Detroit - Global car brands such as Stellantis might be moving rapidly towards electrification, but that doesn’t mean the end of days for larger-capacity petrol engines just yet.
The world’s fourth-biggest carmaker, which was formed when Fiat Chrysler merged with PSA in 2021, has revealed a new twin-turbo straight-six petrol engine that is said to offer V8-rivalling levels of performance while using up to 15% less fuel than traditional large engines.
The new motor will make its way into production later this year, initially in Jeep products starting with the Grand Wagoneer. It will eventually become the primary internal combustion engine for North American vehicles using the STLA Large and STLA Frame platforms, which means you’ll likely find it in future versions of the Dodge Challenger and Ram 1500 pick-up among other vehicles.
For the sake of production efficiency, the new 3.0-litre Hurricane twin-turbo I-6 engine shares its key design features, including bore and stroke, with the firm’s current 2.0-litre turbopetrol engine found in various Jeep models.
Stellantis says it will be offered in two variants. The lower-powered version, offering around 400 horsepower (298kW) will be optimised for fuel economy. The High Output variant focuses on performance and Stellantis claims it’ll offer more than 500hp (373kW).
The new engine boasts high-pressure (350 bar) direct fuel injection, two low-inertia high-flow turbochargers, dual water-cooled exhaust manifolds integrated in the cylinder head and an engine-mounted water-to-air charge cooler with a dedicated cooling circuit.
“As Stellantis aims to become the US leader in electrification, with a 50% battery-electric vehicle (BEV) sales mix by 2030, internal combustion engines will play a key role in our portfolio for years to come and we owe it to our customers and the environment to provide the cleanest, most efficient propulsion possible,” said Stellantis’s head of propulsion systems Micky Bly.
“The Hurricane twin-turbo is a no-compromise engine that delivers better fuel economy and an important reduction in greenhouse gases without asking our customers to give up performance.”