FORD 1.0-LITRE ECOBOOST IS 2013 ENGINE OF THE YEAR

Ford Motor Company’s ultra-fuel efficient and spirited 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine today was named 2013 International Engine of the Year, marking the second straight year Ford’s acclaimed three-cylinder engine has captured the award.

The 1.0-litre EcoBoost – which combines direct fuel injection, turbocharging and variable valve timing to lower fuel consumption without sacrificing power – received the highest score in the history of the awards. The engine also won the “Best Engine Under 1.0-litre” category at the annual awards presented by Engine Technology International magazine.

Ford also confirmed plans to double production of the engine at its Cologne (Germany) Engine Plant to more than 1 000 engines a day from mid-August to meet demand.

“With a technology as mature as the internal combustion engine, it’s very rare to achieve a true breakthrough, but that is exactly what the team accomplished with this engine,” said Joe Bakaj, Ford vice president, Global Powertrain. “You have to drive it to believe a small three-cylinder engine can deliver such performance and fuel economy.”

A panel of 87 automotive journalists from 35 countries around the world judged the awards on drivability, performance, economy, refinement and the successful application of advanced engine technology. Ford is one of three car makers to record back-to-back victories in the 15-year history of the awards. The Ford 1.0-litre EcoBoost also has won the International Paul Pietsch Award 2013 for technological innovation at German magazine Auto Motor und Sport Best Cars Awards and the Dewar Trophy from the Royal Automobile Club in Great Britain, a Breakthrough Award from Popular Mechanics magazine in the U.S.

“Who'd have believed it? A 1.0-litre engine that has it all, powerful, fuel efficient, clean and lightweight,” said Peter Lyon, U.K. juror and freelance journalist. “This is a masterpiece.”

The 1.0-litre EcoBoost was designed at Ford’s research and development centres in Aachen and Merkenich, Germany, and Dunton, U.K., and is built in Cologne and Craiova, Romania.

Dean Slavnich, co-chairman of the 15th International Engine of the Year awards and editor of Engine Technology International Magazine, said: “Baby EcoBoost – Ford’s first-ever three-cylinder design – is still the engine to beat across the board. It’s economical in real-world conditions while the compact turbo helps ensure that the entire package can power larger vehicles like the Grand C-MAX with ease.”

In South Africa, the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine is currently offered in the Fiesta and will also be a part of the EcoSport range, coming later this year.

STORY BY FORD