With manufacturers looking for economies of scale, using the same engine across different models has turned out be the new norm in the auto sector.
The fast paced lives and the rising purchasing power has considerably reduced the lifecycle of a vehicle, thereby also reducing the timeline for vehicle development. The process now revolves around the ‘one head, multiple hats’ concept for mass market offerings where the engines and parts remain the same but the exteriors change. While Fiat has been at the forefront of sharing engines with other automakers in India that have helped save on crucial development costs; other automakers are also using a common family of engines that power a host of vehicles across different segments and provide higher economies of scale. Here is a glimpse of certain engines that are known to power a variety of mass market cars in the country.
Fiat 1.3-litre MultiJet diesel – Also known as the national engine of India, this 1.3-litre unit has found more application in vehicles than salt does in food. Apart from the Punto, Avventura and Linea models in Fiat India’s portfolio; the model also powers the Amber, Prisma, Renegade and Uno models internationally. The MultiJet under different monikers also powers the Tata range inclusive of the Zest, Bolt, Indica and Manza. Maruti Suzuki has also been regularly sourcing the motor from Fiat for the Ritz, Swift, DZire, Ertiga and the latest Ciaz in its lineup. The engine also does duty on the relatively unsold Premier Rio compact SUV and a derivative of this engine is also found on the Chevrolet Beat diesel (GM also uses it on the Sail twins and Enjoy).
Renault 1.5-litre dCi diesel – What MultiJet is to Fiat, the dCi motor is the same to the Renault-Nissan alliance. Coming close to the 1.3-litre MultiJet, the dCi motor powers close to 16 cars in the country including the Pulse, Scala, Duster, Fluence as well as the upcoming Lodgy, compact sedan and SUV models from Renault. In Nissan’s stable, the engine has found application on the Micra, Sunny, Evalia and Terrano models. The engine also powers the Ashok Leyland Stile (Evalia underneath) and is found under the Mahindra Verito and Verito Vibe as well (old generation Renault Logan).
Ford 1.5-litre TDCi diesel – A spirited performer and workhorse, the TDCi motor does duty on the Fiesta, EcoSport as well as the Focus and MAV vehicles overseas. It could be plonked on the new generation Figo hatchback and sedan version next year in a different state of tune. Apart from the TDCi, Ford’s 1.0-litre EcoBoost has also found application on several models globally and is likely to power the Fiesta in India in the long term.
Honda 1.5-litre i-DTEC diesel – The newest diesel engine on the block revived Honda’s fortunes in India and has been offered on every new mass market model coming from the automaker. A gold mine for Honda, the engine powers a range of models including the Amaze, City, Mobilio and will also be seen on the upcoming Jazz and new entry-level hatchback.
Hyundai 1.2-litre petrol – A common engine in the Hyundai family, the 1.2-litre petrol powers a series of hatchbacks including the i10, Grand i10, i20 as well as the Xcent compact sedan. The other common engine from the automaker is the 1.4-litre diesel that powers the i20, Verna and will also be seen on the ix25 compact SUV as well as the i20 Cross models.
Toyota 1.4-litre D4-D diesel – A frugal workhorse engine of sorts, the 1.4-litre D4-D has been powering the Etios, Etios Liva, as well as the Corolla Altis in the country. The automaker’s 1.2-litre petrol is also a frugal motor and powers the Etios and Liva models in the country, while also powering the Vios and Yaris models overseas.
Tata 1.4-litre CRDi diesel – Making the most of a common engine, the 1.4-litre diesel from Tata has been powering a range of models across the passenger and commercial segments which include models like the Indica, Vista, Indigo CS as well as the Ace LCV and Venture.
Lamborghini 5.2-litre V10 – Believe it or not, it is what even supercar makers do these days. The 5.2-litre V10 that used to power the erstwhile Gallardo and now the Huracan is also found on the Audi R8 supercar in a slightly different state of tune.
You can check out the complete list of the 10 most generic engines sold in the country in the table below.
Source – Economic Times