VM Motori

VM Motori S.p.A. is a diesel engine manufacturing company in Cento, Italy, which is the heart of Emilia Romagna and also home to Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati and Ducati. Founded by two entrepreneurs, Vancini and Martelli (hence the "VM") in 1947, the company produced the first Italian diesel engine, aircooled and with direct injection.

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In 1964 the company introduced entire new families of air-cooled diesel engines for fishing boats and the industrial machine markets. VM merges with "Stabilimenti Meccanici Triestini" in Trieste in 1971, Finmeccanica takes majority stake in the combined company. 1974 saw the introduction of a new series of high speed (4200 rpm) HR, pre-combustion chamber, water cooled, turbocharged engines. The Alfa Romeo Alfetta produced in Arese, rolls off the line with a VM Motori engine under the hood in 1979, signaling VM's move to the OEM automotive market. In 1989 Finmeccanica restructers, sells VM Motori stake to company managers and Midland Montague in a leveraged buyout (LBO), company back to single Cento plant.

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The after-cooled, electronic-combustion, Turbotronic? engine was unveiled in 1990. It was supplied to Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, and Rover. Detroit Diesel Corporation (DDC) buys VM Motori in 1995, OEM automotive sales account for 75% of income. Cherokee (#1 in SUV's) and Voyager (#1 in mini-vans) become a major customer for VM in major deal with Chrysler. 2000 saw change again with the purchase of DDC by DaimlerChrysler AG. In 2003 Penske Corporation purchased a 51% stake, and today the company is co-owned by Penske and DaimlerChrysler (49% stake), and produces diesel engines for a variety of auto makers.

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Recently, Jeep selected VM Motori's 2.8 L common rail turbo engine for the Liberty CRD. GM Daewoo has also licensed the 1.5 L and 2.0 L common rail engine designs, and they are building a dedicated engine plant, aiming to start production in 2006.

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Diesel engine: The diesel engine is a type of internal combustion engine; more specifically, it is a compression ignition engine, in which the fuel is ignited by being suddenly exposed to the high temperature and pressure of a compressed gas containing oxygen (usually atmospheric air), rather than a separate sourc...

Cento, Italy: REDIRECT Cento...

Ferrari: Ferrari is an Italian manufacturer of racing cars and high-performance sports cars formed by Enzo Ferrari in 1929. At first, Scuderia Ferrari sponsored drivers and manufactured racecars; the company went into independent car production in 1946, eventually became Ferrari S.p.A., and is now controlled...