Tata Motors is developing a new petrol engine that will make its debut under the hood of the Harrier SUV. This new unit will be a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine, which will also feature direct-injection technology – a first for a Tata petrol.
Speaking to Autocar India at the sidelines of the Geneva motor show, Rajendra Petkar, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Tata Motors said that the engine is in “early stages of development but will come with competitive power figures”. Gasoline direct injection (GDI) will enable the motor to have a high power output, likely to be between 120hp and 140hp.
According to sources, to develop the new 1.6 GDI motor Tata has used its current 1.2-litre, three-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine as the base but has increased the bore and stroke as well as added another cylinder.
The Tata Harrier petrol will be sold with either a 6-speed manual or a torque converter automatic gearbox. The petrol Harrier is expected to make its debut in 2020 after the BS-VI norms kick in. Currently, the Tata Harrier has only one powertrain option – a 2.0-litre diesel engine that churns out 140hp, mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. The company is likely to add a Hyundai-sourced six-speed torque convertor automatic a little later.
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