The Toyota Verso compact MPV is set to be the first Toyota to be equipped with a BMW-sourced engine – the 1.6 D-4D variant that will be launched in Europe early next year will be powered by an oil burner from Munich.
The diesel engine supply venture is part of a larger collaboration between the two automakers – joint research on lithium-air batteries as well as the co-development of a sports car and a fuel cell system are also scoped within the partnership.
The arrival of the 1.6 litre diesel will bring the powertrain choices for the ZGR20 in Europe to four – the unit, which has 111 bhp at 4,000 rpm joins an existing 2.0 litre unit, the 122 bhp Toyota 1AD-FTV, as oil burner choices.
Integration was handled by the R&D team at Toyota’s European technical centre in Belgium, and involved the development of a number of new components, including engine mounts, a dual-mass flywheel, a new gearbox housing/gearing and a stop/start system to further improve efficiency and reduce emissions. Production of the Verso 1.6 D-4D kicks off in January 2014 at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Turkey’s Adapazari plant.—Paul Duchene
