PSA ES/L engine
| Industry | Automotive engineering, Engine manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | France |
| Products | ES/L V6 petrol engine |
The PSA ES/L engine is a 60° V6 petrol engine developed collaboratively by the PSA Group (comprising Peugeot and Citroën) and Renault. Introduced in 1997 to succeed the older V6 PRV engine, it was engineered and produced by Française de Mécanique for both manufacturers. PSA markets it under the name ES engine, while Renault refers to it as the L engine.
In contrast to the PRV’s 90° V-angle derived from a V8, the ES/L adopts a conventional 60° configuration with an all-aluminum build and a DOHC setup featuring 24 valves. The single version produced, known as ES9 by PSA and L7X by Renault, has a displacement of , with bore and stroke dimensions of . Although a 3.3 L variant was planned, it was ultimately canceled due to falling demand for V6 petrol engines in Europe and Renault’s strategic move toward Nissan-sourced V6 units following their alliance.
Originally delivering , the ES9 was designed to fit within insurance brackets for engines under 3 liters, positioning it competitively against rivals such as BMW and Audi’s 2.8L units. In 2000, Porsche contributed enhancements to the PSA variant by incorporating variable valve timing on the intake camshafts, which raised power output to , while also improving fuel economy and low-end torque for vehicles like the Peugeot 607 and Citroën C5. PSA further increased power slightly to in 2005. Renault, however, chose not to implement these improvements, instead prioritizing Nissan-supplied V6 engines.
In motorsport applications, Tom Walkinshaw Racing developed a race-tuned version for the Renault Clio V6 in 2000, achieving up to in competition form and a detuned output of for the road-going model. By 2004, Renault Sport had elevated the road car’s power rating to .
ES9/L7X
The ES/L V6 served as the powerplant for several executive and premium vehicles from Citroën, Peugeot, and Renault. These included models such as the Citroën XM, Xantia, C5, C8, and C6; Peugeot’s 406, 407, 605, and 607; along with Renault’s Laguna (Mk.I and II), Espace (Mk.III), Avantime, Safrane, and Clio V6. Venturi Automobiles utilized a twin-turbocharged adaptation of this engine for their final iteration of the Atlantique 300 Bi-turbo. Unlike its predecessor, the PRV engine, the ES/L had limited engagement in motorsport beyond its use in the Renault Sport Clio V6 Eurocup series and Courage’s employment of a 3.2 L bi-turbo variant producing up to in their C52 and C60 race cars. These competition engines were manufactured by Sodemo.
PSA
After Renault transitioned to using the 3.5 L Nissan VQ engine V6, PSA remained the sole operator of the ES engine until 2010. The introduction of Euro 5 emissions regulations led to the discontinuation of the Euro 4-compliant ES engine, which was subsequently replaced by the turbocharged inline-4 Prince engine.
| Model | Power Output |
|---|---|
| ES9 J4 / L7X | 140 kW (190 PS; 188 bhp) |
| ES9 J4S | 152 kW (207 PS; 204 bhp) |
| ES9 A | 155 kW (211 PS; 208 bhp) |
Note: All versions feature 24 valves and include catalytic converters