Lifan reaches deal for Ricardo to develop direct injection engine
Lifan (Industry) Group Co. last week signed up U.K.-based engineering firm Ricardo plc to develop a 1.2-liter turbocharged direct injection gasoline engine for its upgraded 520 compact sedan.
The engine can generate 115 hp and 200-Newton meters of torque. It can meet the Euro V emission standards, Lifan said in a statement.
This is the first time Lifan has hired Ricardo to develop components for its vehicles. It is also the second major contract the UK engineering firm has secured with a Chinese automaker this year.
In March, Ricardo signed an agreement with Great Wall Motor Co. to design a gasoline engine and a six-speed dual clutch transmission.
Lifan, located in the southwest China city of Chongqing, currently builds the Lifan 320, 520 and 620 sedans. In the first quarter of this year, the private Chinese automaker sold 17,534 vehicles, up 42 percent from a year earlier, according to J.D. Power.
