Suzuki has developed a lightweight 793cc 2-cylinder diesel engine for compact vehicles which has debuted in India on the Maruti Suzuki Celerio city car.

The first diesel engine ever built by Suzuki for a passenger car is aimed at the Indian market, where there’s high demand for diesel-powered cars as the local government subsidizes diesel fuel.

The engine has been developed in-house by Suzuki, unlike other diesel engines fitted mainly to models sold outside Japan which were supplied from or produced under the license of other manufacturers.

The unit produces 47hp (48PS) at 3,500 rpm and 125Nm (92lb-ft) of torque at 2,000 rpm. Equipped with this engine, the Celerio returns 27.62 km/L, equivalent to 3.7 l/100 km or 62.8 mpg US. This makes it the most fuel efficient car made in India, according to Suzuki.

The automaker says it has concentrated on weight-saving, with the E08A diesel engine using aluminum for the cylinder block, as well as compact fuel distributor system and turbocharger. The engine delivers high torque in the low rpm range as well as fuel efficiency, thanks to a decreased compression ratio and the installation of a large intercooler. Furthermore, by optimizing the flywheel, the automaker says the low frequency vibration specific to 2-cylinder diesel engines has been mitigated.

To tackle low frequency vibration and combustion noise from the engine, the Maruti Suzuki Celerio Diesel features optimized engine mount and vehicle body rigidity. The automaker also added noise absorption materials to increase comfort. The Celerio Diesel is priced from 465,393 rupees (approximately $7,265) in India.

PHOTO GALLERY