Small gasoline engines of the Volkswagen Group are known under the code name “EA211”. Released on the market since 2011, they are now equipped with about fifty models of the group.

According to the German firm’s latest announcements, these small blocks will continue to sell thanks to Skoda, who received the heavy responsibility of continuing their development for the whole group at least until the arrival of the Euro-7 standard, and maybe even after.

Certain future

The information was provided directly by Skoda, which also announced the start of recruitment of 150 new employees in its research and development department.

The next all-new car to be powered by an engine from the EA211 family will be the new Volkswagen Passat, which will be developed in collaboration with the Czech manufacturer alongside the next-generation Superb and on the latest evolution of the MQB platform. Both will be produced at the plant in Bratislava and equipped only with hybrid engines.

The group also announced that outside of Europe, the EA211 engine will continue to be offered where emissions regulations are not too “strict”. At the same time, the group will continue to work on reducing the consumption and emissions of its internal combustion engines.

A complete family of engines

Skoda is not new to engine development. Indeed, the Czech manufacturer is also responsible for the development of naturally aspirated engines of the EA211 family. The EA211 is an engine family that has played a very important role in the history of all manufacturers in the group. It is an evolution of the previous EA111, the base engine that was available with a 1.4-liter TSI and its volumetric turbo, or a 1.2-liter and its timing chain.

The EA211 is undoubtedly the most reliable engine family. The timing chain system was replaced with a “simpler” belt, and for improved cooling, the engines were equipped with an optional auxiliary variable flow water pump, electronically controlled and connected to the engine by a separate belt.

At the time of its debut, this family of small turbocharged and naturally aspirated engines was available in four different displacements depending on the size of the car: 1.0-liter three-cylinder naturally aspirated, 1.2-liter three-cylinder TSI, 1.4-liter four-cylinder TSI and four-cylinder naturally aspirated engine with a volume of 1.6 liters. The range was subsequently expanded, with the 1.6-litre being replaced by a turbocharged version and the 1.4-litre TSI being fitted with cylinder deactivation in its 150bhp version.

Recently, the 1.4-liter TSI has disappeared from the catalogs, except for plug-in hybrids. It was replaced by a new 1.5-liter TSI with a capacity of 130 or 150 hp, equipped – in some cases – with micro-hybridization.

What about the 2.0-litre TSI?

As for the familiar four-cylinder 2.0-liter TSI (EA888), nothing new under the sun at the moment. Skoda is not responsible for its development, and it is not known whether it will continue to be offered after the adoption of the Euro 7 standard.

As a reminder, the 2.0-liter TSI is equipped with some sports cars of the group, starting with the Volkswagen Golf R, Audi S3, Cupra Leon and other Volkswagen Golf GTI.