New Ford Fiesta features 1.0-liter turbo “EcoBoost” engine

MANILA, Philippines - Ford also unveiled its new Fiesta at the Bangkok Motor Show. This subcompact Ford has been one of the key drivers of the company’s success in the region. Since its ASEAN launch in 2010, the Fiesta has attracted a segment share of nearly 10 percent across the region.

The new Fiesta, which Ford will launch commercially later this year, will feature a redesigned exterior boasting a sporty new grille, and with all-new features and advanced technologies, including SYNC. It will also feature Ford’s 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine—awarded 2012 “International Engine of the Year”—which offers best-in-class fuel economy while delivering the power of a bigger engine.

“Fuel efficiency is one of the biggest purchase considerations for consumers across the ASEAN region,” said Matt Bradley, president, Ford ASEAN. “The 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine will give consumers yet another choice of class-leading powertrains for the Fiesta, and yet another reason to connect with the popular Fiesta.”

The Ford Fiesta has been a sales champion for Ford in ASEAN, thanks to its sporty design, class-leading fuel efficiency, excellent safety, and smart technologies. In 2012, the Fiesta was Ford’s best-selling nameplate across ASEAN, including record full-year sales in Thailand, and the best-selling five-door hatchback in its class for a second consecutive year in the Philippines.

The smallest engine in its class, Ford’s patented 3-cylinder EcoBoost engine will be big on power, torque and refinement. Producing 120ps of power and peak torque of 170 Nm, the quiet and smooth-running engine will deliver power and performance that rivals a traditional 1.6-litre engine.

Ford’s EcoBoost technology, which holds more than 125 patents, combines direct fuel injection, turbocharging and variable valve timing to enable a downsized engine to gain fuel economy by up to 20 percent over larger engines with no loss of performance.

Currently available in Ford models in Europe, the 1.0-litre EcoBoost will also make its way to North America, China, India and other countries.

“Customers are going to be delighted by how the junior member of the EcoBoost engine family punches above its weight,” said Graham Pearson, vehicle line director for small cars, Ford Asia Pacific. The 1.0-litre EcoBoost is unlike any engine in Ford’s history, spanning more than a century. Not only is it the company’s first three-cylinder engine but it also has the highest power density of any Ford production engine.

More than 200 engineers based at Ford’s technical centers in Dunton, U.K., and Merkenich, Germany worked their magic to transform three cylinders into the smooth and refined 1.0-liter Ford EcoBoost.

The engineers deliberately unbalanced the pulley and flywheel with weights placed precisely to counteract the natural shaking forces of the engine and drive the energy in a less sensitive direction. The engine mounts are also designed to decouple as well as absorb the engine’s shaking forces.

The 1.0-litre EcoBoost also debuts many new technologies never before seen in a Ford vehicle. The super-small and extremely responsive turbocharger delivers power quickly when the throttle is open from low rpm. The turbocharger’s ability to reach nearly 250,000 rpm results in virtually no turbo lag and the engine’s peak torque of 170 Nm over 1,400-4,500 rpm is more than enough for drivers to pull away and overtake easily.

The 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine was voted 2012 International Engine of The Year by a jury of 76 journalists from 36 countries, winning by the largest voting margin in the award’s history. It went on to bag a Breakthrough Award from Popular Mechanics magazine in the U.S., the prominent Dewar Trophy from the Royal Automobile Club in Great Britain, and the esteemed International Paul Pietsch Award 2013 for technological innovation in Germany.

The 1.0-litre EcoBoost has also proven that small does not mean slow. Last June, it set 16 land speed records at a racetrack in France. The unmodified Ford Focus 1.0-litre EcoBoost achieved 0-100 km/h acceleration in 11.3 seconds and a top speed of 193 km/h.

In September, a unique Formula One Ford race car powered by the tiny but feisty 1.0-litre EcoBoost produced a supercar-beating performance at the legendary Nürburgring track in Germany. It recorded the 11th fastest lap ever at seven minutes, 22 seconds—higher on the list than 600+ hp supercars such as the Lamborghini Aventador, Ferrari Enzo, and the Pagani Zonda.

“The 1.0-litre EcoBoost proves that size doesn’t matter,” said Pearson. “It doesn’t force the customer to choose between performance versus economy or responsiveness versus smoothness. It’s a no-compromise engine that delivers it all.”