New Ford 3-cylinder engine and 8-speed transmission

[Camper]

New Ford 3-cylinder engine and 8-speed transmission to raise fuel efficiency

Ford will produce a 1.0-liter, three-cylinder EcoBoost engine and a new eight-speed transmission sometime in the next two years to raise the fuel economy of its small cars, company executives said Thursday.
Derrick Kuzak, head of global product development, declined to say which Ford model will get the new engine or transmission, but it will power models sold in the U.S., most likely the Fiesta and Focus. Kuzak also declined to say where Ford will make the products, other than to say the new transmission will be made in the U.S.
But Ford is escalating efforts to take fuel efficiency to the next level. Three-cylinder engines have been widely available in Europe and emerging markets, but the only other car that Americans can buy with a three-cylinder engine is the Smart Fortwo, which has a 1.0-liter engine.
Ford showed a concept car, the Start, at last year's Beijing Auto Show that featured a 1.0-liter three-cylinder.
The 1.0-liter would be offered in Ford vehicles throughout the world, Kuzak said. Joe Bakaj, Ford vice president of global powertrain engineering, said it would match the performance of the company's current 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, but would weigh about 20 pounds less.
EcoBoost engines combine turbocharging and direct-injection fuel technology to provide about 20% better fuel economy than larger engines and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Ford wants to have EcoBoost engines in 90% of all vehicles it sells in North America by 2013.
Ford launched its first EcoBoost engine in 2009 on the Taurus SHO sedan and has since offered it in the Flex, Lincoln MKT and F-150 pickup, as well as on three models in Europe -- S-Max, Mondeo and Galaxy. Later this year, the automaker will launch a 2.0-liter EcoBoost version of the Edge and Explorer.
So far, Ford has sold 180,000 EcoBoost engines in North America. The 3.5-liter EcoBoost is in 41% of the 2011 F-150s that have been sold.
The eight-speed transmission also will improve fuel efficiency by streamlining the way gears shift.
That transmission will be Ford's first eight-speed. Chrysler will launch an eight-speed transmission this summer and fall on the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger.
Separately, Ford will begin production of a new transmission for hybrid vehicles later this year at its Van plant in Sterling Heights.

New Ford 3-cylinder engine and 8-speed transmission to raise fuel efficiency | Detroit Free Press | freep.com

It's about time

 

[greg334]

I think that if they would have brought the diesel they offer in Europe over here and put it into the Fiesta like they do in Europe, we would see the 60 MPG here instead of only there.

 

[Camper]

I think that if they would have brought the diesel they offer in Europe over here and put it into the Fiesta like they do in Europe, we would see the 60 MPG here instead of only there.

I agree. The diesel is a hot seller in Europe, so I don't see why it wouldn't sell well here, especially given the relatively low price differential between diesel and gas. In fact, VW has been selling a diesel version of the Jetta in the states for quite some time.