Koenigsegg and Qoros’ 230 HP Camless Engine Debuts At Guangzhou

A few months ago, Koenigsegg’s FreeValve announced the development of a camless engine together with Qoros Auto. Now, the technology has made its debut at the 2016 Guangzhou Motor Show.

Using the company’s Pneumatic-Hydraulic-Electric-Actuator, instead of the traditional camshaft-based method, the unit is the world’s first FreeValve engine intended for mass production.

According to Koenigsegg, the 1.6-litre turbocharged engine will develop 230 hp and 320 Nm of torque, offering a 47% increase in power, a 45% increase in torque, and a 15% percent increase in fuel savings compared to a similar traditional engine. Moreover, the unit is 20 kilograms lighter, more compact, and (presumably) cheaper to manufacture, as it misses a throttle body, a camshaft, the timing gear, pre-catalytic converter systems, direct injection systems and so on.

“FreeValve technology has taken many years of testing and refinement but the results are extremely satisfying. This production-intent engine offers Qoros significant savings in emissions, cost, and weight. It also offers groundbreaking benefits to vehicle owners in terms of a near 50% increase in both power and torque, while actually reducing fuel consumption“, said Urban Carlson, CEO of FreeValve AB.

The engine was showcased on a Qoros 3 hatchback, as the Chinese car maker will use a fleet of test engines to further develop the technology.