Three-cylinder engines are faced by owners of both foreign cars and domestic cars. Moreover, recently the world's leading automakers have begun to use such motor models more often, since they are more environmentally friendly, and environmental care, as you know, is one of the most popular trends in modern industry.

If you want to buy a car with a three-cylinder engine, but doubt the correctness of your decision, then this article is for you. In it we will consider the main advantages and disadvantages of motors of this type.

What is a three-cylinder engine?

Let's start with the basics, namely, with an explanation of how the three cylinder engine different from all others. Even novice car owners and people who are simply interested in technology know that there are cylinders inside the motor: they are set in motion crankshaft and put into operation the whole transport mechanism. From this we can draw a logical conclusion: the more cylinders, the more powerful the engine. So it is in practice.

For example, four-cylinder engines have urban-class cars aimed at saving gasoline and driving at low speeds, and six-cylinder motorcycles are motorcycles designed for high loads.

The three-cylinder engine has low power (hence one of its popular names - "motorcycle engine"). It is usually installed on small cars and cars designed for driving around the city and for short distances.

Benefits of a three-cylinder engine

• Environmental friendliness. We mentioned it at the beginning of the article. Indeed, cars with this type of engine cause much less damage to the environment and therefore are gaining popularity now that caring for the environment has become one of the primary tasks of mankind.
• Possibility to combine types of fuel. Three-cylinder engines are designed for a small amount of gasoline (for example, latest development Kia, the Kappa engine has a volume of only 1.0 liters), therefore, to increase power, they are often combined with the installation of an additional gas cylinder. This is again environmentally friendly and in the conditions of our country it is quite economical.
• Low fuel consumption. This advantage follows logically from the previous one: since the engine is designed for a small amount of fuel, then extra refueling is not needed (on average, 5.9 liters of gasoline are required per 100 km).
• Lightweight and compact. Engines of this type are most often made of aluminum and are small in size. This helps to keep dynamic properties under small engine conditions.

The main disadvantages of three-cylinder engines

• imbalance. This term refers to the mismatch between the actions of pistons and cylinders. Visually, we do not notice it, but we feel the consequences of such an imbalance: the car works with a high level of noise and vibration. Theoretically, this can be fixed, but the refinement process is quite complicated and requires the intervention of a really knowledgeable specialist.
• low power(most often - within 70-80 hp). Three-cylinder engines are absolutely not suitable for racing enthusiasts. Yes, a car equipped with such a motor can be overclocked and made to work at top speed, but in return you will soon receive an increase in vibration and noise, which will be a warning: finish if you do not want to repair the car later. In fairness, we say that many manufacturers are now working on this problem, but it has not yet been fully resolved.
• Fit with mechanical box gear. Note that this is true for Russian buyers. In the West, there are models where a three-cylinder engine is supplied complete with an automatic transmission, but we still have few of them and they are not available to everyone.

Car with a three-cylinder engine: to take or not to take?

A three-cylinder engine is your choice if:

1. You are looking for a car to move around the city and do not chase high speeds.
2. You want to save on petrol or prefer to use a combination of petrol + LPG.
3. You don't need a high power motor.
4. emergence extraneous noise and vibrations in the car do not scare you.
5. You care about the environment and initially choose a car that causes the least harm to the environment.

BMW B38 engine— 3 cylinder gasoline engine, which stands out for its exceptional efficiency and great performance. The B38 is the latest milestone in the evolution and refinement of BMW's petrol powertrains and is part of the new generation of B-series engines.

Main BMW features B38:

• compact design;
• power;
• ease;
• profitability;

The B38 engine is mechanically similar to the engine, but in architecture it is similar to the diesel B37.

The BMW B38 engine is equipped with technology TwinPower Turbo, 4 valves per cylinder, twin-scroll turbocharger, High Precision Direct Petrol Injection, variable valve timing, Valvetronic system, balance shaft, special vibration damper, and CO2 emissions comply with EU6 standard.

The compression ratio of the B38 engine is 11: 1, and this is more than in. The volume of each cylinder is up to 500 cc, power from 75 to 230 hp, and torque from 150 to 320 Nm, and it is worth noting that this engine is also 5-15% more economical than 4-cylinder ones.

In 2014, at the International Competition ", the BMW B38 engine took second place, after the BMW / PSA engine, in the category" from 1.4 to 1.8 liters.

Video about the BMW B38 engine

B38A12U0

This motor model is available in two versions: 75-102-horsepower and is installed exclusively on the 5-door F55 (from 10/2014) and the 3-door F56 (from 03/2014).

B38B15A

B38A15M0

This motor variation is installed on F20 and , / , () , () and MINI F56 (from 03/2014) and F55 (from 10/2014).

B38K15T0

This TwinPower Turbo 3-cylinder petrol engine was built on the basis of previous versions of the B38 and developed as part of the BMW EfficientDynamics strategy, combining all the advantages that you can expect from a powertrain for.

dynamics and high level performance is accompanied by outstanding efficiency, and is demonstrated by an average fuel consumption of 2.1 l / 100 km.

Changes in B38K15T0 in relation to previous B38 motors:

• the crankcase has been adapted for front-mounted coolant pump installation. This was necessary to save space for the generator. high voltage and air intake systems requiring more space;
• main bearing diameters and connecting rod bearings was increased to 50 mm;
• the cylinder head is produced in gravity casting, and as a result, it has a high density and high stability;
• shaft diameter exhaust valves was increased to 6 mm. This valve prevents vibrations that could be caused by high pressure supercharger with shut-off valve;
• the oil pump is lighter by 1 kg;
• stabilizer roll stability located on the front side of the oil sump;
• new belt drive. The engine is started by a high voltage generator. Conventional starter gears are not installed;
• bearings drive shaft in the housing of the mechanical cooling pump system have been strengthened by greater force in the belt drive;
• the air conditioning compressor in the belt drive is also not installed;
• new belt tensioners;
• the drive belt has been widened from six to eight ribs;
• adapted torsional vibration damper when the pulley is off;
• first use of a water-cooled throttle body;
• cooling charge air carried out using indirect air coolers, which are built into the intake system;
• the turbine housing of the exhaust turbocharger was integrated into the steel manifold;
• charging pressure up to 1.5 bar is achieved with a modified variable geometry turbine and controlled by an electric unloader valve;
• the turbocharger is cooled through the bearing housing;

Specifications BMW B38

(motor parameters)	B38A12U0	B38A12U0	B38B15A	B38A15M0	B38K15T0
Valves per cylinder	4	4	4	4	4
Volume, cc	1198	1198	1499	1499	1499
HP power (kW)/rpm	75 (55)/4000	102 (75)/4250	109 (80)/4500	136 (100)/4500)	231 (170)/5800
Torque Nm/rpm	150/1400	180/1400	180/1350	220/1250	320/3700
Compression ratio, :1	10,2	11	11	11	9,5
Bore/Stroke, mm	78/83,6	78/83,6	82/94,6	82/94,6	82/94,6
Average consumption fuel, l/100 km	5,0-5,2	4,8	4,7-5,3	—	2,1
CO2 emissions, g/km	117-122	109-114	109-126	107-112	49
Emission standards exhaust gases	EU6	EU6	EU6	EU6	EU6
Engine management	—	—	MEVD 17.2.3	MEVD 17.2.3	DME 17.2.3

Automotive engineers decided technical problems that were persecuted in the 80s and early 90s. But even with new technologies and the introduction of turbines, three-cylinder powertrains may take a long time to become popular.

Three-cylinder engines will experience a tangible problem precisely on American market, where cars with a large number of cylinders are traditionally presented at the local car market. How buyers will appreciate these new cars that will be equipped with small power units, time will tell, but in any case, as we think, the path of these motors will not be easy.

For example, in the United States 25 years ago, cars from such car brands as Geo Metro, Subaru Justy and Daihatsu Charade were sold, which were equipped with three-cylinder engines. of that time did not allow these engines to be fully efficient. For example, the 1.0-liter engine that was installed in the Charade car (sold in the US from 1988 to 1992) had a power of only 53 hp. In order to disperse this small car up to 100 km / h he needed 15 seconds. The only plus here is the fuel economy, which in combined mode was required to travel 100 km, the consumption was approximately 6.2 liters.

Now, as an example, let's take the new modern car, for example, - 2014, which is equipped with a three-cylinder engine. The difference in technology here is obvious. You can immediately see how technology has advanced in 25 years. The Fiesta SFE has the same 1.0 liter engine as the Charade but has 123 hp. Its fuel consumption per 100 km is less than 5.2 liters. It is also worth noting that the Fiesta car weighs 360 kg more than its progenitor, and accelerates from 0 to 100 km / h faster, in just 8 seconds.

Here is another car as an example. it bmw car 2014 Mini-Cooper, which is equipped with a 1.5-liter three-cylinder turbo. This powertrain produces more power than a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. Also, a car equipped with a three-cylinder engine accelerates to 100 km / h 2.3 seconds faster than its predecessor and consumes much less fuel(5.9l per 100km).

It's worth pointing out right off the bat that companies like Ford, and other automakers along the way, have been ignoring three-cylinder engines for a long time, all because of their straightforward reputation. Instead of this, automotive companies for a long time they focused on and. But the limit of technology was already close. Companies realized for themselves that without reducing the number of cylinders in the engine, it would not be possible to reduce fuel consumption.

Companies have also decided to reduce the number of cylinders in their machines.

Recall that the new three-cylinder engines have appeared on the Ford Fiesta model since the beginning of this year. According to the same automaker, it is known that the share of sales of cars with three-cylinder engines today is from 6 to 8 percent, which is a good indicator for the first time. The auto company expects that the popularity of three-cylinder engines will constantly grow and sales of cars equipped with these power units will grow by an order of magnitude.

Does size matter?

BMW manufactures its motorcycles with more, which are now placed under the hoods mini car- Cooper. You can buy the same lawn mower, but with a more powerful engine than, for example, Mitsubishi car Mirage.

Automakers began to use these three-cylinder engines in the first place, which certainly improved the handling and braking of the car. In addition, three-cylinder engines contain 20 percent fewer parts than the same four-cylinder engines. And since small engines are very compact in size, it improves the car in a crash. Free space under the hood due to a three-cylinder engine with head-on collision it with an obstacle, significantly reduces the risk of the latter moving into the passenger compartment of the car.

But main reason why automakers have turned their attention to three-cylinder engines, it is natural economy, that is, a significant reduction in fuel consumption with less investment in the production of building a car. And without any loss of power and torque for the engine itself.

Yes, the advantage of three-cylinder engines is undeniable. But now the question arises, how will these power units the consumers themselves. After all, the future of three-cylinder engines will depend on them.

And the thing is the following. Everything will depend on the perception of the buyers of the cars themselves. For example, if the engine runs rough, i.e. will be observed strong vibration on idling and the motor will not differ in special power, then naturally, consumers will immediately feel that the engine in the car is working unreliably poorly and will not want to buy such a car. But, if this motor will run smoothly and reliably enough and it will feel a certain strength and power, then buyers will not even pay attention to the fact that this car equipped with just a three-cylinder small engine.

For example, what the manager of the BMW car company (Mini division) told us. Buyers of Mini cars choosing this brand of cars are guided by three factors, namely, the design, power and economy of the car. To our regret, it should be noted that the latest generation of Mini cars somewhat disappointed many fans of this brand of cars, since it consumes 6.2 liters of fuel in mixed mode per 100 km of run. Consumers, on the other hand, expected much more from these Mini cars, as everyone believed that such small car should consume much less fuel than it consumes. Therefore, the company made the only correct decision for today, to equip Mini cars with 1.5 liter three-cylinder engines that will consume in combined cycle work only 5.6 liters per 100 kilometers.

The only Mini model to date that has retained four-cylinder engines is Cooper car S.

According to BMW, a huge number of people who come to showrooms around the world today are looking for cars with low fuel consumption and low cost of ownership. To my deepest regret, bmw cars and Mini do not always and do not fully satisfy the demand of customers, and because of this, the Bavarian company loses many customers for itself, who today go to competitors who offer more economical cars on reasonable prices and cheaper maintenance.

Today BMW company works in this direction, trying to reduce the fuel consumption of many models of cars, with a significant reduction in the cost of their ownership.

"Sometimes we lose customers who go to competitors with more fuel efficiency cars. I think that we will become more successful in the near future, we will be able to offer people what they are looking for."

Patrick McKenna
Mini

Advances in technology in the production of three-cylinder engines have made it possible to make engines reliable and of high quality, they work smoothly and quietly, just like four-cylinder engines. And this despite the fact that an odd number of cylinders in the engine complicates their technology.

The thing is that it is very difficult to balance the work of a three-cylinder engine, where two pistons move up at the same time, and the third moves down.

For example, let's take the Ford company, it solved the problem of unbalancing three-cylinder engines in this way. Ford's patented technology does the following, redirects the received energy from the imbalance using the flywheel and front pulley, and here BMW, Mitsubishi and General Motors use the technology of balancing the shafts that are installed in the engine. They rotate in the opposite direction from the rotation crankshaft, thereby removing the imbalance vibration.

The auto company GM offers its three-cylinder engine installed on the new model. This model should meet the expectations of customers who want a stylish, economical and powerful small car.

BMW, in addition to Mini cars, uses its 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine on the new i8 hybrid model. This may be due to the increase in demand for hybrid cars. In the future, this engine will be installed in other less expensive hybrids.

Toyota last month announced the release of the new 1.0 family liter engines with three cylinders. But these motors will not be used on all models of the Japanese car brand.

Despite the widespread use of three-cylinder engines, experts do not predict their huge growth in popularity for a few more years. Yes, of course, sales of cars with three-cylinder engines will increase, but not so much that it can be said that they will completely displace four-cylinder power units from the market.

Economy and availability

Unlike traditional engines without a turbocharger, turbocharged three-cylinder engines have a number of advantages. The maximum torque is achieved with them at much lower speeds. And yet, turbocharged engines are much more efficient in terms of fuel consumption if the driver prefers a sporty driving style.

Of course, fuel economy in turbocharged engines varies depending on the style of driving, on the geographical factors of the area where the car is used, and of course on the type of car model.

The truth here is to note that a greater number of cars with three-cylinder turbo engines do not generate their maximum torque while the turbocharger is running. This is the only downside.

That's why Mitsubishi decided to equip its Mirage with a turbocharged three-cylinder engine so that the driver can make the most of the torque. But no one has yet repealed the laws of physics. The more powerful and stronger car the more fuel consumption it has. Engineers Japanese company decided to bet on reducing the weight of the car itself, all to reduce fuel consumption. For example, a Mirage car up to 100 km / h on a three-cylinder engine in 11.0 seconds.

As the managers of Mitsubishi themselves say, in the production of the Mirage car, the emphasis was not on increasing the power of the car, but on reducing the curb weight of the car, which thereby made it possible to reduce fuel consumption to 5.9 liters per 100 km in combined mode.

If, in fact, three-cylinder engines are actually capable of providing significant fuel savings without loss of power, and if they work like four-cylinder engines, then three-cylinder engines will sooner or later displace four-cylinder power units from the car market.

True, it should be noted that many of the car models equipped with three-cylinder engines do not yet have enough power in certain situations on the road, so drivers are forced to increase engine speed at such moments, which naturally affects the final fuel consumption. Therefore, it is premature to say that the future belongs to 3-cylinder engines.

If earlier laziness was considered the engine of progress, then today it is certainly environmental regulations. Newest gasoline engines Peugeot EB series, which took place under the hood of the 208 hatchback, emit less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than the power plant of the Peugeot 508RXH diesel-electric hybrid.

Three-cylinder engines of 1.0 and 1.2 liters produce 68 and 82 hp. respectively, while the torque is 95 and 118 Nm - enough to make a well-equipped compact car feel confident in the city. Experienced motorists at the mention of a three-cylinder liter engine, out of habit, they will wrinkle their nose, and in vain. So that small motors do not hit the face in the dirt, Peugeot 52 patents had to be registered, 23 of which relate to the design features of the power plant, 20 to controller programs and 9 to special technological processes and equipment.

Three-cylinder engines are so far offered in Russia only with a manual transmission, and the “four” 1.6 - with a hydraulic automatic. Thoughtful "robots" for small-capacity engines were decided not to be delivered to our country, leaving them to the patient and thrifty Europeans.

iron diet

The most obvious way to keep a car dynamic while reducing harmful emissions, gluttony and power is to lose weight. The 1.0 liter VTi engine has become 11 kg lighter than its predecessor, and the 1.2 liter VTi engine weighs almost 10 kg less than the 1.4-liter power Peugeot unit 207.

Both the cylinder block and the block head are cast from an aluminum alloy by casting according to gasified models. exact model parts made of expanded polystyrene are placed in a mold and filled with sand, which is then carefully compacted and fills all the cavities of the model. When filling out a form hot metal replaces polystyrene by evaporating it.

This method is characterized by accuracy, minimal waste and harmful emissions. At the same time, it makes it possible to manufacture complex-shaped parts with internal cavities without resorting to the use of cores.

In terms of interior layout, the Peugeot 208 is a trendsetter. The steering wheel is reduced in size and “flattened” from below so as not to interfere with the knees, the instruments are installed above the steering wheel, and most service functions entrusted to the big touchscreen high resolution.

Accurate technological process Peugeot is kept secret, protected by patents and called PMP (Process Moule? Perdu). Its capabilities allow you to reduce the number of parts of the power unit by integrating a maximum of functions into the head of the block. In particular, built into the head exhaust manifold, engine mounts and coolant fitting.

In an effort to reduce weight, Peugeot engineers did not skimp on comfort. balance shaft with eccentrics, rotating in opposite side with a crankshaft in order to combat vibration - exotic for such compact motors. Drive belt camshaft also located in the engine housing and has oil system lubricants to reduce noise. The belt does not require replacement during the entire life of the engine.

Silence is guarded by a crankcase with increased rigidity, which reduces resonance from the crankshaft. A special resonator is installed on intake manifold to make the whistle of atmospheric air sucked into the engine more harmonious.

Dmitry Mamontov, scientific editor

The good old tradition of designating car classes with letters of the Latin alphabet, depending on the size of the body, does not hold water these days. Peugeot 208 is a whole alphabet: fuel consumption (with three-cylinder engines) from class A, dimensions from B, comfort and equipment no less than C, and multifunction display on the center console - well, no less than E. The screen size, its resolution, graphics quality and interface speed clearly indicate the presence of a special graphics processor. According to the architecture of the menu, the display resembles a regular tablet, so dealing with it is as easy as shelling pears. Unlike many other cars, scrolling works great here - with the usual sliding movements of your finger, you can flip through menu screens, and names in a notebook, and even wallpapers for a "desktop" that are loaded from a flash drive. “Now let’s try to take off with all this,” the pilot of an airliner said in a well-known joke, and he was right: a 120-horsepower hatchback engine is only enough to nimble at speeds up to 90 km / h. Acceleration to highway speeds takes time. However, within the city limits, an extremely simple and understandable to drive, compact and beautiful car is a real advantage.

On a hot head

Another way to maintain power while on a strict diet is to fight friction. Piston rings and fingers, as well as valve lifters, are diamond-coated to improve glide. The shape of the connecting rods is designed in such a way that during rotation the centrifugal force acts on the crankshaft bearings as little as possible, also in order to reduce friction.

To make it easier for the engine to move the pistons, the engineers equipped it with a variable displacement oil pump. Usually the pump speed, and with it the oil pressure, is directly dependent on the engine speed. This means that on low revs the pressure cannot be high enough so that at the power limit it does not exceed the capacity of the engine. Independent pump allows you to maintain optimum pressure oil at any engine speed.

cold motor requires a richer air-fuel mixture than a heated one, which means it consumes more fuel and releases more carbon dioxide. An exhaust manifold built into the head of the block helps the engine reach operating temperature faster.

Separate circuits of the cooling system of the cylinder block and the block head work in such a way as to direct the maximum thermal energy immediately after the start to the cylinder block, which warms up less willingly.

Sergey Apresov, editor-in-chief

It's not often that you get the chance to ride in a car that is definitely destined to go down in automotive history. And it’s not at all about a three-cylinder diesel engine stuffed with innovation - we got a car with a more familiar 1.6 inline four and a traditional automatic for testing. Behind the wheel of the new 208, everything is unusual, new, different from others. And all this is very pleasant. The French figured out how to make the steering wheel as small as possible without blocking the view dashboard: the instruments were placed above the steering wheel, and the steering wheel was lowered almost to the driver's knees. The lower part of the steering wheel had to be cut off a little, abandoning the traditional round shape. However, this did not affect the quality of control in any way: during high-speed taxiing, the steering wheel seems round. The small steering wheel gives a feeling of surprising ease of control - after all, it takes physical strength to turn. less movement. The car loves to drive and tries in every possible way to please the driver - both with a peppy start (thanks to the good old torque converter), and an honest steering wheel, which is easy only in the parking lot, and in high-speed turns it fills with informative effort. Add to this a feeling of spaciousness (a small steering wheel takes up less space), good sound insulation for a compact class, and, finally, the brightest appearance- and get a car that is very pleasant to own, and which competitors will surely imitate.

Current to help

Getting ready to go compact crossover Peugeot 2008 should get even more efficient engines based on the EB series. The “mild hybrid” technology with the Stop&Start system will come to the aid of the environment. The motors will receive a perfect starter-generator capable of starting the engine without vibrations from a quarter of a turn. When braking, it will store energy in a high-capacity battery, simultaneously facilitating the work of the brakes. When you stop the engine will turn off, and the slightest pressure on the gas will start it again. The Stop&Start system can be switched off at any time with the button.

The 1.2-liter engine will also get a turbocharger and direct injection fuel. The motor, called 1.2 liter e-THP, will be able to develop 110 or 130 hp.

A few years ago, many automakers offered 3-cylinder engines. Such units can be seen as an example of the downsizing that has now taken over the entire automotive industry.

But three cylinders is nothing new. The Japanese have long used similar engines in their small cars (for example, Suzuki and Daihatsu). This design provides a number of advantages: less weight, cheaper production and low fuel consumption. Sounds great, but the reality is somewhat different.

So the fuel consumption does not correspond to the declared one, and more loads significantly affect the durability. Over time, the relatively high vibration and mediocre dynamics begin to annoy. Yes, there are motors that have virtually no problems. For example, Toyota's respected R 3 mechanics.

Toyota 1.0

Toyota 1 liter engine, produced since 2005, one of the best three-cylinder engines recent years. It was originally intended for the baby Aygo, developed in conjunction with the PSA concern. It also went to the platform French: Citroen C1 and Peugeot 107.

The basic design was borrowed from Daihatsu. Toyota engineers upgraded the engine: reduced weight, increased compression ratio, installed a variable valve timing system and a chain-type timing drive. The result exceeded all expectations. Efficient, small and light (made of aluminium), the unit is ideal for a small city car. It later went to the larger second-generation Yaris. There are two versions of the engine on the market, symbolically differing in power - 68 and 69 hp.

It is worth recognizing that you should not expect high dynamics from a liter aspirated engine. Aygo accelerates to 100 km / h in 14.2 seconds, but it reaches urban 60-70 km / h quite quickly. Fuel consumption with a calm driving style lies in the range of 5-5.5 l / 100 km. In the case of the large Yaris, things are not so rosy. The first hundred can be reached only after 16 seconds. Don't count on economy either.

But more importantly, the engine is relatively reliable. At regular maintenance and reasonable loads serious problems does not occur, and minor failures do not require high costs for elimination.

Volkswagen 1.2HTP

Debuted in 2001, the 3-cylinder German engine received a lot positive feedback. The engine is designed from scratch, made of light alloy, equipped with a chain-type timing drive and a balance shaft. The power unit was offered with 2 (54 and 60 hp) or 4 valves per cylinder (60, 64, 70 and 75 hp). He had to tempt with low fuel consumption, good dynamics and good durability. Unfortunately, things turned out differently in reality.

Firstly, even with quiet driving, the average fuel consumption was about 7 liters, while the promised almost 6 liters. Secondly, the dynamics of the 6-valve versions, to put it mildly, left much to be desired. Yes, the more powerful 12-valve versions are slightly faster. But 14.9 seconds to "hundreds" on the Fabia II with 1.2 HTP is a "very average" result.

Thirdly, the reliability of motors assembled before 2006 was at a very low level. Ignition coils, chain and burnt valves brought notoriety. After refinement, the chain and block head became stronger.

The R3 1.2 HTP engine was installed in the "B segment" cars of the Volkswagen group: Skoda Fabia, Seat Ibiza and VW Polo.

Opel 1.0

This is the first three-cylinder that appeared in small German cars. He made his debut in 1997 under the hood of the Opel Corsa B. The engine was designated X10XE. Unfortunately, vibrations, low power (54 hp) and weak dynamics did not allow us to collect flattering reviews. We also had to deal with quality issues. The most serious drawback was the timing chain, which quickly stretched and sometimes broke. In addition, oil leaks were observed, and electronics failed.

The first upgrade was carried out in 2000. The result is increased performance (58 hp) and durability. Updated engine received the Z10XE marking. But the situation changed dramatically only in 2003 after the release of the 60-horsepower version of X10XEP (Twinport). According to mechanics, the quality has improved significantly, and the number of problems has significantly decreased. The dynamics have also improved. The average fuel consumption was about 5.5 l/100 km. In 2010, a 65-horsepower version of the engine appeared, and later - a 75-horsepower version.

The 1-litre Opel engine was used in the Agila and Corsa.

Volkswagen 1.2 TDI PD and1.4 TDI PD

Both are small diesel units with pump nozzles appeared in 1999. The youngest disappeared from the list of proposals after a few years, while 1.4 was produced until 2010. The 1.4-liter unit can be found in the VW Group models: Audi A2, VW Lupo, Polo, Seat Ibiza/Cordoba and Skoda Fabia.

Causes doubts and durability. Problems appear after 150-180 thousand km. Most often, the turbocharger and the high pressure fuel pump fail, and at times the electronics fail. But the most serious drawback is a critical increase in the axial clearance of the crankshaft. Dismantling and grinding are little justified due to imbalance.

Smart 0.6-1.1

The 0.6-liter R3 Smart debuted in 1998. The engine was offered in two power options: 45 and 55 hp. A year later, a diesel R3 appeared - 0.8 CDI 41 hp, and later - a gasoline R3 with a volume of 0.7 liters. Unfortunately, it soon became clear that the unit requires overhaul after a relatively short run.

The 1.1-liter gasoline engine deserves higher marks, which since 2004 has been used in Smart Forfour and Mitsubishi Colts. Later, the assortment was replenished with a 3-cylinder diesel engine with a volume of 1.5 liters. It is worth noting that diesel engines more expensive to maintain and repair.

Conclusion

Don't fool yourself. Three-cylinder engines are designed not only to burn less fuel (although in reality this is not always possible), but above all to reduce production costs. Such power units are really cheaper to manufacture. Remember that R3 engines are not long-lived, and a mileage of about 200-250 thousand km leaves a serious imprint on the technical condition.