Automotive manufacturers relentlessly explore engine technology combinations to achieve reduced fuel consumption under continued regulatory, societal and economic pressures. For example, technologies enabling advanced combustion modes, increased expansion to effective compression ratio, and reduced parasitics continue to be developed and integrated within conventional and hybrid propulsion strategies across the industry. A high-efficiency gasoline engine capable for use in conventional or hybrid electric vehicle platforms is highly desirable. This paper is the first to two papers describing the development of a combustion system combining lean-stratified combustion with Miller cycle for downsized boosted applications. The work was completed under a multi-year US DOE project. The goal was to define a light-duty engine package capable of achieving a 35% fuel economy improvement at US Tier 3 emission standards over a naturally aspirated stoichiometric baseline vehicle. A multi-mode combustion system was developed enabling highly efficient lean-stratified operation at light-load and stoichiometric Miller-cycle operation at mid- to highloads. Some of the unique challenges in synergistically combining the two concepts are highlighted in this paper. Here, a central direct-injection four-valve layout was designed with high-tumble ports and a bowl-in-piston capable of stable operation under highly dilute (lean plus EGR) mixtures when properly matched to fuel spray characteristics, a multiple-injection strategy, and a high-energy ignition system. Other challenges specific to meeting exhaust emissions requirements with a high-efficiency engine are also explored in this study. In this Part 1 of the paper, the single-cylinder combustion system design, analysis, and testing is described. Multicylinder engine system design, analysis and development is described in Part 2 of the paper.