Honda Accord V6: Engine Tech

Power to the People:-

The 3.5 litre i-VTEC engine is capable of generating 275PS@ 6, 200 rpm. It develops a peak torque of 339Nm@ 5000 rpm and is already Euro 4 compliant. Further to this, the engine is also E10 compatible, meaning that it can run smoothly on a 10 per cent blend of ethanol in petrol.

VCM:- Variable Cylinder Management

VCM technology is the highlight of the V6 engine that does duty in the newly launched Accord V6. This technology allows the engine to switch between 6, 4 and 3 cylinders depending on driving conditions in order to strike an optimal balance between power and fuel economy. For example, if the driver accelerates hard, then all 6 cylinders kick in and unleash a powerhouse worth of performance. Now, if the driver is just cruising along the highway at a steady speed , then the engine switches into 4 cylinder mode in order to increase fuel efficiency. Extremely slow driving, such as crawling in city traffic and even decelerating cause the engine to switch into 3 cylinder mode.

Of course, all this is done without the driver even knowing that the cylinders are starting up or shutting down. The only telltale sign is an ECO light on the dashboard. Overall, VCM allows for the best of two worlds, performance and economy. Honda has yet again proved their technological prowess with the advent of this engine in India.

ACM:- Active Control Engine Mount System

ACM has been incorporated to anticipate vibrations that may be caused during VCM. This is done by the ACM technology monitoring the engine RPM and in the event of it sensing any vibration, the system actuates two engine mounts that nullify the engine vibration without the driver even noticing. This technology helps in maintaining NVH levels under all driving conditions so that passengers are not disturbed by any mechanical noise created by the VCM.

Active Noise Control System

When cylinders shut off or come back on there is a fair amount of engine 'boom'. Honda has incorporated audio speakers to cancel Booming during VCM in real time by having the speakers emit an identical but out of phase sound in order to 'cancel out' any noise created during the VCM process. Of course, this too is unnoticed by passengers, for all they hear is complete silence in the cocooned interiors.