Ford to build its smallest engine ever

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Ford will build a three-cylinder engine -- its smallest engine ever -- with better fuel economy and all the power of a larger one, the company said Thursday.

The new EcoBoost engine, comparable to that found in a cruiser motorcycle, is in the final phase of development. EcoBoost engines will be available in 90 percent of Ford's North American lineup by 2013, the automaker said in a press release.

Ford (F, Fortune 500) said the engine is designed to have higher fuel economy and lower emissions than a traditional four-cylinder, without sacrificing power and performance.

The 1.0-liter engine will deliver horsepower and torque outputs equivalent to or better than most conventional 1.6-liter gasoline engines, according to the release.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/06/02/autos/ford_three_cylinder_engine/?section=money_latest

http://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=21839

which was in production until 1989: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Fiesta#Fiesta_Mark_II_.281983.E2.80.931989.29:_The_second_generation

They're saying this is the smallest engine that they have built not offered. A friend of ours had one of the fiesta's that you link too and it was bare bones but he was driving 90 miles one way to work each day and he swore he was getting up to 75 miles per gallon with it. I'm sure that was with a tail wind but he was driving it balls to the wall because of the long distance he was having to drive twice a day. His kids loved it as it was like a go kart more than a car, almost to me anyway.

And, that saved them. The economy turned so bad that they were scared though.

They build a good vehicle. I've owned many fords and they've always been top notch quality vehicles. I've owned gm's, chryslers, VW's but the fords were always the ones that I liked the best. We've still got two 98 fords that we'll keep until we die I'm sure because they are for all intents and purposes as good as they were when they were new and they both are approaching 150 thousand miles. Still run and look as good inside and outside as they did new. We're going to buy an EV when ford start selling them but we plan to keep the ones we have now as the f150 is for pickup duty and the explorer all wheel drive will be for the snow and ice as it does so good on that surface.

----------------------------------------- MPG CITY HWY

1989 Geo Metro 3 cylinder 1.0 liter R (M5) Manual 53 58
1989 Geo Metro LSi 3 cylinder 1.0 liter R (A3) Auto 38 40
1989 Geo Metro LSi 3 cylinder 1.0 liter R (M5) Manual 46 50
1989 Pontiac Firefly 3 cylinder 1.0 liter R (A3) Auto 38 40
1989 Pontiac Firefly 3 cylinder 1.0 liter R (A3) Auto 38 40
1989 Pontiac Firefly 3 cylinder 1.0 liter R (M5) Manual 46 50
1989 Pontiac Firefly 3 cylinder 1.0 liter R (M5) Manual 46 50
1989 Pontiac Turbo Firefly 3 cylinder 1.0 liter R (M5) Manual 37 42
1989 Suzuki Swift 3 cylinder 1.0 liter R (A3) Auto 38 40
1989 Suzuki Swift 3 cylinder 1.0 liter R (M5) Manual 46 50
http://www.mpgomatic.com/2007/10/17/super-cheap-high-mpg-cars-1986-1989/

back in the day, and for fuel economy, you couldn't beat it. Plus 12 inch tires that are hard to find, but cheap to buy. Unfortuantely, the rest of the car was not well made, so it only lasted 3.5 years and 135,000 miles.

What was it? $4,995 sticker price?

and we replaced the exhaust valves in it a couple times, After that he could do it himself so I didn't have to help him. Finally he got tired of doing that and got rid of it. Drives a ford today I might add and hasn't had to do a thing to it yet.
I liked the little geo though but it sure had a habit of eating the exhaust valves and nothing we could do would help that. the valves cost 70 some bucks apiece then too. They were sodium filled best I remember and thats why they cost so much but they still burned out regularly though.

It's time to abandon the internal combustion engine for passenger cars. Well, almost time.

At least it shows that we've joined the human race in terms of economy. Even so, this little engine is outrageous in terms of horsepower. We could still cut this thing in half and have more than enough power to get ourselves around.

Good.

948 cc Austin Healy Sprite engine. I think it may have come close to 100 hp output. There was a time when 100 hp per liter was a very big deal. Today, not so much.

Motorcycles did it first.

Scared the shit out of me.

But I think a 3-cylinder small car makes a lot of sense. Saab used to put out a 3-cylinder 2-cycle car.

And if I remember correctly, that engine was originally a very efficient water pump and was built by Ford...lol.

I worked in a gas station then as I was in high school and the saab 2 cycles were the autos to stay away from, as far as one could get.

The biggest contribution to energy conservation and global co2 emissions would be smaller engines and smaller cars produced for, by and in the good old USof A

Even the Corvette is getting boosted! There is a replacement for displacement... it's called Boost!

http://www.autotropolis.com/car-buying-review/2014-chevrolet-corvette-could-feature-turbocharged-v8-mid-engine-design.html

The rumors about the next-generation 2014 Chevrolet Corvette featuring an all-new, exotic drivetrain just won’t go away. Chevrolet will apparently attempt to take the Corvette to the next level of performance and desirability by giving future versions of the sports coupe a more high-revving turbocharged motor matched with a smaller and lighter chassis.

The Detroit Bureau is reporting that the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette will most likely be abandoning its traditional large displacement V-8 engine for a motor that will check in at around 3-liters. Although this is far from the first time that a story about the Corvette deviated from its tried and true pushrod design has been published, this particular article claims to have information from a “very senior GM executive.” This same source goes on to claim that the 3-liter V-8 will make use of overhead camshafts and at least one turbocharger in order to deliver approximately 400 horsepower.

Brother has one in a Cadillac and he consistently get 26 and better gas mileage. It'll run right out from under you if you don't watch out too. Powerful engine, good engine but for some reason GM quit making it rather than offering the same basic design in a four or a six. If they'd have put a turbo or supercharger on it it would have been the fastest thing going but for some reason they didn't. I don't think I've ever heard of one of the northstar engine that wore out either, the rest of the cars did.

Hell, buy TDIs from VAG to put in the small cars if you must. A gas engine without some hybrid assist will never reach the efficiency of a diesel engine. Why won't they offer us the good stuff here at home???

Low drag wheelbearings and brakes, not overburdened with gadgets.