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General Motors adds a larger displacement more powerful variant to its global 4-cylinder engine family. The new Ecotec 2.4L VVT, being introduced in the 2006 Pontiac Solstice is the latest variant within the Ecotec engine family. This new engine is built on the heritage and excellent reputation of the Ecotec 2.2L(1), the global 4-cylinder engine introduced for the North American market in the 2000 model year Saturn L-series. Ecotec engines are now offered in many additional GM platforms in North America as well as in Europe. The Ecotec 2.4L VVT shares many parts with the Ecotec 2.2L(1), with addition of cam phaser technology to enable variable valve timing (VVT) along with several structural enhancements. The Ecotec 2.4L VVT produces 25% more power, impressive torque at lower engine speeds and offers a number of other advantages.

This paper describes two 1.9L four cylinder engines developed for the new Saturn vehicles introduced in the Fall of 1990. A single overhead cam (SOHC) 2 valve/cylinder single point fuel injected (TBI) design is utilized as a base engine with a dual overhead cam (DOHC) 4 valve/cylinder multi-point fuel injected (MPFI) configuration selected for an optional derivative. Market objectives for the SOHC engine included exceptional driveability achieved by high torque at low engine speeds combined with excellent fuel economy. Objectives for the DOHC engine included excellent driveability characterized by high torque at low engine speeds as well as good high speed power and good overall fuel economy. Both engines were developed in conjunction with specific automatic and manual transmissions to achieve fully optimized powertrains. One of the strategic technologies selected was the lost foam casting process.