Ford has revealed that their engineering department are at work on a 1.0-liter three-cylinder powerplant with EcoBoost technology – the smallest engine that it has ever developed. Ford didn’t provide production dates but it’s anticipated that it will be used in smaller Ford vehicles within several years. Ford explained that the engine has an output that’s comparable to a 1.6-liter four-cylinder powerplant. In a company statement, Ford product boss Derrick Kuzak referred to this engine as a “dynamo” but its specific horsepower and torque ratings have not been announced yet.
The three-cylinder EcoBoost engine was previewed in the Start concept displayed at the 2010 Beijing auto show. Ford said that it will provide further details about this engine at the Frankfurt motor show this September. The engine, which was developed by UK engineers, is expected to be heavily promoted in Europe where fuel costs are higher than in the U.S. This engine features EcoBoost technology bin and makes use of turbocharging, direct injection and twin-independent variable camshaft timing.
