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After SAIC GM popularized the use of two 1.0T/1.3T three-cylinder engines in its models, the market reputation and overall sales have suffered a heavy setback. Facts have proved that no matter how good the technical strength and promotion are, it is difficult to make up for the gap between three-cylinder and four-cylinder engines in consumer perception. SAIC General Motors Co., Ltd. sold 1.6 million vehicles (Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac) in 2019, down 18.8 percent from a year earlier, according to the data.

At present, Buick Yinglang and Chevrolet Kruze are the main models in SAIC GM compact cars, and only 1.0T/1.3T three-cylinder engines are in use in power configuration. In order to allay consumers' concerns, SAIC GM has launched an original factory quality assurance plan for eight years or 160000 kilometers of major components such as engines and gearboxes, but at the sales level, it still needs a substantial price reduction at the terminal level. Now, SAIC GM has decided to return to the era of four-cylinder engines.

From the latest new car declaration information of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, SAIC General Buick Yinglong and Chevrolet Kruze added new models with L2B 1.5L in-line four-cylinder engines, changing the embarrassing situation that only three-cylinder cars are available. It is expected that SAIC GM's 1.5L four-cylinder naturally aspirated engine, which meets the national 6B emission standard, will be further applied to more of its models.

In order to meet the fuel consumption and emission requirements, SAIC GM fully replaced the 1.0T/1.3T three-cylinder powertrain at the compact level on the replacement models, thus canceling the models with in-line four-cylinder engines, which directly led to the difficulty of promoting the new car market, and consumers' resistance to the three-cylinder models hindered brand sales. Among them, Buick Yinglang has the greatest impact, competing models of the same class all use four-cylinder engines, while after the launch of three-cylinder Yinglang, it has fallen directly out of the top 10 from the top three of the car list. at present, sales in the terminal market are still maintained with substantial discounts.

Manufacturers reconsider the launch of four-cylinder engine models to further increase the choice of consumers, but also to cope with market competition. According to the application information, the new Buick Yinglong and Chevrolet Kruze models have not changed in appearance and interior, but only the powertrain has been replaced.

The two new models are equipped with L2B 1.5L in-line four-cylinder naturally aspirated engine, which is also the model carried by the 1.5L model before Yinglong mid-term revamping. In the new model, the 1.5L engine has a maximum power of 113 horsepower (83 kilowatts), meeting the national six emissions, but one horsepower lower than the old Yinglang 1.5L during the five-year period. The transmission system has not been announced, with reference to the old Yinglong, the new model may match a 5-speed manual or 6-speed manual gearbox.

Shi Hong, deputy general manager of SAIC GM, said in an interview with the media earlier that it would not rule out the possibility of carrying three-cylinder engines on larger models. SAIC GM will still adhere to the three-cylinder engine strategy in response to fuel consumption requirements.

It can be expected that SAIC GM's strategy of adhering to the three-cylinder powertrain will not change, while picking up the old four-cylinder naturally aspirated engine is more likely to meet the purchase needs of some consumers, but also to cope with market competition.

The tide of three-cylinder engine is the trend! Under the stringent standards of fuel consumption and emission regulations, many manufacturers have promoted the use of three-cylinder engines, including Toyota, which will launch a 1.5L naturally aspirated three-cylinder engine in 2020 and apply it to its models. FAW Toyota and Guangzhou Automobile Toyota are building new production lines, and officially put into production of 1.5L naturally aspirated three-cylinder engine in the middle of this year. The maximum power of this engine is 87kW, peak torque 146Nm, meets the national six emission standards, and adopts three-cylinder structure, natural intake form, in-cylinder direct injection technology, and the compression ratio rises to 13:1.

When the three-cylinder engines of major manufacturers are widely used, consumers also have to accept the fact of the three-cylinder era.

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