It wasn’t that long ago that I gave you a run down on how the FreeValve camless engine works. Then, at the Beijing Auto Show,->ke2062 it was announced that Qoros will be the first manufacturer to use FreeValve’s camless engine technology. At the time, it was displayed next to the 2016 Qoros Qamless Concept, a car based on the Qoros 3 Hatchback and a preview of what production model may be the first to use the technology.->ke1701 It’s been nearly a month since then, but in a recent interview between Carbuzz and Christian von Koenigsegg, it was disclosed that Koenigsegg->ke43 is working on a 1.6-liter engine that could produce 400 horsepower or more.

We’re not sure if it will be the engine that will be used in production model derived from the Qamless Concept, but it looks like Koenigsegg->ke43 and Qoros->ke4662 are working together on the project, so it is quite possible. At this time, the two brands are simply developing a concept proof, but that is the next step in the usage of a camless engine in a production vehicle.

In the interview, CvK said, “We are currently working on a 1.6-liter engine with Chinese carmaker Qoros that will have the potential to produce 400 horsepower or more. The same principles with which we designed the Agera->ke3628 and Regera->ke5077 engines can be applied to these smaller engines. By reducing the bore and elongating the stroke of the piston, we are able to lessen the heat losses from the engine.”

Granted, it’s not a lot of information to go by at this point, but it does show that both Qoros and Koenigsegg are serious about evolving the internal combustion engine. While this new conceptual engine may not be the exact model that will go into the production version of the Qamless Concept, it probably won’t be far off from the production engine. The ICE may be slowly dying off as we make the transition to alternative fuels like the electricity and hydrogen, but the camless engine may extend the life of the ICE for a little while longer.

Keep reading for the full story.

Why it Matters

I think this is a great development from Koenigsegg and Qoros. The idea of a camless engine has been around for a while, but for one reason or another, it has never been found suitable for use in production vehicles. It’s starting to look like FreeValve and Koenigsegg have finally gotten closer to perfecting the technology and this conceptual engine will be the proof we need. Surely, the ICE will eventually go extinct, but between now and then, the camless engine looks like a promising middle point. I can’t wait to see what Koenigsegg and Qoros pull off with this 1.6-liter engine. More than 400 horsepower sounds pretty amazing, and I would like to see how much more they can squeeze out of a tiny four cylinder. We’ll be following the development of this engine, so stay tuned for future updates.

Qoros Qamless Concept

Read our full review of the Qoros Qamless Concept here.