Bits & pieces

General Motors and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) are to co-develop a ‘family’ of small four-cylinder petrol engines. These will range between 1- and 1-5litres in capacity, and feature direct injection and turbocharging; fuel consumption is said to be down 20% compared to current equivalents. Also on the drawing board is a dual-clutch transmission to go with small engines, said to be 10% more fuel-efficient than the current GM six-speed auto. The development work will take place at GM’s powertrain centre in Pontiac, Michigan, and the GM-SAIC Pan Asia Technical Centre in Shanghai.  The engines and the DCT will be sold in products globally.

• The US Department of Energy is funding research into gasoline alternatives through its new Advanced Projects Rsearch Agency. There’s a run-down at the New York Times of some of the programmes it’s backing, including work on nanotube energy storage, magnesium batteries and cellulose breakdown.

• Hyundai is to update its i10 city car, and there’s to be a new 1.0-litre model emitting just 99g/km of carbon dioxide. It’ll be the cheapest sub-100g/km car on sale in the UK, reports Autocar. The 1.1 engine will be  dropped, and the 1.2 will get more power but offer improved fuel economy and lower emissions;  all versions will meet the Euro 5 legislation.  The facelifted range will be launched at the Paris Motor Show next month.

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