Volkswagen announced a new four-cylinder TSI engine, which is the first of its kind in the world fitted with a cylinder shut-off system. This 1.4 liter unit goes into mass production in 2012.

The system shuts off two of the four cylinders under low to medium loads, and reduces fuel consumption of the 1.4-litre TSI by 0.4 litre per 100 km in the NEDC driving cycle. When Start/Stop functionality is integrated, which deactivates the engine in neutral gear, the savings effect adds up to about 0.6 litre per 100 km. As result this engine fulfills the future EU6 emissions standard.

This really is eco driving at its best!

Cylinder shut-off is active whenever the engine speed of the 1.4-litre TSI is between 1,400 and 4,000 rpm and its torque is between 25 and 75 Nm.  This applies to nearly 70 per cent of the driving distance in the EU fuel economy driving cycle.  As soon as the driver presses the accelerator pedal sufficiently hard, cylinders 2 and 3 are reactivated imperceptibly.  The system takes its information from the accelerator pedal sensor to detect the mode of driving.  If the driving exhibits a non-uniform pattern – for example, while driving in roundabout traffic or in a sporty style on a country road – shut-off functionality is automatically suppressed.