Motoring on magnesium

A magnesium car engine that weights just 14 kilograms has been retired after completing 65,000 kilometres of trouble-free motoring.

The lightweight magnesium alloy three-cylinder diesel engine block, which was installed in a Volkswagen Lupo, has spent the past three years driving around southern Germany and Austria under testing by international engine designer AVL List.

The magnesium alloy used in the engine was developed by Australian scientists working for the Cooperative Research Centre for Cast Metals Manufacturing to support a commercial development alliance between Advanced Magnesium Technologies and the German company VAW, which was then the largest independent manufacturer of sand cast aluminium engines in Europe.

Head of the research team assembled through the CRC, Dr. Colleen Bettles, from CSIRO Manufacturing and Infrastructure Technology (CMIT) says the engine could have kept going, but researchers were keen to cut the engine open to take a peek inside.

“We were keen to observe how the microstructure of the magnesium alloy may have changed over its operating life,” said Dr. Bettles. “Our initial examination has found the alloy has stood up very well.”