Ford reinvents 2.0-litre EcoBoost

FORD is planning to phase out its highly regarded 2.0-litre EcoBoost four-cylinder engine after just four years in production, replacing it with an even better, entirely new four-pot EcoBoost powerplant to be gradually introduced across its range from early next year, according to United States reports.

The new engine came to light in yesterday’s unveiling of the Ford Edge SUV that is set to be sold in 100 markets around the world, including Australia where it is expected to replace the locally made Territory.

The Edge will go on sale in North America early next year, armed with the new 2.0-litre EcoBoost engine as an alternative to the 2.7-litre EcoBoost V6.

The current 2.0-litre EcoBoost is sold in numerous Ford models around the world, including Australia’s Falcon, the imported Mondeo and Focus ST.

In Falcon guise, the turbo-charged engine produces 179kW of power at 5500rpm and 353Nm of torque between 1750rpm and 4500rpm.

The new 2.0-litre EcoBoost in Edge is said to generate 183kW of power and 366Nm of torque for improved all-round performance, efficiency and towing capacity.

Ford Australia brand communications associate Martin Gunsberg told GoAuto today that the new engine was another chapter in the advance of EcoBoost, but that he had no news to share on any product that might get the new engine in Australia.

American automotive publication Autonews quotes Ford engineer Scott Makowski as saying the new engine shares almost no parts with the current EcoBoost engine, including the block, cylinder head, balance shaft and turbo-charger.

He said rapid advances in engine technology had encouraged Ford to redesign the engine from scratch, even though it had been in production only a relatively short time.

The new aluminium engine block is lighter, cutting about three kilograms from the engine’s weight. More weight is saved by incorporating an aluminium balance shaft assembly, while performance is optimised by a twin-scroll turbo-charger in place of the single scroll blower to reduce turbo lag.

Mr Makowski – engineer in charge of Ford’s large four-cylinder engine development – told Autonews the new cylinder head has three exhaust ports routed into a manifold that channels exhaust gas pulses from cylinders are split into two, separately entering each scroll of the turbo-charger for reduced lag and greater engine response.

Other changes include lighter pistons, an integrated exhaust manifold and a high-pressure direct-injection fuel system for finer fuel atomisation, Ford says.

“These upgrades pave the way for an increased compression ratio of 9.7 to 1, up from 9.3 to 1, for improved overall fuel efficiency,” it says.

Ford claims the engine is 2.0 decibels quieter than its predecessor, with a more refined engine note under hard acceleration.

It is unclear when the new engine will arrive on the Australian market, where the current EcoBoost 2.0-litre unit came into service in the mid-sized Mondeo in the middle of 2011.

It was also slotted into the local Falcon in April 2012 as an alternative to the 4.0-litre inline six, creating what many critics regarded as one of the finest Falcons ever created.

The Falcon is expected to miss out on the new engine when it is facelifted late this year, going to its grave in 2016 with the current engine, while the all-new Mondeo is expected to be launched in early 2015 with the current engine as per overseas markets where it has been on sale since last year.

Like the US, the aforementioned Edge SUV might pioneer the new engine in this market when it lands here to take the SUV reins from Territory on a date to be fixed.

The new Mondeo might get the heart transplant in a facelift at some point as Ford phases out the old engine for the new.

Ford is also planning a fresh Focus ST next year to replace the current hot hatch that generates 184kW and 360Nm from its 2.0-litre engine.

Apart from Ford’s own models, some cars from Volvo, Land Rover and Jaguar have been powered by EcoBoost engines.