Scientific American (Dec. 2004) has a "news scan" short article on cylinder-shutdown technology. Although it's been tried before without much market success, DiamlerChrysler and GM are claiming it will succeed this time because electronicly controlled throttles allow them to keep the transition between 8 and 4 cylinders much smoother. There wasn't much of a description of the engineering other than to say they deactivate valves by using oil pressure to collapse special telescoping lifters.
The article concludes with a Chrysler development team leader quoted as claiming they will outsell hybrid electric vehicles within a year or two and thus, by sheer numbers, be responsible for more total gasoline conservation.
The article concludes with a Chrysler development team leader quoted as claiming they will outsell hybrid electric vehicles within a year or two and thus, by sheer numbers, be responsible for more total gasoline conservation.