Toyota Announces New Dynamic Force Four-Cylinder Engine

Toyota has developed several new components which will be used on vehicles which ride on the TNGA platform that underpins everything from the Prius to the Camry.

Starting under the hood, engineers have developed a new 2.0-liter Dynamic Force four-cylinder engine that features “high-speed combustion technologies and a variable control system.” Toyota declined to mention the engine’s output but said it develops more torque than existing engines and has a world-leading thermal efficiency of 40 percent.

The engine can be mated to an all-new hybrid system which incorporates some of the same features found on the Prius. Toyota was light on specifics but said the system offers improved driving performance and superior fuel efficiency. The company also revealed the hybrid system reduces engine rotations while accelerating and this draws “increased electric power from the battery, thereby delivering a linear and lengthened sense of acceleration.”

Toyota is also doubling down on all-wheel drive as the company has developed two new systems. The Dynamic Torque Vectoring all-wheel drive system will be used in petrol-powered models and it can independently distribute torque to the left and right rear wheels. The company says the system enables drivers to “steer the vehicle exactly as intended” and offers “high off-road performance even on the toughest roads.”

The second all-wheel drive system is known as “E-Four” and it will be used on hybrid models. The company claims the system delivers 30 percent more torque to the electrically driven rear-wheel than its current all-wheel drive system. It also has a new control system that optimally distributes torque to the rear wheels based on driving conditions.

Another new addition is the Direct Shift-CVT which features the world’s first launch gear. The gear helps to improve acceleration as well as “significantly improve transmission efficiency at low speeds.”

Lastly, Toyota has developed a new six-speed manual transmission which is primarily aimed at European customers. The company says the gearbox is one of the smallest in the world and weighs 7 kg (15 lbs) less than its predecessor.

The new components will start showing up in vehicles this spring and Toyota aims to have TNGA-based powertrain units in approximately 80 percent of Toyota and Lexus vehicles sold in major markets by the end of 2023.

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