Methods and systems for an engine with partial deactivation

A method comprising:

• selecting a first operating mode, a second operating mode, or a third operating mode in response to a comparison of an engine load to a first threshold and a second threshold, the second threshold being larger than the first threshold;
• activating a first cylinder group comprising a first compression ratio during the first and second operating modes;
• and
• activating a second cylinder group comprising a second compression ratio during the second and third operating modes.

A system comprising:

• an engine comprising a plurality of cylinders including a first cylinder, a second cylinder, a third cylinder, and a fourth cylinder, the first and fourth cylinders arranged outside of the second and third cylinders, further comprising a first cylinder group comprising the first and fourth cylinders and a second cylinder group comprising the second and third cylinders, where the first cylinder group comprises a first compression ratio and the second cylinder group comprises a second compression ratio greater than the first compression ratio;
• wherein
• the first cylinder group comprises fuel injectors positioned to inject into intake passage coupled to the first and fourth cylinders and where the second cylinder group comprises fuel injectors positioned to inject directly into the second and third cylinders;
• and
• a controller with computer-readable instructions stored on non-transitory memory thereof that when executed enable the controller to:
• activate the first cylinder group and deactivate the second cylinder group in response to an engine load being less than or equal to a first threshold;
• activate the second cylinder group and deactivate the first cylinder group in response to the engine load being greater than the first threshold and less than or equal to a second threshold;
• and
• activate each of the first and second cylinder groups in response to the engine load being greater than the second threshold.