Volkswagen Engine Downsizing To Come To An End

As covered by The Motor Report back on 16 October, tightening global exhaust emissions are bringing to a halt the trend of decreasing engine sizes.

With an eye on Europe’s 2019 real world driving emissions tests (RDE) - part of the Worldwide Harmonized Light-duty Vehicles Testing Procedure ( WLTP) - Volkswagen chairman Herbert Dies has told a meeting of European media: “The trend of downsizing is over – emissions tend to go up as engines get smaller.”

This is a significant development from the company which launched its Up! compact car with a three-cylinder engine and currently offers the Polo hatchback for sale in Australia powered by a 1.2-litre four-cylinder engine. And of course Volkswagen is currently embroiled in the so-called ‘dieselgate’ scandal which centres on differences between exhaust emissions as measured in real world driving versus testing procedures.

Volkswagen says while that 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine will continue in the Up! (withdrawn from sale in Australia) and some international Polo models, no smaller petrol engines are under development and the current 1.6-litre diesel will be as small as that engine family will go.

Emissions