New emissions and fuel economy regulations mean that once again, automakers are looking at ways to downsizes cars and engines. While Chrysler is forgoing hybrid cars for now, it is exploring both diesels and small-displacement turbos as a replacement for fuel-hungry V6 or V8 engines.

Technology like Fiat’s MultiAir variable valve timing system could help the Hurricane make more power on less fuel.

It’s latest entrant into the tiny-engine category will come in 2016, reports Automotive News. Codenamed the “Hurricane” motor, the new design reworks Chrysler’s 2.0 liter four-cylinder engine, particularly the cylinder head, to deliver both better performance and fuel economy.

Currently Chrysler’s top-output engine is the 2.4 liter “Tigershark”, delivering 184 horrsepower and 171 ft-lbs of torque. While respectable, it leaves plenty of room for improvement, especially once takes competitors into consideration. Ford’s 2.0 liter EcoBoost engine, for example, is rated at 252 horsepower and 270 ft-lbs of torque, giving the Focus ST a huge competitive edge over the new Dodge Dart.

While sources weren’t specific, the new Hurricane engine could help level the playing field in a big way with new technologies worked into the cylinder head engine. Without any specifics though, one can only assume turbocharging, direct injection, and other features will be utilized to increase output to well over 200 ponies.

Chrysler has already borrowed technology like the MultiAir variable-valve system from Fiat, and VVT could also be worked into the Hurricane design. Four-cylinder engines are more important than ever to automakers, but that doesn’t mean they have to be boring, and the Hurricane engine sounds promising, as long as it gets here soon.