered stateside.

Because of its close relationship to the ubiquitous 2.0-liter turbo, the new engine can be built in the same factories and maintained with the same equipment, saving Volkswagen time and money.

Expect the 1.8-liter turbo to eventually become the volume motor in the Jetta, Golf, Beetle and Passat.

[Double-V]

NevAr lose, redux.

[Denniswhat]

New 1.8t and less power than the old one? Maybe a chip will fix that.

[Air-over-water]

No, I like the 2.5.
I never really liked the 1.8t the first time around so this one will need to be excellent in order to for me to consider buying one.

[Air and water do mix]

Fantastiche.

I'll hold off for buying new. Well, I don't yet know if that's the car (or even brand) for me right now, but I'd hold off for that new drivetrain option... and because it won't be happening for a bit longer, anyway.

[Jettavr666]

Yaaaayyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tim@VMG]

Unrelated to VW’s “1.8T” mill used in the 1990s and 2000s,

This is the important part of that bit, everybody.

This is not the old 1.8t again.

-Tim

[Dr. Woo]

No, I like the 2.5.

I'd always been told such anomalies exist, but I never really thought I'd ever encounter one.

[Air and water do mix]

158 horsepower and 185 lb-ft of twist

No, I like the 2.5.
I never really liked the 1.8t the first time around so this one will need to be excellent in order to for me to consider buying one.

New 1.8t and less power than the old one? Maybe a chip will fix that.

I like the 2.5, too, but this thing should be reliable, have similar power and return better mileage. Since it's a turbo, it should be easy to extract more hp later, too.

[Deserion]

The engine should have good tuning potential right out of the box. Definitely will seem to appeal to general consumers and enthusiasts alike. I'd imagine an ECU flash would get it close to the 2.0T in terms of power.

[2.0_Mazda]

regular gas??

[Dr. Woo]

regular gas??

They'll have to in order to compete, as trivial as it may be if you really think about it.

Mazda neutered their SKYACTIV engines for the U.S. market for that very reason.

[bzcat]

2.slow lives on?

[Air and water do mix]

I'd always been told such anomalies exist, but I never really thought I'd ever encounter one.

It's not a sexy motor by any means, but it's a bulldog. It has good/great torque and is extremely robust/reliable. It's more than fine in a bread-and-butter car.

[Jrod511]

If there is a God these will use the same coil packs.

[Air-over-water]

I'd always been told such anomalies exist, but I never really thought I'd ever encounter one.

I do not look at the 2.5 as a power motor but one that should last for 300k of daily abuse.
I doubt the 1.8t will do as well in the long run.
Only time will tell I guess.

[Newbie16ver]

In other news, the 8v designed by West Germany a quarter century ago, continues to be a superb base model engine choice by VW

[6cylVWguy]

Definitely a good move by VW. And I hope it's one that continues the roll that VW is on with their current US-specific models. I hope VW can up the power a little to keep it closer in line with the outgoing 2.5L motor. But overall, I think this is a good move. My only question is how much of a price difference there will be between a base 2.5 jetta and a base 1.8t. I'm glad to see VW addressing one of the major gripes many of us have had with the mkVI Jetta.

I wonder if this motor will find its way into the passat as a replacement for the 2.5L motor?

[Chris Stack]

I'd always been told such anomalies exist, but I never really thought I'd ever encounter one.

If the 1.8T/2.0T had been the only engine offerred in the 2008 Jetta that I bought my wife, we wouldn't own one and would have gotten something else. I'm not convinced the added complexity and potential for issues is worth the tradeoff in a grocery getter commuter car like the Jetta, GLI versions aside. Same thing with DSG. All that extra fancy **** is fine in a sporty car, but for a simple economy car, give me simple.

[Air and water do mix]

In other news, the 8v designed by West Germany a quarter century ago, continues to be a superb base model engine choice by VW

The article doesn't say that, but it doesn't deny it, either. "Replace 2.5" isn't exactly solid on that, but it certainly implies that the 2.0 would stay around. I can't imagine that if it's not used in anything else in N.A.

Is the CitiGolf/Jetta still in production for Canada? I thought it was gone.

[SSLByron]

It's not a sexy motor by any means, but it's a bulldog. It has good/great torque and is extremely robust/reliable. It's more than fine in a bread-and-butter car.

It's a very good engine on paper, but it's thirsty and they gear it crazy tall to compensate for that. So while the engine itself may be grunty, the cars still feel pretty gutless down low.

When I had a Jetta 2.5 presser last year with the six-speed auto, I was convinced it was always starting in second gear because the off-the-line punch was simply non-existent. But even in tiptronic mode with first gear manually selected, there's just no get-up-and-go. Same story in the Beetle I had last week.

[Turbio!]

In other news, the 8v designed by West Germany a quarter century ago, continues to be a superb base model engine choice by VW

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAHAAHAHAHAH whoooo heh....

[tampaSi]

Sweet, I was getting too accustomed to a reliable VW powerplant.

[danny_16v]

This is the important part of that bit, everybody.

This is not the old 1.8t again.

-Tim

Will this be an FSI 1.8T 16v?

[Air and water do mix]

If the 1.8T/2.0T had been the only engine offerred in the 2008 Jetta that I bought my wife, we wouldn't own one and would have gotten something else. I'm not convinced the added complexity and potential for issues is worth the tradeoff in a grocery getter commuter car like the Jetta, GLI versions aside. Same thing with DSG. All that extra fancy **** is fine in a sporty car, but for a simple economy car, give me simple.

i don't think the 1.8T would keep me out of this car (especially with the improved mileage) but overall I agree wholeheartedly.

[Señor Peligro]

Volkswagen will replace the naturally aspirated inline-five motor used in U.S. products with a turbocharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder in a move designed to boost fuel efficiency and decrease manufacturing costs.

I await the horrorshow.

[Turbio!]

I do not look at the 2.5 as a power motor but one that should last for 300k of daily abuse.
I doubt the 1.8t will do as well in the long run.
Only time will tell I guess.

The old-school 1.8T seems to last reasonably well.

[Air and water do mix]

I await the horrorshow.

No. It will decrease manufacturing costs because it's the same basis as the 2.0, meaning it can be built in the same plant with the same tooling by the same technicians. They can almost mothball the 2.5 machinery.

[SSLByron]

I await the horrorshow.

TCL: Why inline five so expensive?

Vortexer: Because Lamborghini!

[Chris Stack]

i don't think the 1.8T would keep me out of this car (especially with the improved mileage) but overall I agree wholeheartedly.

It wouldn't keep ME out if it was the car I wanted, but for my wife, who has a checklist that goes something like "Engine? Yup, it's got one, on to cupholders..." a turbo engine isn't worth it. Especially a turbo engine made by Germans who don't always finish one thing before moving onto the next...

[Air-over-water]

The old-school 1.8T seems to last reasonably well.

If you are willing to throw money at it.
I have dealt with a quite a few 1.8ts in my life and they have always given me problems.

[vmchurch]

So lets get this straight....

Future regular Jettas/Golfs will have 1.8L Turbo
Future GTI's/GLI's will have 2.0L Turbo

Hmmm, kinda renders the GTI and GLI redundant.....especially if you like the look of the regular cars better.

[lorge1989]

Will this be an FSI 1.8T 16v?

Thats the assumption I have. I guarantee it won't be a 20v.

[Toaster29]

Cool to see it making a return, though I'd like to see the rated power level a bit higher. There's absolutely no reason why a modern DI turbo mill shouldn't make 100 hp/l without even breaking a sweat.

[aethelwulf]

So lets get this straight....

Future regular Jettas/Golfs will have 1.8L Turbo
Future GTI's/GLI's will have 2.0L Turbo

Hmmm, kinda renders the GTI and GLI redundant.....especially if you like the look of the regular cars better.

You know, other than the increased power, appearance package, interior changes, and suspension differences...