Tritec engine

The Tritec engine (also known as Pentagon) is a four-cylinder petrol engine that was manufactured between 1999 and 2007 by Tritec Motors in Brazil and was used in various cars including Chrysler and Mini models.

Tritec Motors Ltda

In 1997, Chrysler Corporation and Rover Group (then a subsidiary of BMW) formed a joint venture called Tritec Motors to design a new small straight-4 engine. The new company built a factory in Campo Largo of Curitiba, Brazil specifically to manufacture the new engine. The Tritec name stands for the union of the three countries involved: Germany, the United Kingdom, and Brazil.

When BMW broke up the remains of Rover Group in 2000, BMW kept the stake in Tritec Motors as the engine was in use in the Mini range which BMW had retained. In 2007 BMW sold its 50% stake to DaimlerChrysler and cancelled its contract for the Tritec engine.^[1] BMW entered into a new joint venture with PSA Peugeot Citroen to develop the Prince engine which is used in the second generation Mini cars.^[2]

The factory had a capacity of 400,000 engines a year,^[3] and in 2006 production was around 200,000 engines. Production ceased in June 2007 following the ending of the joint venture.^[4]

In March 2008 Fiat Powertrain Technologies bought the plant and licenses to produce Tritec engines at a cost of €83 million,^[5] and in 2010 subsequently launched its own E.torQ engine.

Engine details

It is a modern engine with an SOHC 16-valve head, electronic throttle control, and meets Euro VI emissions requirements. There are three versions of the engine, 1.4 L, 1.6 L, and supercharged 1.6 L.

BMW complained about the performance of the engine. According to Ward's Auto, Erich Sonntag of BMW described the Tritec engine as old fashioned and not very effective on function, performance and fuel efficiency.^[6]

1.4(T14a)

The 1.4 L (1397 cc) version uses a 77 mm (3.0 in) bore and 75 mm (3.0 in) stroke. Like all Tritecs, it is an SOHC 16-valve cast iron engine with an aluminium cylinder head and multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection. Output is rated at 55 kW (75 PS; 74 hp) and 122 N·m (90 lb·ft).

Applications:

• Mini One (Portugal, Greece) (until 2008)

1.6(T16b3)

The 1.6 L (1598 cc) version uses the same 77 mm (3.0 in) bore with a longer 85.8 mm (3.38 in) stroke. Output is rated at 66 kW (90 PS; 89 hp) and 140 N·m (100 lb·ft) in the Mini One, and 85 kW (116 PS; 114 hp) and 149 N·m (110 lb·ft) in the Mini Cooper.

Applications:

• Chery A11 (Windcloud)
• Chery A15 (Flagcloud)
• Chrysler Neon (in non-US markets)
• Chrysler PT Cruiser (in non-US markets)
• Lifan 620
• Lifan 520
• Mini Hatch and Convertible (until 2008).

1.6 SC(T16b4)

The 1.6 SC uses a Roots-type Eaton M45 supercharger with intercooler. The compression ratio is reduced from 10.5:1 to 8.3:1. Output was initially rated at 120 kW (160 PS; 160 hp) and 210 N·m (150 lb·ft) and increased to 125 kW (170 PS; 168 hp) and 220 N·m (160 lb·ft). The 1.6 SC won the "1.4 L to 1.8 L" category at the International Engine of the Year awards for 2003. It also won Ward's 10 Best Engines award for 2003.

Applications:

• Mini Hatch Cooper S

References