Dongfeng Motor ignites first own-brand engine

Shanghai, November 27 (Gasgoo.com) China's third largest automaker Dongfeng Motor Group Co., Ltd has recently succeeded in igniting its first own-brand 1.6L engine in the Dongfeng technical center based in Xiangfan, which marks Dongfeng Motor's capability to design the gasoline engine for passenger vehicles, said Beijing Times today.

Dongfeng technical center started to develop engines in 2005, and the own-brand 1.6L engine project was kicked off last year. The whole R&D process has included project planning, blueprint design, engineering design and trial manufacturing. The successful igniting of this engine marks Dongfeng Motor's capability to design the gasoline engine for passenger vehicles.

The 1.6L own-brand engine developed by Dongfeng Motor has applied the all-aluminum cylinder block and cylinder head intake variable-phase technologies. It generates great power but consumes less fuel, with low noise and slight shaking.

Dongfeng Auto Co., a light truck producer under Dongfeng Motor Corp, formed a light engine company earlier this month. The new company will start to produce light diesel engines next year.

Dongfeng Motor has a 50:50 joint venture with U.S. engine giant Cummins -- Dongfeng Cummins Engine Co., Ltd., which had produced one million engines by March 2007.