Iveco considering 16-litre Cursor engine for Euro-6

Iveco senior engineers have hinted that the company may be developing a high-horsepower 16-litre version of the Cursor engine to meet the forthcoming Euro-6 emissions legislation that is due to take effect in 2012.

"Euro-6 will be a major step forward for everyone in the industry," says Iveco sales and marketing product director Giuliano Giovannini. "As the emissions limits stand today for Euro-6 [the limits have yet to be ratified by the EU], the technical solution will require a combination of both SCR and EGR to comply - although the relative reliance on each is likely to be different."

The tighter emissions limits will require significant design changes to vehicles, he adds, with a bigger cooling capacity demanding a larger radiator and front grille.

These changes will also mean engine builders will be unable to extract the current maximum power for any given engine size, he warns: "Euro-6 will require bigger engines. We remain committed to the six-cylinder in-line engine with overhead camshaft as the most efficient layout and are considering whether a 16-litre engine may be required in the range."