Kappa Engine

A Tiny, Economical Engine From Hyundai

Hyundai has developed a new engine, the Kappa, a tiny 1.2L I4 powerplant that has been placed in its i10 model, a car being exclusively built in Chennai, India.

According to Hyundai sources, the aluminum block engine, a first in its segment Double Overhead Cam Shaft (DOHC), 16 valve with 32 bit microprocessor Kappa engine delivers a class leading 80PS/5200rpm and 11.4Kgm/4000rpm torque which results in superior driveability around town as well as on the open roads. The engine is Euro 5 ready, emitting just 119g/km of CO2 which is the lowest for this class of cars.

The i10 launched in October 2007 and is currently being sold in India only. However, as many as 50,000 units are expected to be shipped to Europe now that the Euro approved Kappa engine has been installed. The i10 has a Euro mpg rating of 47, an excellent figure for a subcompact car. Customers can choice either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic transmission for their i10.

Coinciding with the launch of the new Kappa engine, Hyundai has introduced its new engine and transmission plant located at Sriperumbudur which will produce the Kappa engine. Hyundai invested more than $250 million in the facility, which has a capacity of producing 250,000 units annually.

At present, neither the i10 nor the Kappa engine is expected to be sold in the North American market, but that may change as Hyundai reviews its future model plans.

(Source: Hyundai Motors Worldwide)