Skoda debuts three-cylinder 1.0-litre TSI motor

Skoda today rolled out the 13 millionth motor from its Mladá Boleslav facility in the Czech Republic. This facility that presently manufactures 2,300 units per day has been running for 118 years. The company commemorated this occasion by launching a new three-cylinder 1.0-litre TSI motor under the EA 211 range.

Skoda's EA 211 engine range originated in the 2012 with the launch of the 1.2TSI and the 1.4TSI petrol motors. This was followed by the addition of the naturally aspirated petrol 1.6 MPI and 1.0 MPI motors in 2014. The Skoda cars that make use of the EA 211 range internationally include the Fabia, Rapid, Yeti and the Octavia.

However, the new three-cylinder 1.0-litre turbocharged motor is already offered on the Audi A3 sold in the international market. We believe both these motors are identical in nature as both of them have a four-valve unit with an aluminium engine block. The one in the international-spec Audi A3 makes 115PS and 200Nm. Skoda hasn't released the technical specifications of its new motor but we expect it to be similar to the Audi's with a different state of tune.

The company states, "the new 1.0 TSI once again extends the range of the engine family. The modern three-cylinder has weight-optimized, forged connecting rods and aluminium pistons. It does not require a balance shaft and features exemplary running smoothness. Compared to comparatively powerful four-cylinder engines, it is more compact, lighter and generates less friction, and thus operates much more efficiently"

Will the new three cylinder 1.0-litre motor make it into the Skoda India line-up? Not in the near future is our guess. The two big launches that are scheduled to happen this year are the Skoda Octavia vRS followed by the Kodiaq which debuts Skoda in the premium SUV range. However, the 1.0-litre motor making it to our shores cannot be ruled out completely as the Bharat Standard-VI emission norms is expected to come into existence somewhere in 2018. Automobile manufacturers in India have already started gearing up for the new norms that can be seen with the some of the players downsizing their engines

The other reason for having a bringing in a smaller engine is that it is believed that the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards will be adapted in India soon. According to the CAFE standards, tax rebates are given to manufacturers whose portfolio has fuel efficient offerings. And for the same, their entire portfolio will be considered. The result of which can already be seen with various car manufacturers going the electric, hybrid and turbocharging way.