SAIPA plans to unveil two engines in the current fiscal year (started March 21) in cooperation with Mega Motor Company, according to the CEO of SAIPA Group.
"In addition to SAIPA Research Center, which designs cars and machinery with the latest engineering knowhow, Mega Motor Company, which is active in the field of engines, is one of the research and development hubs of this center," Mohammad Ali Teymouri added.
"M15 Plus engine will be the first to be released this year. It is currently undergoing tests and calibration, and will reduce the fuel consumption of vehicles by 1 liter per 100 kilometers. The production line of a new engine called M16 will also be launched," he was quoted as saying by Donyaye Khodro.
"The production line of this engine had been unused for a long time because foreign companies working on it had abandoned the project and left. Currently, its software has been designed and developed by domestic engineers, and its production will be resumed in the 11th fiscal month [Jan. 21-Feb. 19, 2023].”
Teymouri noted that the production capacity will increase from 1,700 engines per day to 2,500.
According to reports, SAIPA Group plans to install Mega Motor’s first 16-valve engine on a vehicle with the same platform as the Renault Thunder 90. The engine is being tested on the manual transmission models of Shahin and Aria.
Modeled on European engines, some changes have been incorporated to conform with new standards and its parts are modified in a way that they can be produced domestically.
During Oct. 23-Nov. 21, 2021, Mega Motor Company displayed a set of parts for a 16-valve engine belonging to SAIPA's new propulsion systems at the 16th Auto Parts Exhibition.
Based on the Euro 5 emission standards, the engine will probably be installed on SAIPA’s Shahin, Aria and Pars Khodro’s P90 sedan in the next fiscal year (starting March 2023).
The new SAIPA engine will be equipped with constantly variable valve timing (CVVT) and accordingly to Mega Motor managers, vehicles that use this engine will consume less fuel. Also, components such as variable oil pumps are used in this engine.
Some experts believe that Mega Motor designed the new SAIPA engine based on the EC5 engine of the Peugeot S.A. Automobile Group and their similar specifications are proof of this claim.
The EC5 engine was supposed to be unveiled simultaneously with the basic version of Citroen C3 in Iran, but unfortunately the reimposition of US sanctions on the domestic automobile industry scuttled this plan.
Subsequently, the domestic production of this engine was started by Mega Motor.
Venezuela to Purchase SAIPA Cars
Venezuela’s Transportation Minister Ramón Velásquez said his country will buy 10,000 completely knocked-down (CKD) and completely built-up (CBU) vehicles from SAIPA Group.
Velásquez, who is also the co-chair of Iran-Venezuela Economic Commission, made the announcement after meeting SAIPA’s CEO Mohammad Ali Teymouri during a visit to SAIPA’s Automotive Industries Research and Innovation Center in Tehran.
The two sides exchanged views on enhancing automotive cooperation and undertaking joint car production in Venezuela, Khabar Khodro reported.
Presenting a report on the performance of SAIPA vis-a-vis new product lines, Teymouri said SAIPA has made plans for producing new and cutting-edge products, and has taken effective measures to market them.
“The automotive industry is one of the key industries of any country, which plays an important role in promoting sustainable development and also impacts other major industries. SAIPA is ready to jointly produce and send its products to the Venezuelan market,” he said.
The Venezuelan minister commended the performance of SAIPA and said,
“Today, during my visit, I saw several modern and up-to-date car models that will soon enter the SAIPA production line.”
He stated that SAIPA is the flagship company of Iran’s automobile industry and plays an effective role in developing new technologies.
“SAIPA has made significant progress in the field of new technologies, which is very valuable. I hope that soon we will be able to revive the SAIPA factory in Venezuela with the cooperation of SAIPA Group,” he added.
Velásquez noted that the Venirauto factory, which was jointly established, halted production after experiencing losses, stressing that Venezuela is determined to revive this factory.
He pointed out that as per the plan, 10,000 cars are needed, which will be bought from SAIPA.
“These cars will enter Venezuela in the form of CKD and CBU, where they will be assembled and marketed. When this is accomplished, SAIPA's products can be exported to other countries of the region, and we can foster the development and prosperity of the two countries in line with the interests of both sides," he added.
Velásquez said this cooperation will lead to the development and prosperity of Venezuela's automotive industry, which will accelerate industrialization and further strengthen relations between the two countries.
