Original Article Sourced From: SonicInsider.com

Let’s get to it. The Sonic has been praised by the media as an all-around performer, but the real performance all stems from one place – right under the hood. For those new to the ECOtec school, get ready for a crash course because we have some engine talk to get to.

The ECOtec is an inline four cylinder motor family that has heritage all the way back to the ‘70s but with all of the fuel saving and performance benefits of today. It’s quite the potent little powerplant that back in 2004 was pushed all the way to 1,800 HP to outright slay the competition on the drag strip. Records were broken, parties were had and it was a fun time for the ECOtec.

But that was then and this is now.

So what’s the latest with ECOtec and does the Sonic’s motor even deserve to be labeled an ECOtec? Well for starters the Sonic does have the ECOtec logo stamped on the engine cover of its new 138hp 1.4L Turbo LUV. If you’re asking yourself what an LUV is, well that’s the technical engine code that GM has christened this motor with. Know it well.

Quick tip: You should just write “LUV” on your mirror now so that every morning you can remind yourself to search for all the latest performance parts that will be coming out in the upcoming months.

Now back to the LUV specifics. In comparison to the previous family of ECOtecs, of which one powered the Cobalt SS and pumped out 260hp right from the factory floor, there are some positive similarities and differences to the LUV. One key difference, there’s just 1.4 liters of displacement in the LUV versus 2 liters in the LNF which powered the Cobalt SS. One key similarity, they’re both turbocharged.

Being turbocharged from the factory is a critical benefit that Sonic has over its competition like the Ford Fiesta, Scion xD and Fiat 500. With the turbo, not only is big power delivered consistently and low in the RPM range, but for those speed seekers it also means that plugging a computer into this bad boy and tweaking the tune can give you a major boost in power very easily and at minimal cost (more on that in the future).

Like the title says, this is a quick dive into the new 1.4L Turbo LUV ECOtec as there is a lot more to get to. We also realize that this article probably just created more questions than answers and we’re ok with that, even though it may drive you crazy.

If you want to get any of those crazy questions off your chest and into the next LUV article, drop us a line below and we’ll look at covering the best ones in our next quick dive into the LUV.

The Chevy Sonic has a lot of things going for it. For one, it has quite a loud bark due to its aggressive styling which doesn’t make excuses for being a B-segment vehicle. Its bite is even worse though, as the Sonic packs some serious damage in the form of the 140HP turbocharged LUJ ECOtec. But we’ve known both of those things already. So what gives with the recap? Well as we get closer to the launch of the Sonic, late 2011, more and more Sonic styling and performance goodies are starting to see the light of day. The latest – a look at the production version of the much anticipated Z-Spec accessories package.

While there are no go-fast bits included in the latest release, there are some nice sit ‘n stare options. Those parts are the parable default of manufacturer offerings, but Chevy has turned the volume up on Sonic and is starting to break out different styling cues in their factory appearance options. Some of the new looks are outlandish, some are clean, but all will allow anyone to express themselves with minimal cost and maximum effect.

We’ll only be sharing one today, called “White Out”. But we’ve seen many others that will be coming out that are sure to peak interest in anyone that has a pulse. Beyond that, we can share that there will be another wrap called “Black Out” that incorporates some sharper design elements.

With this initial salvo of add-ons goodies, we can only imagine what’s on the horizon for Sonic in the form of Z-Spec accessories. Only time will tell, but as the months tick away in 2011, we’ll be covering each and every update from Sonic that we can dig, scratch and claw for.

Stay tuned!

The Chevy Sonic is the newly announced member of the Chevy family and one that might be the source of lots of future ECOtec fun. Sonic has the highly anticipated LUJ powerplant that we covered last year, LUJ Delivers on ECOtec Promise, and have seen previously only motivating the Chevy Cruze. Now imagine having the 138hp iron block, turbo 1.4L having to propel only about 2400lbs. That sounds like it could be a serious street terror with a little tuning.

The only issue we see, is that there are two flavors of Chevy Sonic to be had – one with a hatchback, and one in the traditional sedan layout. So which one to choose? Do you stand on the side of increased utility in the five-door, or ditching the euro-styling in favor of the classic American lines that a sedan offers?

The choice is yours, let us know what you think is the winner. To help you choose, we’ve included some clean shots of both to give you an uncluttered opportunity to decide what you’d rather sit in come this fall.

Vote now in the poll to the right and get in your thoughts below. Go!

The Granite has been talked about for some time as a light urban utility vehicle that could deliver big value in a small package. Granite renderings have also had quite the appeal too so when the cover was flung off the concept at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show it was no surprise that flashbulbs filled the stage rather quickly. Now with the Delta II platform getting ready to kick off in the Volt, Cruze and Orlando, GMC wants their own ticket to the Delta II party. That’s where the Granite comes in with added refinement in a more progressive and youth-oriented package.

The Granite is all about utility and sports a fully reconfigurable interior, cargo compartments abound and sockets to plug in any electronic goodies you need to get through the day. While still in concept form, propelling the Granite down the road is a 1.4L turbocharged mill tied to a six-speed gearbox. No note on whether that’s a manual or not but a LUJ option to a non-slushbox six-cog would surely make the Granite not feel like its name sounds.

Motor Trend has now stated that the Granite has been given the “go” order and is now slated for production. However, the General came back and told the MT boys not so fast as they’re still working out their future product plans.

What do you think? Should the Granite get the green light? Is this concept something that you’d like to see in your driveway? Let us know in the comments below!

SOURCE: Motor Trend

There’s one thing we love about the Europeans: they know exactly how to slap a large motor in a small car - such is the case with the latest Chevy Spark we just laid eyes on. Apparently some guys at Chevrolet’s office in Europe thought that it’d be a good idea to transplant the new LUJ 1.4L Turbo motor into the upcoming B-segment hopeful, the Chevy Spark, and send it out for WTCC pace car duty. All we know is that we’d like to meet the man that thought of this idea and buy him a drink.

The LUJ puts out an incredible 140hp out of its miniscule 1.4L displacement – that’s less space than that bottle of Mountain Dew you pounded last night. That’s not N/A of course and comes via the help of the snail integrated into the header of the ECOtec four. And keep this in mind; the LUJ has an iron block… That means it’ll eat boost up better than your Uncle at the Sizzler buffet. For that reason, we can’t wait to see what Tuners do with this motor when it finally makes its way over to the States this fall underhood of the Chevy Cruze (WTCC-version Cruze shown in the background of the image above).

Fun fact: the Spark only tips the scales at 1,905lbs. Do the math on that and let us know how easy it will be to clean house at your local test-and-tune on Friday night in a LUJ-powered Chevy Spark. For now though we’re forced to live vicariously through the WTCC pace car iteration of the turbo Chevy Spark and hope that it comes as an option on the US Spark order form.

Would you be down to roll out in a Spark Turbo? What would you be willing to spend on such an automobile should it be parked at your local dealer? Let us know in the comments below!

The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze is very close to becoming the next staple GM small car for tuners to tweak, tuck and play with. With a new Delta II chassis underpinning the new Cruze, a new ECOtec was developed to properly motivate the new car. With all of the performance heritage behind the L61 though, the next-gen ECOtec had its work cut out for it. Enter the LUJ: a turbocharged, VVT, 1.4L ECOtec that puts out 138hp and 148lb.-ft of torque. Weekend warriors rejoice, there is a new top dog in town.

Staying true to ECOtec form, the new 1.4L LUJ ECOtec is quite the potent, pint-sized little package. Seemingly having two engines in one package, the low displacement and high power output of the LUJ allow the engine to deliver fuel economy of 40mpg on the highway or 148lb.-ft of torque depending on what the situation requires – groceries: 40mpg, drag strip: 148lbs of torque! This kind of multiple personality disorder is possible because of the turbocharger that comes bolted to the 1.4L ECOtec and is part of the recipe for the domination of the Cruze over its competitors.

Having a built on power-adder makes potential upgrades even easier than with prior-generation ECOtecs, coupled with a traditional port-injection system for easy tunability and the 1.4L ECOtec has the potential to usurp the LNF as the breadwinner in the ECOtec family. Pretty strong words we know but you’ll see why we’re not completely out of our minds as the new LUJ has some critical benefits that make this engine a monster waiting to be unleashed. These additions include a cast iron block with 5-bolt mains and hollow frame construction that reduces weight by 20 percent. Connecting rods that are forged, piston cooling jets to calm high boost temperatures, an on-board oil cooler, VVT in the head, and to cap it all off – a six-speed manual transmission makes gearheads around the world rejoice.

Check out this new video and some pics below that show how the whole LUJ deal works. Pretty basic turbocharged affair here but cool stuff nonetheless. If you want to print out either image and put it on your wall let us know we’ll shoot you over the high-res file.

Things are looking good for the GM Sport Compact world and we can’t wait for the Cruze to get here to keep sticking it to the competition!