The Ford Motor Company is going to continue aggressively expanding its EcoBoost engine lineup for 2012, tripling production capacity for EcoBoost powerplants while making the technology available in 11 vehicles—four more than in 2011. Of course, that shouldn’t be a surprise, considering the EcoBoost advantage was a key factor in Ford’s success in raising both sales and profits last year. Of the more than 2 million Ford vehicles sold in the U.S. in 2011, a full 127,683 were fitted with EcoBoost engines, helping the automaker achieve some $6.2 billion in pre-tax operating profits in North America alone.
Among the Ford vehicles slated to be showcasing EcoBoost technology in the near-term future:
• Ford Focus ST, expected to bring a 2.0-liter, 247-hp EcoBoost I4 to the hot-hatch party.
• Ford Taurus, which will be the first Ford to offer two different EcoBoost choices, including a four-cylinder, 31-mpg unit capable of a 237 hp and the hi-po 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 that delivers 365 hp in the Taurus SHO.
• Ford Explorer, boasting the company’s proven 2.0-liter EcoBoost and EPA ratings as high as 20 mpg city/28 mpg highway/23 mpg combined.
• Ford Edge, providing the best fuel efficiency of any crossover its size or larger, including an EPA mark of 30 mpg highway with its 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine.
• Ford Flex, highlighting incredible interior versatility, new styling for 2012, and a 355-hp EcoBoost V6.
• Ford F-150, still Ford’s signature EcoBoost model and boasting an EcoBoost V6 that showcases 365 hp, along with best-in-class grades for torque (420 lb.-ft.), max trailer-tow rating (11,300 lbs.) and payload (3,060 lbs.).
• 2013 Ford Fusion, set to debut later this year with a high-efficiency 1.6-liter EcoBoost I4 that provides a class-leading 26 mpg city/37 mpg highway, along with a high-performance 2.0-liter version.
• 2013 Ford Escape, scheduled to rock the same EcoBoost pair for a similar mix of efficiency and excitement.
Also in the EcoBoost sales mix will be the Lincoln MKS, Lincoln MKT and Ford Police Interceptor Sedan; the latter is the first turbocharged vehicle Ford ever has offered for law-enforcement personnel.
“EcoBoost expansion and availability in high-volume nameplates such as the all-new Ford Escape and Fusion will take this affordable, fuel-saving technology to the heart of the market,” said Sue Cischke, Ford’s Group Vice President of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. “Ford is committed to delivering class-leading fuel economy for our customers, which benefits the environment and helps the U.S. move toward greater energy independence.”