Ford unveils 'radical' new 1.0-litre engine
The small car market looks set to be shaken up by a new 1.0-litre engine, which promises to deliver all-new levels of fuel efficiency.
Ford says that their new powertrain, the 1.0-litre EcoBoost, will offer a efficient alternative to their next-generation C-MAX hybrid vehicles, which are due to be released in 2013.
The new three-cylinder engine is the smallest Ford has ever built and although it only produces 120 bhp, the manufacturer claims it will still be as powerful as a four-cylinder motor.
What Car? Magazine has already described the new engine as "radical", pointing out that it will be first used in the B-MAX, the replacement to the Fusion, which is due out in spring 2012.
Joe Bakaj, vice president of global powertrain engineering at Ford, said: "No one has ever built a three-cylinder engine quite like this. It's one of the most technically advanced and efficient engines we've ever designed."
More details of the new engine and the B-MAX are due to be released at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.
Written by Craig Salter