Volvo Drive-E or VEA debut 2013 (R&D started 2008).
VW EA888 debut 2009 - gone through 4 major refresh, for performance + emission
Even BMW B58 debut 2015 almost 10 years. In between, the direct injection is upgraded from 200 to 350bar

For the Volvo that I familiar, a lot of old tech give signs that it is an old platform
- 250bar direct injection pressure was state of the art. Now 350bar is common.
- Still old tech aluminium block + cast iron liner. Now almost everyone use vapor deposit of silica/some propeitary alloy to replace liner.
- DLC coating on some of the high wear components, now also very common.
- Brake by wire take years of tuning from terrible to natural. Pre-2020 brake was so f....up, driven the loaner car during service (opps, don't send me for community service like Max Verstappen, lol)
- Same as EA888, burn engine oil during early version. The piston ring takes many many many many revisions to get it right.

Now that I learning more, come to think about it, Toyota is not the only one. New engine take years of R&D
Old engine block as long as continuous update is ok.

Maybe Toyota after update for new emission requirement, drop 2hp... lol...

I think Toyota did similar things. Same block but different intake manifold, different coating on cam shaft to reduce friction etc.
Still minor improvement over the time, few % on fuel economy.

Just not major upgrade like others with that meet emission + performance upgrade to align with competitors.

Pretty much almost everyone are removing spare tyres

This post has been edited by constant_weight: Sep 26 2024, 11:56 AM