Ford Fiesta Zetec S Offers 140 HP From Its 3-Cylinder EcoBoost

The new Ford Fiesta Zetec S with the 1.0 liter 3-cylinder EcoBoost engine pumps out 140 horsepower, which makes it the most powerful 1.0 liter production car ever manufactured. That’s more power per liter than a Bugatti Veyron, although admittedly the Veyron has considerably more liters on offer.

Ford has fiddled with the turbocharger boost control, valve-timing, intercooler, and throttle management  to squeeze 17 more horse out of their three banger than the standard Fiesta. The finished package dusts off the 0-60 sprint in under 9 seconds and scoots to a top speed of 125 mph. Ford has already demonstrated the performance potential of this tiny engine in its Formula Ford race car, but now they’re taking that tech to the streets.

The Ford Fiesta Zetec S comes in black with red accents or red with black accents. It rides on 17′ alloy wheels and has a very attractive body kit added into the mix. Sadly, the Zetec S is only available in Europe. Ford apparently doesn’t think Americans are capable of appreciating the goodness of a three cylinder engine. We do still get the four-cylinder Ford Fiesta ST though, which boasts 197 horsepower, though we’re left wondering how the fuel economy of the Zetec compares with the ST….and just how much more power is left to be wrong out of the 1.0 liter EcoBoost engine.

Source: Ford

Ford Lightweight Concept Car Drops 23% Of Its Weight - VIDEO

While the 2015 Mustang is probably putting on some weight for its 50th anniversary, the rest of the Ford lineup is on a serious diet. This Ford Fusion has shed nearly 25% of its weight through the “holistic” use of lightweight materials like aluminum and carbon fiber.

While the name “Lightweight Concept Car” isn’t what one might call inspiring, by replacing almost all the steel bits with aluminum, Ford shed about 800 pounds off the curb weight of this Ford Fusion. It’s the same tactic applied to the 2015 Ford F-150, which resulted in a 700 pound diet despite sticking with a steel frame.The Fusion also utilizes ultra-high-strength steel, magnesium, and carbon fiber throughout the body and drivetrain in order to the pounds, lowering the Fusion’s curb weight by some 23%.

In Ford’s own words, this mid-size Fusion weighs about as much as the subcompact Fiesta, or about 2,600 pounds. That could help the Fusion achieve Fiesta-like fuel economy of 40 MPG or more, which would put it at the front of the pack without embracing any sort of hybrid tech.

Of course developing a mostly-aluminum concept isn’t cheap, and even though Ford plans to add more aluminum parts to cars across its lineup, it won’t happen overnight. There’s also more exotic (and more expensive) materials, like carbon fiber reinforced plastic, that Ford has dabbled with in the past, but aluminum is going to be the way forward for Blue Oval vehicles. Ford has yet to even price the 2015 F-150, but it has to do something about the growing weight of all its vehicles, and going aluminum makes the most sense. Heavy cars and high MPGs just don’t mix, and the most efficient gas engines in the world can’t alter the laws of physics.

Across the board, automakers have added features, some mandatory, some not, that have increased the average weight of new cars year after year. A standard 2013 Ford Fusion weighs in at some 3,400 pounds, depending on options, and while it’s not exactly a “heavyweight”, all that heft isn’t helping fuel economy.

The Blue Oval invested big into its EcoBoost engine, and outlets like Consumer Reports haven’t been all that impressed by the real world MPGs. If the next generation of Ford vehicles goes on this kind of extreme diet though, those smaller turbo motors could the kind of hybrid-rivaling MPGs we’ve been looking for.

Source: Ford

Best Mileage Non-Hybrid Car In 2014: From Ford Or Mitsubishi?

You want a four-seat car with the highest EPA combined gas-mileage rating you can get--but you've decided you don't want a hybrid.

For 2014, two new competitors are joining the fray--and they seem likely to offer considerably better fuel efficiency than today's best-of-the-pack.

This year, your winning choice is the 2013 Nissan Versa L subcompact sedan, rated at a combined 35 mpg when fitted with the 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine and a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

(The 2014 Nissan Versa Note hatchback is also rated at 35 mpg with the same powertrain, by the way.)

Coming for the 2014 model year, though, are two cars that promise to surpass the Versa models' ratings.

The first one is the 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage, that maker's first subcompact in the U.S. for more than a decade.

Launched this spring at the New YorkAuto Show, the small, rounded hatchback features a 1.2-liter, 3-cylinder gasoline engine that develops a modest 74 horsepower and 74 pounds-feet of torque.

Two transmissions are offered--either a five-speed manual gearbox or a CVT--and with the latter, the 2014 Mirage's projected EPA combined rating is 40 mpg (37 mpg city, 44 mpg highway).

That's better than any other subcompact except the hybrid Toyota Prius C hatchback(at 50 mpg combined).

The other non-hybrid contender the updated 2014 Ford Fiesta subcompact, fitted with a new engine.

It's the new 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine that uses Ford's EcoBoost turbocharging technology to deliver about the same power as a conventional 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, previously the sole option in U.S. Fiestas.

2014 Mitsubishi Mirage at 2013 New York Auto Show

That engine is far more powerful than the non-turbocharged Mitsubishi one: The 1.0-liter three puts out 123 horsepower (at a high 6,000 rpm) and a fairly useful 148 lb-ft of torque (at 1,400 rpm).

We drove a prototype 2014 Ford Fiesta EcoBoost last fall, and found it enjoyable and zippy, especially when driving it hard on the switchback roads through the canyons of Los Angeles.

We didn't take any gas-mileage readings during our brief, hard test drive, however, and Ford hasn't yet released final specifications for the 2014 Fiesta.

So we're looking forward to seeing whether the EcoBoost Fiesta can equal or best the somewhat underpowered Mitsubishi.

Ford has said only that the Fiesta 1.0-liter will be among the highest-rated non-hybrid cars for gas mileage, so we think this should be one to watch.

Source: Green Car Reports

Ford COO Mark Fields: electrified vehicles could be up to 25% of sales by 2020

I was fortunate to get one-on-one chats with two top GM technology leaders (John Lauckner and Larry Nitz) at this year's Detroit North American International Auto Show, but no other automaker offered that opportunity. However, while I was resting and enjoying lunch in Ford's media lounge, in walked Ford's newly-promoted chief operating officer (and likely successor to CEO Alan Mulally) Mark Fields.

Fields told us a year ago that Ford's powertrain strategy is to continue downsizing engines and using EcoBoost(turbocharging and direct fuel injection), and added that vehicle electrification will play a major role in meeting federal corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) requirements that mandate mpg boosts of more than four percent per year through 2025. "By the end of this decade," he said, "we'll see from 10 to 25 percent of our sales being electrified – conventional hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery electrics."

But how will Ford keep costs down to get their sales volumes up? "Our approach is electrifying platforms, as opposed to single vehicles," he said, "which has a lot of engineering efficiencies. And our manufacturing strategy will allow us to flex. For example, our Wayne [MI] Plant will produce the regular gas-powered Focus, the electric Focus and the C-Max hybrid."

This year, I hit him again with the big CAFE question first.

MF: The real positive is that we have a single national standard vs. individual states making their own standards. You can imagine the cost that would be involved with that.

Our approach is, "The power of choice" [among] EcoBoost engines, plug-in hybrids, conventional hybrids and battery-electric vehicles. We'll continue to evaluate customer demand in conjunction with the government agencies, and there's a mid-term review in 2017. Electrified vehicles will be a big part of meeting those standards, but we have to make sure there is consumer demand to help us do that.

ABG: You also have a California ZEV mandate, and other states will follow.

MF: It's a process of our overall support of higher fuel economy, and also a process where we will have continual dialogue with the relevant government agencies to make sure that it's right for consumers and affordable for both consumers and the industry.

ABG: Do you believe those agencies will give the subject a fair hearing?

"The federal government has a vested interest in making sure that the automobile industry is successful."

MF: I believe so because, as we went through the discussions to get to the one national standard, they were very good discussions. The federal government has a vested interest in making sure that the automobile industry – one of the key industries in leading economic recovery and driving the economy on an ongoing basis – is successful, to provide not only direct jobs but also the indirect jobs that are associated with it. Every study says there are nine or 10 jobs supported by every auto industry job.

ABG: That understanding may exist at working levels, but what about the politicians from whom they get their orders?

MF: That's why it's important for us to make sure that we have identified the problem. That's what we did to get to the one national standard, and that's what we'll have to do when we get to that mid-term review.



ABG: You seem confident that Ford will be capable of meeting both federal CAFE and California ZEV mandates, but can you do it while maintaining affordability and desirability?

"Do not underestimate the ingenuity of engineers."

MF: Do not underestimate the ingenuity of engineers. Think about the fuel economy that we get from our F-150s, for example, along with their towing and cargo hauling capabilities. If I had told you five years ago that we'll be able to get 25 miles per gallon on the highway from an F-150 pickup and get even more payload that we were getting then, you probably would have said, "Where is that bar where you been drinking? I want some of that too."

ABG: But that's today. It's a long way from here to there.

MF: Yes, but we have time. We don't have to do it overnight, and we have a plan. I do think the cost thing is an open question, and a lot of it depends on consumer demand and what costs consumers are willing to pay. Those are things we have to continue working on while also making sure that were having the right discussions with the various government entities to make sure that we can deliver that affordably to the consumer, and to the business.




I also chatted last year with Sherif Marakby, Ford's director of vehicle electrification, and asked him whether Ford was considering a Chevy Volt-type extended-range EV, or "mild" hybrids like GM's eAssist? He responded that they had built and tested prototypes of each and didn't find their benefits worth their costs. "We believe our strategy of using our power-split architecture in plug-ins is a better value for the customer, and better efficiency, and we're proving that with the numbers.

"We believe the full hybrid is the right solution."

"We have a Fusion plug-in with better efficiency than the smaller Volt, so we have no plans to do that kind of system. And we believe our EcoBoost technology provides the same benefit as eAssist at lower cost, as proven by our 37-mpg EcoBoost versus any eAssist product. We believe the full hybrid is the right solution, and we are best-in-class in full hybrids."

Maybe so, but Ford's hybrid fuel economy is being questioned because virtually no one can achieve their EPA-rated 47-miles-per-gallon efficiency in real-world driving. Nor, to be fair, can many (if any) full hybrids today. I just drove an Acura ILX (an upscale Honda Civic) Hybrid on a 500-mile trip and averaged 33.2 mpg. Its official ratings are 39 mpg city, 38 highway and 38 combined.

Regarding the mild-hybrid approach – criticized by some as questionable value for money – GM is planning to offer it on increasing numbers of vehicles. By comparison, Chevy's mid-size eAssist Malibu's EPA economy is 25 mpg city, 37 highway vs. Ford's (much more powerful and expensive) 2.0L EcoBoost Fusion's 22/33, and it also compares well to Honda's similarly-priced four-cylinder Accord (26/35) and Nissan's Altima (23/32).

I'm not advocating anyone's technology, since virtually all automakers are working hard and doing a great job of improving their vehicles' efficiency while containing cost, and each is pursuing its own individual path to 54.5-mpg CAFE. But I am suggesting that potential buyers should do their research, test-drive and compare their leading candidates and decide which offers the best value for their wants and needs.

Source: Autoblog Green

Ford's 1.6-litre EcoBoost 'Hero' Engine In Huge Demand

PRESS RELEASE

Ford's 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine already sold to more than 50,000 customers since late 2010 launch

Versatile engine available in six Ford cars, from Focus to Galaxy

EcoBoost technology delivers best of both worlds – better performance combined with lower
emissions

BRENTWOOD, UK, June 29, 2011 – Since the introduction of the 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine in late 2010, Ford's Bridgend Engine Plant in the UK has been working flat out to meet customer demand. Available in the new Focus, Mondeo, C-MAX, Grand C-MAX, S-MAX and Galaxy, the versatile 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine has been a huge success thanks to its impressive performance, excellent fuel economy and low CO2 emissions.

That's why Ford is already celebrating building 50,000 of the engines at Bridgend.

"Demand for the EcoBoost engine is at record levels and the plant is fully focused on increasing capacity to ensure we can support the ever-growing customer demand," says Kieran Cahill, Bridgend Plant Manager.

The Ford-built and designed engine can rightly claim to be a 'hero' engine for the company –offering customers a winning combination of performance and economy, and the versatility to power cars as different as the Focus and the Galaxy.

Despite its relatively small capacity, the 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine delivers impressive performance. The Focus can reach 100km/h (62mph) from a standstill in 7.9 seconds, achieve a top speed of 222km/h (138mph) and return an excellent combined fuel consumption of 6l/100km (47.1mpg) – helped by Auto-Start-Stop, which is standard fit on all Focus, C-MAX and Grand C-MAX 1.6-litre EcoBoost models.

Even in the larger Ford Galaxy, the 160PS engine achieves a combined 7.2l/100km (39.2mpg) while still reaching 100km/h in less than 10 seconds.

The low CO2 emissions are a key feature of the 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine, achieved by some clever innovations such as Ford Auto-Start-Stop and the Active Grille Shutter.

Additional help comes from its state-of-the-art engine management system that monitors the Ti-VCT variable valve timing system, turbo boost, electronic throttle position, ignition timing, fuel injector pressure and delivery, and the knock sensor at a stunning rate of one million times per second.

With CO2 levels from 139g/km in the new Focus and 149g/km in the Mondeo, the 1.6-litre EcoBoost proves to be very affordable to run while still delivering a great drive – in short, more power and less fuel consumption.

"Ford EcoBoost engines actually provide customers with many of the benefits offered by the latest diesels, including impressive torque at low engine speeds and reduced CO2 emissions," says Graham Hoare, executive director Powertrain Development, Ford of Europe. "At the same time, these engines retain the free-revving driving character and cost advantage of a petrol unit – effectively giving customers the best of both worlds."

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About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 166,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.fordmotorcompany.com.

Ford of Europe is responsible for producing, selling and servicing Ford brand vehicles in 51 individual markets and employs approximately 66,000 employees. In addition to Ford Motor Credit Company, Ford of Europe operations include Ford Customer Service Division and 22 manufacturing facilities, including joint ventures. The first Ford cars were shipped to Europe in 1903 – the same year Ford Motor Company was founded. European production started in 1911.