After the enormous success of the 1.0 liter EcoBoost engine we were expecting Ford to go smaller still. But the latest addition to the EcoBoost family is 1.5 liter unit, simply because the 1.0 liter isn’t powerful enough for use in bigger cars.
The new EcoBoost is a aluminium-block, twin-cam unit and inherits the family wealth, including turbocharging, direct fuel injection and variable valve timing, as well as an integrated exhaust manifold.
What’s more, the 1.5 liter fatures a a computer-controlled clutch on the belt-drive water pump, which further improves efficiencies by reducing warm-up time. Another innovative feature is a water-cooled charge air cooler that makes the air that goes into the engine cooler and therefore more dense, thus improving the efficiency of the the cycle.
Ford has not yet announced any performance or economhy numbers for the new engine, but the previous models are any indication, it should be a mighty bit of kit. Ford has sold more than 600,000 EcoBoost-equipped vehicles globally since the range was launched with the 3.5-litre V6 EcoBoost in 2009. Ford added the 2.0-litre EcoBoost in 2010; the 1.6-litre EcoBoost followed in 2011; and last year the 1.0-litre EcoBoost was launched.
