Downsizing Trend Genuine, Execs Say

Global oems expect Americans will continue purchasing smaller vehicles, as well as smaller engines, in response to volatile fuel prices. But some executives, such as Minoru Shinohara from Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., need convincing the downsizing trend is real.

During a Powertrain Solutions panel discussion, Shinohara, senior vice president-powertrain, quizzed his colleagues from General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. as to whether U.S. consumers will accept a turbocharged 4-cyl. in place of a less fuel-efficient V-6.

Dan Kapp, Ford's director-powertrain research and advanced engineering, says “People's paradigm for performance has been how many cylinders the engine has, the displacement, the horsepower. We're going to have to challenge that perception in our approach to the market. People are much more open to that.”

Kapp admits within Ford there was doubt about consumer acceptance of its 3.5L EcoBoost turbocharged V-6 in place of a V-8. “The best way we've overcome that is to put people in the vehicle and drive the technology side by side,” Kapp says. “When the boosted V-6 is running past the V-8, you quickly get past that issue.”

The first Ford vehicle receiving the high-output direct-injection V-6 will be the Lincoln MKS flagship sedan this summer.

Uwe Grebe, executive director-advanced engineering at GM Powertrain, says diesel's acceptance in Europe shows how eager buyers are to embrace smaller engines, if they are fun to drive.

“Diesel engines are very important,” he says. “They are the role model for efficient combustion.”

By improving combustion and exhaust-gas recirculation technology, Grebe says the industry can achieve efficiency gains of up to 10% over today's diesels.

Nissan's Shinohara discusses plans to roll out electric vehicles next year. He says the auto maker is experimenting with an “Eco Pedal” to provide haptic feedback in the accelerator to train motorists to drive for maximum fuel efficiency.

But technologies unrelated to the powertrain can promote better fuel consumption, he says, referring to CarWings, a navigation system Nissan launched two years ago in Japan to route people to their destination more effectively. In Japan, the service has led to an 18% improvement in fuel consumption.