Fiat Powertrain Technologies is investing 400 million euro to extend its Bielsko-Biała factory in Poland to produce 500,000 units of the new 900cc SGE petrol engine (above) annually from the end of next year.

Fiat Powertrain Technologies is investing 400 million euro to extend its Bielsko-Biała factory in Poland to produce 500,000 petrol engines annually from the end of next year.

Bielsko-Biała, located in south-central Poland, is already home to the joint Fiat/GM Powertrain operation that builds diesel engines including the award-winning 1.3 Multijet 16v turbodiesel, and this unit will now be joined by the 900cc SGE (Small Gasoline Engine) in the factory from next year, with full production slated at half a million units per year.

The SGE engine will be a ground-breaking powerplant in terms of compact size, efficiency and technology and will include the incorporation of Multiair a the new electro-hydraulic system of engine valves for dynamic and direct control of air and combustion, cylinder by cylinder and stroke by stroke that results in 10 percent more power and 10 percent less fuel. It was announced last week at the 79th Geneva Motor Show.

The Bielsko-Biała factory, built earlier this decade, last year produced 575,000 units, and in 2007 a record 700,000 units. The slowing output of the Fiat/GM operation means that staff will be moved from diesel engine production to the new petrol engine facility, meaning that staffing levels will remain at around 1,400. The factory primarily feeds the local Fiat Auto Poland assembly plant which currently manufactures the Fiat 500, 600 and Panda, as well as providing engines for export to countries including Italy and Turkey.

Fiat Powertrain Technologies is the Fiat Group Company including all the Powertrain activities previously carried on in Fiat Group Automobiles (Fiat Powertrain), Iveco (Iveco Motors) and Fiat Research Centre and Elasis. With its annual output of around 3.1 million engines and 2.5 million transmissions and axels, 20,000 employees, 16 plants and 11 research centres in 9 countries, FPT is one of the most significant players in the powertrain sector on a worldwide basis. Furthermore, a network of dealers and service centres ensures the presence of our brand and products in over 100 countries. Almost 3,000 highly skilled engineers are dedicated to the development and engineering of innovative technologies. The quality and reliability of this effort are confirmed by more than 40 patents filed each year.