????以普銳斯（Prius）品牌為代表，豐田汽車(chē)公司（Toyota）通過(guò)普及油電混合動(dòng)力發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)技術(shù)在全球汽車(chē)行業(yè)中搶得先機(jī)?，F(xiàn)在，普銳斯和混合動(dòng)力車(chē)型已經(jīng)在產(chǎn)品線中占得一席之地，豐田決定接下來(lái)要在傳統(tǒng)汽油發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)技術(shù)領(lǐng)域趕超對(duì)手。

????日產(chǎn)（Nissan）、馬自達(dá)（Mazda）等汽車(chē)制造商在燃料效率評(píng)級(jí)方面極具競(jìng)爭(zhēng)力，其車(chē)型使用了較小較輕的發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)，因而得到消費(fèi)者和政府部門(mén)的高度評(píng)價(jià)。據(jù)汽車(chē)行業(yè)媒體報(bào)道，豐田將利用兩款全新發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)迅速縮小自己跟競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手的差距，該公司將在接下來(lái)一年把這些發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)裝備到旗下14款不同車(chē)型上。第一款車(chē)型已經(jīng)在日本面世，這款名為Passo的掀背式轎車(chē)，其發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)擁有1.0升排量，燃料效率據(jù)信可以比原來(lái)提高30%。

????一年多以來(lái)，豐田一直在宣揚(yáng)一個(gè)名為“豐田新全球架構(gòu)”（Toyota New Global Architecture，簡(jiǎn)稱(chēng)TNGA）的項(xiàng)目，其中包含了一系列汽車(chē)技術(shù)（包括發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)）創(chuàng)新。作為這個(gè)項(xiàng)目的第一步，豐田將推出一款1.3升的四缸發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)和一款1.0升的三缸發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)，它們將采用一些先進(jìn)技術(shù)來(lái)提高燃油效率，其中包括一種名為“阿特金森燃燒循環(huán)”（Atkinson burning cycle）的技術(shù)。在過(guò)去，這項(xiàng)技術(shù)僅被應(yīng)用于豐田的油電混合動(dòng)力發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)中。

????豐田正在跟上其他汽車(chē)制造商的步伐。本田（Honda）推出了名為“地球之夢(mèng)”（Earth Dreams）的高效節(jié)能系列發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)，馬自達(dá)則推出了“創(chuàng)馳藍(lán)天”（Skyactiv）系列發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)?！救债a(chǎn)憑借聆風(fēng)（Leaf）汽車(chē)成為電池動(dòng)力汽車(chē)領(lǐng)域的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者。】所有這些汽車(chē)制造商都在利用燃油噴射、渦輪增壓等技術(shù)來(lái)提高燃料效率——有時(shí)甚至?xí)誀奚β驶蚺ぞ貫榇鷥r(jià)——從而符合美國(guó)和其他國(guó)家在碳排放方面日益嚴(yán)格的規(guī)章條例。

????豐田負(fù)責(zé)發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)和傳動(dòng)系統(tǒng)開(kāi)發(fā)的高級(jí)經(jīng)理佐賀光榮（Koei Saga）在公司全球總部接受《汽車(chē)新聞》（Automotive News）采訪時(shí)表示：“我們希望在接下來(lái)將要開(kāi)發(fā)的所有發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)上實(shí)現(xiàn)第一流的燃油經(jīng)濟(jì)性和成本效益。”

????佐賀光榮用日語(yǔ)“髪挿”（即中文的“發(fā)簪”，一種裝飾性發(fā)飾）一詞來(lái)形容各種“擴(kuò)展”技術(shù)，例如在不消耗更多燃料的情況下，通過(guò)發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)廢氣再循環(huán)產(chǎn)生更多動(dòng)力。

????“我們有各式各樣的髪挿，”佐賀告訴《汽車(chē)新聞》。

????由于重新設(shè)計(jì)發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)并且整合技術(shù)需要大量資金（豐田并未說(shuō)明具體數(shù)額），豐田必須在其他地方想辦法省出這筆錢(qián)。已有諸多報(bào)道表明，豐田將會(huì)通過(guò)開(kāi)發(fā)更多可在不同發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)間通用的部件來(lái)完成這項(xiàng)壯舉。

????公司發(fā)言人安德魯?庫(kù)切表示，隨著汽油發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)得到改進(jìn)，油電混合動(dòng)力發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)也會(huì)隨之得到提升。他說(shuō)：“我們的工程師都很興奮，并迫不及待想讓每一項(xiàng)創(chuàng)新技術(shù)盡快投入使用。”

????TNGA項(xiàng)目還包括重新設(shè)計(jì)的懸架以及其他提升操控和駕駛體驗(yàn)的系統(tǒng)，而充分體現(xiàn)該項(xiàng)目成果的車(chē)型在近兩三年還不會(huì)登陸美國(guó)市場(chǎng)，這段時(shí)間里豐田預(yù)計(jì)將推出最新一代凱美瑞（Camry）。

????與此同時(shí)，我們預(yù)計(jì)將會(huì)看到豐田推出一系列具有較高燃油效率的發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)產(chǎn)品，以及在其他重新設(shè)計(jì)的部件上實(shí)現(xiàn)增量改進(jìn)。這家日本汽車(chē)制造商并不打算輕易將自己的“全球第一”稱(chēng)號(hào)拱手讓人，在德國(guó)大眾汽車(chē)公司（Volkswagen AG）這樣的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手向前邁進(jìn)時(shí)，豐田似乎并不甘于坐困愁城。（財(cái)富中文網(wǎng)）

????Toyota stole a march on the global automotive industry by popularizing gas-electric hybrid engines, using its Prius brand to highlight the technology. But now that the Prius and hybrids are permanent fixtures in the automotive lineup, Toyota has decided it has some catching-up to do in the category of conventional gasoline engines

????Automakers like Nissan and Mazda are highly competitive in fuel efficiency ratings, using smaller, lighter powerplants to score high with consumers and governments. According to reports in the trade press, Toyota will narrow the gap shortly with two new engines that will be available in 14 variations around the world through next year. The first example has appeared in Japan, a hatchback known as Passo, powered by a 1.0-liter engine. Fuel efficiency in this model supposedly has been improved by 30 percent.

????For more than a year, the automaker has been touting a program it calls Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA), that includes a number of automotive innovations, including engines. First off will be a 1.3-liter four-cylinder and a 1.0-liter three-cylinder that employ several advanced processes that improve fuel efficiency, including one known as an Atkinson burning cycle. Engines using the Atkinson technology previously had been used only in Toyota’s gas-electric hybrids.

????Toyota is following in other carmaker’s footsteps. Honda has introduced a line of high-efficiency engines it calls Earth Dreams, while the Mazda’s is called Skyactiv. (Nissan, with its Leaf, has made itself into a leader in battery-powered cars.) All are using technologies such as fuel injection and turbo charging to improve efficiency – sometimes at the expense of power or torque – and thus comply with increasingly stringent rules in the U.S. and abroad governing carbon emissions.

????“We would like to achieve No. 1 performance in fuel economy and cost for all the engines that we will be developing,” said Koei Saga, senior managing director in charge of engine and transmission development, in an interview with the Automotive News at Toyota’s global headquarters.

????Saga referred to the Japanese word kanzashi, a kind of ornamental hairpin to describe “add-on” technologies, such as recirculating exhaust from the engine to generate more power without burning more fuel.

????“We have a wide variety of kanzashi,” Saga told Automotive News.

????Since redesigning engines and incorporating technology require substantial capital – Toyota hasn’t clarified how much – the cost must be recouped by saving elsewhere. Published reports suggest that Toyota will accomplish this feat by creating more common parts among engines.

????As the gasoline engines improve, so will the gas-electric hybrids that use them in tandem, said Andrew Coetzee, a Toyota spokesman. “Our engineers are excited,” he said, “and very eager to put every innovation on the road as fast as possible.”

????Full expression of TNGA, including redesigned suspensions and other systems that improve handling and drivability, may not be apparent in the U.S. for another two to three years, when Toyota is expected to introduce its newest generation Camry.

????Meantime, expect to see a spate of engines featuring higher fuel efficiency from Toyota, along with incremental improvements in other redesigned parts. The No. 1 automaker from Japan doesn’t intend to give up its title easily, and doesn’t seem content to sit in idle while competitors like Volkswagen AG races ahead.