Volvo Car Group’s highly-anticipated Drive-E engines have arrived in New Zealand, with claims of more power, torque and fuel efficiency.

This range of innovative four-cylinder powertrains, coupled with a new eight-speed Adaptive Geartronic automatic gearbox, will roll-out with 180kW petrol and 133kW diesel units – sporting the T5 and D4 nomenclatures respectively – which are now available in the S60, V60, and XC60.

“Drive-E technology proves that increased efficiencies don’t have to be at the expense of performance,” said Steve Kenchington, Volvo Car New Zealand general manager.Part of the development process of the Drive-E engines involved Polestar, Volvo’s global motor sport and performance partner, working hand-in-hand with the engineering team at Volvo Cars to test and develop the engine during Polestar’s World Touring Car Championship campaign.

“Our new Drive-E engines have been fine-tuned by the same engineers responsible for the Volvo engine currently powering the Volvo Polestar Racing S60 in the V8 Supercars Championship, so performance and drivability, as well as fuel efficiency, was always going to a point of focus.”

The turbo-charged petrol T5 Drive-E engine delivers 180kW at 5,500rpm and 350Nm at 1,500-4800rpm, which punches the S60 from 0-100km/h in 6.3 seconds and returns 6.4L/100km (combined).

The Drive-E T5 engine also records impressive results when mated to the XC60 – 7.2secs to 100km/h and 7.0L/100km.

It’s a similar story with the new turbo-diesel D4 Drive-E unit – 133kW at 4,250rpm, 400Nm at 1,750-2,500rpm, and fuel consumption of 4.2L/100km (combined, for the S60).

Uniquely, the diesel Drive-E engine features world-first i-ART technology with pressure feedback from each fuel injector.

Essentially, each injector has its own intelligent chip that monitors injection pressure. Using this information, the self-adapting i-ART system makes sure that exactly the right amount of fuel is injected during each combustion cycle.

Also making its debut alongside the Drive-E engines is the new eight-speed Adaptive Geartronic automatic transmission.

Coupled with the same stop/start engine technology found on the V40, the eight-speed shifter has software functions that continuously improve calibration between engine and transmission.

This helps cut gearshift response time by up to 50 percent, and optimises fuel consumption in many driving situations.

The new Drive-E powertrains have been developed in-house at Volvo Car Group’s high-tech engine plant in Skövde, Sweden.