Ford to offer EcoBoost engines in 4 more vehicles
Photo credit: FORD
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DETROIT -- Ford Motor Co. plans to offer EcoBoost engines in 11 vehicles in 2012, up from seven in 2011, and triple the production capacity of EcoBoost-equipped vehicles.
Ford is betting big on its family of turbocharged EcoBoost engines to drive fuel economy gains without sacrificing performance.
The company built 127,883 vehicles with the engine in North America last year, Ford spokesman Richard Truett said.
If it triples that production, Ford would make more than 383,000 vehicles equipped with the engines in 2012.
The EcoBoost engine option has already become popular on some Ford models.
On the F-150 pickup, the 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost direct injection engine accounts for 42 percent of the engine mix.
The EcoBoost engine -- a $995 option on the Edge and Explorer, and $1,000 extra for the F-150 -- is also helping Ford reap higher transaction prices and generate fatter profits.
The automaker said today it will introduce versions of the EcoBoost engine in the Escape, Fusion, Focus and Interceptor, a model used by law enforcement agencies.
The Escape crossover and Fusion mid-sized sedan will be all-new for the 2013 model year.
Ford will offer the new Escape in May, the new Fusion in late summer or early fall, and the Focus and Interceptor in the second half of the year, Truett said.
"EcoBoost expansion and availability in high-volume nameplates such as the all-new Ford Escape and Fusion will take this affordable, fuel-saving technology to the heart of the market," Sue Cischke, Ford's group vice president of sustainability, environment and safety engineering, said in a statement.
Ford said it will offer a 1.6-liter or 2.0-liter engine for both the Fusion and Escape, a 2.0-liter for the Focus and a 3.5-liter V-6 for the Interceptor.
Ford says the 2.0-liter will pump out 237 hp and get 25 percent better fuel economy than the outgoing 3.5-liter V-6, but did not discuss specific mpg numbers for the engine. The 1.6-liter engine, which Ford expects to be the volume leader, will get 26 mpg city/37 highway.
Ford posted U.S. sales of 2,057,210 units in 2011, a 17 percent increase over 2010.
PRESS RELEASE: Ford to Triple EcoBoost Vehicle Production Capacity in 2012
• Ford will offer fuel-efficient EcoBoost™ engines in 11 vehicles in 2012, up from seven in 2011, tripling the production capacity of EcoBoost-equipped Ford vehicles. Expanded availability in high-volume nameplates helps make fuel economy more affordable for hundreds of thousands of drivers
• Delivering up to 20 percent better fuel economy than conventional engines, EcoBoost uses smaller overall size combined with turbocharging and gasoline direct injection to bring customers the power they want and the fuel economy they need
• EcoBoost engines are a key element of the power of choice Ford offers buyers seeking fuel-efficient solutions. From EcoBoost to hybrids and from plug-in hybrids to full electric vehicles, this year Ford will offer nine vehicles reaching an anticipated 40 mpg or more
WASHINGTON, D.C., Jan. 26, 2012 – Now that record sales of 127,883 EcoBoost™-equipped vehicles in 2011 are on the books, Ford aims to more than triple production capacity of cars, utilities and trucks using this fuel-efficient technology in 2012.
Ford will expand its portfolio of fuel-efficient offerings this year with the fuel-saving 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine in the high-volume Escape compact utility vehicle and Fusion sedan nameplates, five new electrified vehicles, as well as with the introduction of auto start stop technology paired with the convenience of an automatic transmission.
"EcoBoost expansion and availability in high-volume nameplates such as the all-new Ford Escape and Fusion will take this affordable, fuel-saving technology to the heart of the market," said Ford Group Vice President of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering Sue Cischke. "Ford is committed to delivering class-leading fuel economy for our customers, which benefits the environment and helps the U.S. move toward greater energy independence."
The full-size Taurus sedan becomes the first Ford vehicle to offer customers a choice between two EcoBoost engines. It will offer a 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder making an estimated 237 horsepower and giving customers up to an anticipated class-leading 31 mpg, while the iconic Taurus SHO sport sedan features a 365-horsepower, twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 delivering 25 mpg highway.
The green and mean Focus ST arrives this year as a high-performance – yet fuel-efficient – sport compact EcoBoost application.
Additionally, Ford offers an EcoBoost-powered Police Interceptor for 2012. It is the first-ever turbocharged law-enforcement vehicle offering.
Ford's lineup of fuel-efficient cars, trucks, SUVs and crossovers underscores the company's commitment to continually improve fuel economy.
By the end of 2012, nine Ford models will deliver or are anticipated to deliver an EPA-certified 40 mpg highway or higher, with still more fuel-efficient vehicles on the way.
Of the 11 market segments in which Ford competes, the company leads in fuel economy customer satisfaction in six, according to the latest J.D. Power and Associates APEAL study, a third-party measure of buyer attitudes concerning recent vehicle purchases.
These findings show Ford customers are pleased with their fuel economy, and that their new Ford vehicle delivers the EPA-rated estimates in regular use.
The power of choice
Ford's top-selling F-150 pickup provides another example of how the company is meeting its promise to lead or be among the leaders in fuel economy.
In 2010, all F-150 trucks sold featured a V8 engine. Just one year later, 56 percent of 2011
F-150 customers bought pickups with a fuel-saving V6, either the base 305-horsepower 3.7-liter or the award-winning 365-horsepower 3.5-liter EcoBoost. These engines are EPA-certified at 23 mpg and 22 mpg highway, respectively, and deliver both leading fuel economy and capability.
Ford's electrified vehicle portfolio expands this year with the introductions of the new C-MAX Hybrid, C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid, Fusion Hybrid, Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid and Focus Electric battery electric vehicle.
You can reach Ellen Mitchell at emitchell@crain.com.
