Downsizing, direct injection and force induction are the way to go for internal combustion gasoline engines to meet the ever-tightening fuel and emissions standards.
Ford has followed this recipe to the letter with its EcoBoost “family of engines and so far it has paid off nicely, recording 127,883 sales in 2011.
The best-selling F-150 pickup truck is the perfect example. In 2010, all units sold in the U.S. were powered by V8 engines. Last year, more than half of F-150 buyers (56 percent, to be precise) downsized to a V6, choosing either the base 305HP 3.7-liter or the 365HP 3.5-liter EcoBoost.
The Taurus full-size sedan will be the first Blue Oval model in the U.S. to be available with two EcoBoost units: a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 237HP and an average fuel consumption of 31mpg and a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 for the range-topping SHO with 365HP and 25mpg on the highway.
The brand-new Escape SUV and Fusion mid-size sedan will also be available a pair of EcoBoost engines with a displacement of 1.6-liters and 2.0-liters, which offer up to 20 percent lower consumption than higher-capacity engines with similar power outputs.
“Ford is committed to delivering class-leading fuel economy for our customers, which benefits the environment and helps the U.S. move towards greater energy independence”, said Sue Cischke, Ford’s vice president of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering.
By the end of the year, Ford aims to have at least nine models with an EPA-certified highway consumption of 40 mpg or higher, and is developing more for the future.
Last, but not least, its fuel-efficient model range line-up will expand in 2012 with the launch of the Hybrid and Energi plug-in versions of the C-MAX people carrier and Fusion sedan, as well as the Focus Electric EV.
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