Friday, April 29, 2011

FORD ECOBOOST ENGINES: CONSERVING FUEL, ADDING SALES, ATTRRACTING NEW CUSTOMERS

DEARBORN--The EcoBoost engine family isn't just giving some Ford vehicles a bump in fuel economy. The engines also are giving Ford sales a boost by attracting customers who had not previously considered a Ford brand product.





"EcoBoost is like having your cake and eating it, too," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president for Global Product Development. "The unmatched combination of responsive power with responsible fuel efficiency is attracting new customers to Ford showrooms."





EcoBoost pickup sales


Demand for the EcoBoost engine in the F-150 has increased each month since launch. One in every four Ford F-150 pickups sold during March was powered by a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6. In April, EcoBoost F-150 sales are running at about 35 percent. In the F-150, the EcoBoost engine with its 365 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque provides best-in-class towing capacity of 11,300 lbs combined with up to 20 percent fuel economy savings. The 2011 F-150 EcoBoost carries an EPA rating of 16 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway, making it the best combination of capability and efficiency among light duty full-sized pickups.





In addition, incoming F-150 orders reflect stong customer demand--currently running at over 40 percent mix--for the EcoBoost engine option.





Later this year, the first North American four-cylinder EcoBoost engine, a 237-horsepower 2.0-liter, will make its debut in the Explorer SUV and Edge CUV. Next year, the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine will be available in the high-performance Focus ST. Ford is currently rolling out EcoBoost engines globally. EcoBoost is available in Europe for Mondeo, Galaxy, S-Max and C-Max, for example, and has just launched in Australia in Mondeo.





EcoBoost engines are fundamental to the Ford strategy of providing technologically advanced, high-output, smaller-displacement powertrains that deliver exceptional fuel economy and uncompromised performance for millions of drivers around the world. By 2013, Ford plans to produce up to 1.5 million EcoBoost engines globally in a wide variety of vehicles from small cars to trucks.

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