A four-stroke cycle in-cylinder fuel injection internal combustion engine (1)
comprises a fuel injector (8) which injects fuel directly into a combustion
chamber (7), performs stratified charge combustion by means of compression
stroke fuel injection, and performs homogeneous combustion by means of intake stroke
fuel injection. Upon start-up of the engine (1), intake stroke fuel injection
is performed at the first combustion opportunity, and compression stroke fuel injection
is switched to from the second combustion opportunity onward. In so doing, switching
of the combustion system is performed early and independently of the engine rotation speed.