A tiny petrol engine, which drivers across the world have taken to their hearts for its excellent fuel efficiency and impressive performance, has received an eighth award in four years at the 2015 International Engine of the Year Awards. For the fourth consecutive year, the Ford 1.0-litre EcoBoost was named “Best Engine Under 1.0-litre.” It was judged the class winner – based on drivability, performance, economy, refinement and technology – by a panel of 87 automotive journalists, from 35 countries. Last year, the 1.0litre EcoBoost became the first engine to be named overall International Engine of the Year three times in a row, and was in 2012 named “Best New Engine.”
Ford is working with engineering partners at the Schaeffler Group to test a new dual mass flywheel that enables cylinder deactivation to take place at a wider range of engine loads and speeds, and help minimise noise, vibration and harshness levels. On-road tests using a working prototype at the European Research and Innovation Centre in Aachen, Germany, showed further fuel efficiency improvements of up to 6 per cent.
Carsten Weber, advanced powertrain manager, Ford of Europe. “The highest priority in the development of new combustion engines for automotive applications is the ongoing reduction of The 1.0-litre EcoBoost is produced in Cologne, Germany, Craiova, Romania and Chongqing, China, and is now available in 72 countries worldwide. Since its introduction, the engine has also been awarded the International Paul Pietsch Award 2013 for technological innovation in Germany; the Royal Academy of Engineering Colin Campbell Mitchell Award; the Dewar Trophy from the Royal Automobile Club in Great Britain; and in the U.S., the Breakthrough Award from Popular Mechanics magazine. Ford is the first automaker to win a Ward’s 10 Best Engines trophy for a three-cylinder engine.
Globally, Ford’s range of powerful yet fuel-efficient EcoBoost engines includes 1.5-litre, 1.6litre, 2.0-litre and 2.3-litre four-cylinder engines, and 2.7-litre and 3.5-litre V6 engines. The latter is being developed to power the all-new Ford GT supercar that will see the company return to racing in Le Mans in 2016.
In Malaysia, EcoBoost engines are available in several nameplates across the lineup. These include the Fiesta with a 1.0-litre EcoBoost, the Fiesta ST and Kuga with a 1.6-litre EcoBoost, and the Focus ST, Mondeo and S-Max with a 2.0-litre EcoBoost.
