Ford is finally joining the 'turbo bandwagon' in the small engine category with the release of a new family of four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engines that will make their debut in Europe in 2010. The initial range will comprise of 1.6-litre and 2.0-liter petrol units featuring direct injection, turbocharging and twin independent variable valve timing while a smaller capacity EcoBoost unit will be introduced later to expand the range of applications within the firm's small (e.g. Fiesta) and medium-car line-up.The company claims that that the new engines provide up to 20 per cent better fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions compared to conventional petrol engines with a similar power output.
"The new family of Ford EcoBoost four-cylinder petrol engines coming in 2010 is a key element of Ford Motor Company's global blueprint for sustainability," said John Fleming, Chairman & CEO, Ford of Europe.
"We believe that these engines will provide customers with a genuinely attractive alternative to diesel or hybrid power units, delivering highly competitive fuel economy and cost-of-ownership, along with the responsive performance and wide rev range which have made petrol engines the favoured choice for so many drivers," Fleming added.
The 1.6-liter turbo engine, which be launched on the all-new C-MAX and Grand C-MAX MPVs that are making their world debut in Frankfurt, will be offered with outputs ranging from 150 to 180 horsepower while the 2.0-liter turbo unit will cater for applications of 200HP and above in models such as the Mondeo.
Furthermore, Ford re-confirmed in Frankfurt that the new 2.0-litre EcoBoost will be available globally, launching in North America in 2010 and, for its first rear-wheel drive application, in the Ford Falcon in Australia from 2011.
