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BMW 1 Series with B38 three-cylinder engine

Matt Davis — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Hatchback, BMW, First Drives

Downsizing For BMW's Front-Wheel-Drive And i Futures

Output is quoted at 175 horsepower and BMW says it will hit 62 mph in 7.0 seconds.

The red five-door BMW 1 Series seen in this photo gallery has little to do with what is actually of importance here. What we've just tested at an airfield not far from Munich, Germany, is a new 1.5-liter TwinPower Turbo inline three-cylinder gas engine that we'll be hearing an awful lot about in the coming few years.

This engine, codenamed B38, made its public debut in the well-received Concept Active Tourer at the 2012 Paris Motor Show, alongside other BMW innovations that were tucked into the CAT. Besides this new Efficient Dynamics engine clan of three-, four-, and six-cylinder units thus launched, the CAT uses a front-wheel-drive chassis, and is a plug-in hybrid electric. That's a lot of fresh tech in a small space. And, oh yes, the CAT is an MPV.

But let's focus on driving this B38 amongst the well-laid-out cones. There will no doubt be a few three-cylinder capacities eventually created - a 1.2-liter is in the works as well - but it is this 1.5-liter that will be most involved in the BMW Group's small capacity revolution. On this roughly 3,000-pound 1 Series prototype, the initial output of this single twin-scroll turbo-fed triple is quoted at 175 horsepower at 5,000 rpm, plus 200 pound-feet of torque starting at 1,500 rpm. The BMW experts on hand say the prototype can hit 62 miles per hour (100 kmh) in 7.0 seconds.

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BMW 1 Series with B38 three-cylinder engine originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Jan 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mitsubishi Mirage will launch in US with three-cylinder engine [w/video]

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 10:02:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Budget, Videos, Hatchback, Mitsubishi

We have a date with Mitsubishi Mirage (again). The Japanese subcompact is slated to arrive on our shores in September 2013, and it's one of the product offerings meant to help Mitsubishi's US arm raise sales in its next financial year from 55,000 to 80,000. If next year were 1989, we'd say there's no reason that couldn't happen, but from what we've seen, the Mirage is so magnificently meek (have you seen the interior?) that we aren't sure how it will manage that kind of US sales aggression in the 21st century.

Continuing that theme, Car and Driver reports that the Mitsu will launch here with a 1.2-liter, three-cylinder engine. Make no mistake, this is a very popular engine in the Mirage and responsible for its excellent fuel economy. The hatch is doing so well in other markets with its two naturally aspirated tri-cylinders that the Thailand facility that builds the Mirage will have its capacity increased by 33 percent to try and meet demand. In European spec, the 845-kilogram (1,859 pounds) subcompact with the more powerful engine offering 79 horsepower and 78 pound-feet of torque gets 57.3 miles per US gallon and takes 11.7 seconds to get from zero to 62 miles per hour. The question is whether Mitsubishi will boost the output of that engine for our market. If not, only the 70-hp Smart ForTwo will have less horsepower - but the Mirage, interestingly enough, weighs about the same as the microcar.

On its UK site, Mitsubishi said the reveal of the Mirage in back 2011 meant "redefining the standards by which to judge a compact passenger car." We can't wait to find out if that's still true and what that means when it gets here. To prepare yourself, there's video of the Mirage in action below.

Continue reading Mitsubishi Mirage will launch in US with three-cylinder engine [w/video]

Mitsubishi Mirage will launch in US with three-cylinder engine [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Dec 2012 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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i on the prize? Mitsubishi's unique new city car tested

Chris Paukert — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 13:02:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Japan, Hatchback, Mitsubishi

AutoWeek spent a few days with the Mitsubishi i, the company's new microcar, in its native environ of Tokyo, Japan. While acknowledging some problems (seats designed for smaller frames, some ride discipline issues), the magazine came away impressed with its diminutive packaging, nippy handling, and amount of standard equipment.

AW indicates that Mitsubishi has brought over a pair of testers Stateside to see how the urban runabout fairs on North American roads.

Does this presage a move by Mitsubishi to sell the i in the U.S.? Given the company's precarious financial situation and ailing reputation, Autoblog's take is that this is highly unlikely. That said, we can certainly see a market for a vehicle like this in crowded city centers. With rising gas prices and the increasing hip-quotient of small cars in the U.S, thanks to vehicles like the MINI Cooper and Scion xB, a distinctive and thrifty motoring experience might just sell Americans.

[Source: AutoWeek]

i on the prize? Mitsubishi's unique new city car tested originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 11 Jun 2006 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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