Called the EA288, the 2.0L four-cylinder TDI Clean Diesel engine is all-new for 2015. The new engine will power the 2015 Golf, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Passat, and Jetta, all of which are set to arrive in dealer showrooms in the second half of 2014.

The new EA288 engine will eventually replace all the 2.0L TDI Clean Diesel engines currently fitted in Audi and Volkswagen TDI Clean Diesel models. The turbocharged, common-rail, direct-injection four-cylinder engine makes 150 hp — an increase of 10 hp over the current engine — and 236 lb.-ft. of torque. This powerplant shares only the bore spacing with the previous diesel engine that had the same designation, according to the automaker. A number of changes have been made to help reduce emissions, such as use of a complex exhaust gas recirculation system, integration of the intercooler with the intake manifold (which also improves throttle response), and packaging the exhaust after-treatment components close to the engine.

The engine also has a number of modifications to help minimize friction and optimize fuel economy: there are low-friction bearings for the camshaft and balancer shafts, piston rings that have less pre-tension, and the oil pump is a two-stage device with volumetric flow regulation.

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