The Auto Writer

GM's main engine choices for the 2010 Buick LaCrosse include a pair of six cylinder motors. But, they'll also begin to offer an ECOTEC 2.4L I4 DI engine, producing just 182 horsepower and 172 lb.-ft of torque. Will Buick buyers opt for the I4?

This past Monday when General Motors (GM) announced the release of the 2010 Buick LaCrosse, they also noted that the sedan would begin to offer a four cylinder engine as an option later this fall. That move, which comes on the heels of the 3.0L and 3.6L V6s powering the LaCrosse probably surprised a number of analysts given the size of the Buick. With the LaCrosse weighing two tons, the ECOTEC 2.4L I4 will have its work cut out for it, producing just 182 horsepower to move the sedan. I can see that this won’t be a popular option embraced by too many LaCrosse buyers.

But hold on there one moment!

It turns out that the 2.4L ECOTEC I4 will be of the “direct injection” variety which will allow the four banger to produce more power while limiting the amount of emissions spewed into the air. If this sounds familiar, it isn’t too far removed from Ford’s EcoBoost technology which does the same thing, but with one important advantage for the Blue Oval: the inclusion of twin turbochargers with direct injection allows the Ford engines to produce more bang for their size.

How Direct Injection Works

I’m not saying that the ECOTEC engine planned for the Buick LaCrosse will be sufficient enough to move the sedan with authority, but it may end up being an improvement over older engine design themes. Direct injection sprays fuel directly into the combustion chamber which cools the intake charge thereby allowing an increase in the compression ratio in the engine’s design. The result is a much more efficiently running engine that uses less fuel and emits cleaner emissions.

The six cylinder engines powering the LaCrosse are expected to deliver 17 mpg city and 27 mpg highway and be paired with six-speed automatic transmissions. The smaller I4 is expected to get 20 mpg around town and 30 mpg on the highway and also be paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. Clearly, GM is looking to squeeze fuel economy savings out of the LaCrosse, but will they be able do that with most customers? Not if they regularly carry four to five people in the sedan.

Small Engines = Not Enough Power?

You see, too many Americans remember a time a generation ago where Detroit placed smaller, underpowered engines in cars in order to meet toughened Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards. True, the technology today is much different, but if customers are worried that they won’t be able to get out of the way of ongoing traffic in a hurry, then the four banger won’t sell.

For GM, this will become an important marketing problem that they’ll have to win in order to ensure the I-4′s success. With perceptions being one thing and reality possibly something different, the burden is on GM to prove to customers otherwise.

Source: GM Corp.

See Also – New Tranny Propels Malibu Past Accord, Camry