VOLVO is preparing to launch a direct injection petrol engine into its S40/V40 range within the next six months. The super-frugal 1.8-litre Mitsubishi developed engine is already available in the Mitsubishi Carisma, a car manufactured in the same Dutch factory as the S40/V40.

The manufacturer has yet to determine how it will position the GDI in terms of specification and pricing, although Mitsubishi has set a precedent by charging a modest £200 supplement for the direct injection engine over its standard 1.8-litre petrol engine. Volvo expects turbocharged petrol engines to account for around a quarter of its S40/V40 range sales this year.