Objective
The new generation of direct injection gasoline engines about to be offered on the market begin to exploit the opportunities allowed by the use of sophisticated electronic management to achieve an important step forward in terms of fuel economy and reduced emissions. They do not at present exploit the potential which new fuel specifications may provide. As has been demonstrated, the quality of fuel plays an important part in the behaviour of engines. Today, the behaviour of the new generation of direct injection gasoline engines with respect of fuel parameters is not understood. It is believed that investigation of extreme fuel parameters values can reveal further potential for these engines in terms of low environmental impact and customer satisfaction. This project proposes to make this investigation, which will allow European manufacturers and refiners to make crucial choices of technology in terms of environmental and customer satisfaction.