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For Release: April 1, 2004, 12:01 a.m. EST Ecotec Engine Lineup for the 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt GM Delivers High-Performance for Chevrolet's New Premium Small Car DETROIT - The all-new 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt relies exclusively on Ecotec power from GM. Standing out as one of GM's most prolific families of engines, the Ecotec powers every Cobalt from the base to the Cobalt SS Supercharged model. GM’s Ecotec four-cylinder engine family - GM’s first truly “global” engine design - was launched in 2000. For the 2005 model year, a new, larger-displacement 2.4-liter variant with variable valve timing (VVT) joins the original 2.2-liter and recently introduced 2.0-liter supercharged engines.
Ecotec 2.0L SC: Reliable supercharged performance. To attain the durability targets GM engineers require of every GM engine, the Ecotec 2.0L SC received upgraded components in critical stress areas. Experience in the National Hot Rod Association’s Championship Drag Racing series told engineers where the Ecotec would most benefit from heavy-duty components. Modified Ecotec engines routinely produce more than 1,000 horsepower in drag racing trim. Additionally, the supercharged Ecotec 2.0L borrows knowledge gleaned by Saab engineers when they adapted the Ecotec to the demands required by high-output turbocharged engines. A turbocharged variation of the Ecotec 2.0L in a Saturn ION coupe raced into the record book at the Bonneville Salt Flats on Oct. 17, 2003, establishing a new mark in the G/Blown Fuel Altered class at 212.684 mph. At the heart of the Ecotec 2.0L SC is an Eaton M62 helical roots-type supercharger. “Engineers selected the Eaton unit because of its optimum response characteristics and ease of ‘packaging’ with the Ecotec architecture,” according to Grant Brady, design system engineer. Maximum supercharger boost pressure is 12 pounds per square inch (psi), and the system includes an air-to-water intercooler that cools the incoming air charge to increase intake-charge density, which in turn enhances power and reduces the engine’s propensity to “knock” at high boost levels. The Ecotec 2.0L SC is fitted with numerous upgraded components to assure reliability and superior performance:
The 2.0L SC engine is built exclusively at the Fiat-GM Powertrain (FGP) engine-manufacturing facility in Kaiserslautern, Germany. This plant uses a lost foam production technique that yields a block that is well suited for high-stress applications including turbocharging and supercharging. Variations of this block are also found in various Saab and Opel models. Compared to the original 2.2-liter Ecotec, the 2.0L SC features the same cylinder bore with a shorter stroke (94.6 mm vs. 86.0 mm). The shorter stroke helps the engine rev quickly and deliver lively throttle response. All-new Ecotec 2.4L VVT: Torque-rich driving experience The new variable valve timing system uses electronically controlled hydraulic camshaft phasers to alter the relationship of the intake and exhaust camshafts as much as 50 degrees relative to the crankshaft. The ability to adjust the timing and the duration of intake and exhaust valve opening and closing expands the operating range where the engine makes its power. This system adds little weight or assembly complexity to the basic Ecotec DOHC architecture because the Ecotec family was designed from the beginning to easily accept such technologies. Torque is the engine characteristic that benefits most drivers in most driving situations by providing the power to accelerate a vehicle quickly. The Ecotec 2.4L VVT’s expected 170 lb.-ft. of torque surpasses many other normally aspirated, four-cylinder engines of similar displacement that are offered in the United States (based on Ward’s 2003 model-year market data). But the Ecotec 2.4L VVT story isn’t just about churning out class-leading torque. Numerous component and design upgrades ensure the newest member of the Ecotec family backs up its reputation for unsurpassed durability, efficiency and cost of ownership with a host of technically advanced features:
Along with significant technologies, the new Ecotec 2.4L VVT enjoys numerous upgrades to the robust basic Ecotec engine architecture. Leveraging several heavy-duty components and systems borrowed from the high-performance Ecotec 2.0L SC engine program, engineers also added unique components to the new Ecotec 2.4L VVT:
For the new 2.4L VVT, both cylinder bore and stroke are increased in comparison to the original Ecotec 2.2L. The new engine’s bore is 88 mm and stroke is 98 mm, versus the 2.2-liter’s 86mm bore and 94.6mm stroke. These increases, multiplied by four cylinders, yield a total displacement of 2,384 cubic centimeters versus the original 2.2-liter’s 2,189 cubic centimeters. Ecotec 2.2L: The original is better than ever “In the global engine family, we look at various engine components to evaluate which are the right ‘fit’ for any given engine application,” said Subhedar. “Commonality is a vital part of the Ecotec program - it’s like an interlocking puzzle. We try to choose the best combination of components from the myriad of available technologies.” In keeping with this thinking, Ecotec iterations appear in a range of displacements and include naturally aspirated, turbocharged, and supercharged variants. Although each Ecotec engine has distinct hardware differences and performance characteristics, all share the Ecotec 2.2L solid basic architecture and all-aluminum construction:
The Ecotec 2.2L is built in Tonawanda, N.Y., Spring Hill, Tenn., and Kaiserslautern, Germany. GM Powertrain is a global producer of engines, transmissions, castings and components for GM vehicles and other automotive, marine, and industrial OEMs. Headquartered in Pontiac, Mich., GM Powertrain has coordinating responsibility for General Motors powertrain manufacturing plants and engineering centers in North America, South America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world’s largest vehicle manufacturer, employs about 325,000 people globally. Founded in 1908, GM has been the global automotive sales leader since 1931. GM today has manufacturing operations in 32 countries and its vehicles are sold in 192 countries. In 2003, GM sold nearly 8.6 million cars and trucks, about 15 percent of the global vehicle market. GM’s global headquarters are at the GM Renaissance Center in Detroit. More information on GM and its products can be found on the company’s corporate website at www.gm.com. Contact: David Roman Mike Morrissey
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