Proton X50 – 1.5T PFI port-injection three-cylinder turbo engine will be used on future Proton models

Proton X50 – 1.5T PFI port-injection three-cylinder turbo engine will be used on future Proton models

As is already known, two Geely/Volvo-developed powertrains will be available for the Proton X50, both 1.5 litre three-cylinder turbocharged units. The first is a 1.5 TD direct-injection version (designated 1.5L TGDi on the SUV) that will equip the Flagship variant, with 177 PS at 5,500 rpm and 255 Nm from 1,500 to 4,000 rpm for output numbers.

The second is a port-injection derivative known as the 1.5T PFI (or 1.5L T in the X50), which offers 150 PS (or 147 hp) at 5,500 rpm and 226 Nm from 1,500 to 4,000 rpm. This will power the three other X50 variants, namely the Standard, Executive and Premium.

At today’s drive preview of the car, we asked the automaker the reasoning behind the need for two similar 1.5 litre displacement engines. As it turns out, the PFI unit is being introduced on the X50 since it has been earmarked for widespread application across the automaker’s future product range.

Proton X50 – 1.5T PFI port-injection three-cylinder turbo engine will be used on future Proton models

“The move is part and parcel of the big picture in terms of the company’s powertrain strategy. The 1.5 T is basically a derivative of the 1.5 TGDi, and has been developed to accommodate our future programmes. This is the first introduction, and it will feature in future models that the company will produce in Malaysia,” said Hazrin Fazail Haroon, director of group engineering at Proton.

As it goes along, there should be no shortage of recipients for the engine to be paired with. For one, the automaker has stated its plans to introduce two models that will be fully developed by homegrown talents in the course of the next three to five years, and while their identities remain unknown, one of these could be the next Persona.

The current second-gen, introduced in 2016 and facelifted last year, should be due for replacement within that timeframe, and would be a potential model in which the 1.5 T PFI could feature.

GALLERY: Proton X50 drive preview, Sepang International Circuit

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Anthony Lim

Anthony Lim believes that nothing is better than a good smoke and a car with character, with good handling aspects being top of the prize heap. Having spent more than a decade and a half with an English tabloid daily never being able to grasp the meaning of brevity or being succinct, he wags his tail furiously at the idea of waffling - in greater detail - about cars and all their intrinsic peculiarities here.

 

Comments

  • Eat ur heart out ancient dinosar P2 lump!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 21 Thumb down 7
    • No one mentioned P2 here. you are no better than Kunta bro

      OT: i hope to see an acceleration video of a x50 soon

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 4
    • Glorious day for John on Sep 30, 2020 at 11:51 pm

      Things are looking really bad specially for rawang and pagoh metals. The writing on the wall so high as the X50’s RM500 booking orders just passed a remarkable 25,000 mark and more to come once the X50’s debut and price officially announced (not official_to be expected on 15th Oct).

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 2
  • Vader on Sep 30, 2020 at 7:21 pm

    Finally we see this turbo developed with Ricardo.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 6
    • DonkeyKong on Sep 30, 2020 at 10:38 pm

      Totally unrelated to Ricardo engine. That was money down the drain, as was EO1 (ISENG engine).

      This is the one developed initially by Volvo and adopted by Geely as a common engine across their platforms and brands.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 1
  • 1.5 direct injection for flagship? I would rather go for port injection without long term high maintenance cost

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 2
    • The MPI engine actually cheaper to produce than the TGDI. Being a port injection unit, it’s also less susceptible to carbon deposit build-up in the intake valves.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 0
      • autodriver (Member) on Oct 04, 2020 at 10:26 am

        True. It is easy for maintenance where it least carbon deposit on intake valves. GDI engine need maintenance where usually 90k km need to do decorbonize to clean up the intake valve and restore the power. Without cleaning the engine power will be affected and eventually less power than the MPI and higher fuel consumption.

        Beside that, GDI tend to have higher compression rate and causing more vibration. Since the X50 is 3 cylinders the engine vibration is naturally higher, paired with GDI the vibration should be greater than MPI.

        I support for MPI version. The engine output is lower than GDI but it is easy for maintenance such as cleaner engine and engine mounting should be long lasting than GDI version. If power not enough go aftermarket remap will easily gain 20% more power.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Silthice on Sep 30, 2020 at 7:33 pm

    Good to hear that 1.5T PFI will be used for other models as well and I understand due to lower maintenence cost plus long-term ownership but I’m hoping each model will have the flagship variant to be fitted with the 1.5TGDi… So that people that don’t mind the maintenance and cost but want more power can opt for the TGDi variant….

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 0
  • Sure... on Sep 30, 2020 at 7:51 pm

    There you go, spare part availability will be easier to find, interchangeable between models, after market part would also blooms.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 0
  • Not so convinced on 3 cylinders for a car. Sounds like a bike engine which has to work damn hard to carry % people in an SUV. Something has to give. How long can this engine tahan abuse on Malaysian roads in the hands of Malaysian drivers. Can some one do some analysis. There is too much oversell and hype on this.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 17
    • Jonn Dol on Sep 30, 2020 at 8:47 pm

      Engine technology has moved on by leaps & bounds. Modern 3-cylinder turbocharged should provide ample power. Only the engine’s Noise Vibration Harshness management need further check.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 16 Thumb down 0
    • dream_125 on Sep 30, 2020 at 8:55 pm

      Old Hino lorries had normally aspirated 10cyl diesel engines.

      Nowadays, all modern lorries have 6cyl turbo diesels with a much higher output.

      I never heard any forwarding company complaining they want to have back the old 10cyl engines?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 3
    • Optimus on Sep 30, 2020 at 9:51 pm

      From what you said the problem isn’t so much the engine itself but more to M’sian driving attitudes. Fix that, not the engine.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 14 Thumb down 0
    • Aduyai on Oct 01, 2020 at 10:36 am

      Brader, whats the different with a small 4 pot turbo being tasked to carry a 2 ton vehicle?

      Its all down to technology advancement.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • dream_125 on Sep 30, 2020 at 8:21 pm

    It makes sense to use the port-injection engine and not the direct-injetion one.
    The problem with direct-injection engines is the far higher particulate emissions, which require additional exhaust gas treatment devices to fulfill regulations.
    The port-injection engine is cheaper with less parts, but on the other hand a bit more thirsty.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 0
  • Justice on Sep 30, 2020 at 8:28 pm

    haha finally got one donor engine to replace thier inefficient dino age campro 1.3 and 1.6 engines

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 7
  • Not really a big fan of 3 cylinder.. only time will tell after long term ownership of these cars once the wear and tear components start to wear off

    Pushing too much tech in a short time might also pushing the limit of your pocket in the long run..

    P2 dinosaur tech still has its merits

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 3
    • newme on Oct 01, 2020 at 9:21 am

      3 cyl with turbo is ok if it’s developed by companies with good technical know how. But if its from Proton and China (both known for bad in reliability and technical knowledge), it’s a perfect recipe for disaster.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 9
      • Sure... on Oct 01, 2020 at 10:11 am

        Yet you still see many Exora 1.6 Turbo and other Proton moving on the road, or a few ancient Volvos, and lots of china made big trucks almost everywhere on the road.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1
        • newme on Oct 01, 2020 at 5:25 pm

          There are not many Exora on the road to begin with, not to mention Exora turbo. China auto is still not at the level that you want people to believe. Foreign brands are still the preferred choice with VW and Toyota at the top. If it’s not because uneducated people going around vandalizing cars of foreign make whenever there’s a conflict with a particular country, the sales of other foreign brands would be much higher in China.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
      • Bob AI on Oct 01, 2020 at 11:03 am

        Hahah but guess what the bad name in Proton has been for those vehicles tie up with either Japanese or European counterparts.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 2
    • Here's another comment on Oct 01, 2020 at 10:02 am

      Aww crap laa you have to compare this 1.5TGDI with P2 engines. But it was designed to pass 350,000km or 15 years tho, so yeahh let see.

      Huuuge different, P2 engines are made bare bone to the very basic design, only VVT is the cherry on top. Got no power whatsoever, pair that with ancient 4AT and they pretty much nailed reliability. There you go, engine trying hard, but acceleration is lazy sipping fuel trying to pass a big truck on a climbing road.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1
  • proton all the while on Oct 01, 2020 at 9:13 am

    A N/A version for future persona please, timing chain. Improves the engine smaller and simpler like toyota or honda did, not making the engine more complex that consume high fuel and high maintenance cost…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 4
    • Here's another comment on Oct 01, 2020 at 10:28 am

      They wont do that tho, bcos this engine were designed to meet stringent emission standards. It’s already small and lighter with only 3 cylinders. But timing chain would only add parasitic power loss, bcos timing chain is heavy, always sliding along a guiding fin, and soaked into the engine oil. Power loss = less efficient. But I agree with timing chain for low power output, with that it won’t stretch over time, and nearly impossible to snap.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1
  • This is a MARVELOUS engine!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  • That why people always say Malaysia is backwards … wake up la

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • abdul aziz Ngah on Oct 21, 2020 at 7:35 am

    this engine using timing belt,it swallow your money.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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