Anybody seen this?

[sketchman]

DEARBORN, Michigan (AP) — Ford Motor Co. plans to introduce its smallest engine ever by 2013, part of the race to improve fuel economy across the industry.
Ford said Thursday it's working on a one-liter, three-cylinder engine that will be available in small cars globally. Ford didn't say which cars will get the engine, but it plans to release more details this fall.
Currently Ford's smallest engine available in the U.S. is the 1.6-liter, four-cylinder used in the Ford Fiesta subcompact. That engine has 120 horsepower and gets up to 38 miles per gallon (16 kilometers per liter) on the highway.
Ford says the new three-cylinder engine would match that power but be more efficient. The engine has Ford's EcoBoost technology, which uses turbocharging, direct injection and variable camshaft timing to boost performance. It's also about 20 pounds (9 kilograms) lighter than the four-cylinder, which helps fuel economy.
"No one's ever built a three-cylinder engine quite like this," said Joe Bakaj, Ford's vice president of global powertrain engineering.

Interesting, I guess, though still they put all the emphasis on, "Look how much power we can make in a shoe box." rather than really working on getting high MPGs. Sad. I wonder if they'll ever learn before it's too late.

[ejp2fast]

they don't need a 120 hp 1 liter 3 cylinder...not for mileage.. although that would be a pretty peppy engine. i'll keep my antennas up on this one.

[Pu241]

Interesting, I guess, though still they put all the emphasis on, "Look how much power we can make in a shoe box." rather than really working on getting high MPGs. Sad. I wonder if they'll ever learn before it's too late.

Agreed, but you don't have to use all that power.
I can pull 40+ MPG out of a BP with a high of 44.6 MPG so depending on gearing I should think that 50+ MPG with the 3 cylinder, direct injected, turbo charged engine should be easy.
Or possibly for us festiva owners, put it in the festiva body for maximum utility and MPG.

[Charlie1717]

It's interesting... In general Americans want high MPG but with no sacrifice in size or power. It's not like we haven't had high mpg cars in the past they were just to slow and small for people. Unless it has a bunch of crazy features! I'm sure they could simplify this engine and go back to the 1.0 3 cylinder metro days or the CRX or the Festiva! and improve on those engine designs and get those high 50-60 mpg or more!

Like John said you can still obtain high mpg with a larger engine. Like john I've found it pretty easy to get 40-45 in my BP without really even trying (interstate). I'd expect the 1.0 should easily get way more.

[htchbck]

120 horses huh? Diahatsu made a 1.0 3cyl turbo back in the late 80s that was putting out just over 100. You'd think in over 20 years they could do a little better lol. I would like to see some new NA 1.0s though, I think with current tech they could be awesome. I miss my '88 Daihatsu 3cyl (NA), it was still about as quick as a stock festy, with IRS lol

[Gomez]

120 horses huh? Diahatsu made a 1.0 3cyl turbo back in the late 80s that was putting out just over 100. You'd think in over 20 years they could do a little better lol. I would like to see some new NA 1.0s though, I think with current tech they could be awesome. I miss my '88 Daihatsu 3cyl (NA), it was still about as quick as a stock festy, with IRS lol

This has been my question for years. Technology seems to have come to a standstill. But in reality my question got answered when someone suggested to me that it is the EPA holding us back. I have seen some private companies make 2000+ up to almost 4000 HP Honda powered 4 cyl dragsters (prolly like 256 gallons a mile lol). No way they would ever pass smog. The technology is there to make power just not for us to use. I'm sure the technology is there for MPG's as well they're just not letting us have it.

[htchbck]

I have seen some private companies make 2000+ up to almost 4000 HP Honda powered 4 cyl dragsters (prolly like 256 gallons a mile lol). No way they would ever pass smog.

Well, as for that, yes, with a ton of tuning (and $$$$) you can make power, but can it easily (and cheaply) be mass produced? And to take it a step further, these 2000+ "Honda dragsters"... whens the last time you pulled up next to them at a redlight? And how often do those engines need to be rebuilt. You can make mad power, but they are designed to run wide open for a short time. Bottom line, not feasibly streetable, if at all.

I'm sure the technology is there for MPG's as well they're just not letting us have it.

Actually the NHTSA has a lot to do with this. My '88 CRX and '88 Diahatsu weighed in at around 1800 a piece. Current cars of comprable size are up in the mid 20s because they have added safety equipment, altered body structure, etc. The Yaris can still get festy-like gas mileage, and I believe (according to a buddy of mine who owns a 2door hatch) they weigh around 2400. Drop that engine in a festiva or CRX with the right gearing and you could get a good bit better in town (highway not as much of a gain) but by shifting earlier at lower RPMs it would make a huge difference in town.

[Safety Guy]

Remember, the new idea of "small cars" involves curb weights of 2400 to 3000 pounds.

The new idea of "inexpensive" is around $11K up.

It's not just the EPA, but also the NHTSA and crash testing standards, etc.

I'd love to do a mild redesign on the Festiva, adding around one or two-hundred pounds of steel for more structural rigidity, two airbags, maybe side curtain airbags, a bit better quality seats, Aspire spec suspension and brakes, and an updated 1.5L DOHC with higher tech controls for the best fuel economy. Just think: a safer, quicker, better handling and stopping Festiva that gets a few more MPGs than current stock ones do, at a price point just under $10K, maybe a bit less.

It might be capable of an updated EPA 38 city/50 highway MPG, without paying "hybrid prices."

Safer, more affordable than most competitors, very frugal, and almost as simple as what we have now. Most frills could still be left off, and the cheapskates would still buy them.

It wouldn't be "safe" enough, though. I'm sure it wouldn't meet current crash standards, though it would probably be a good 20% improvement in front crashes and better than that for side impacts.

So I still drive the older models, and if this were in the Arena, I'd be saying what I'd be telling the Feds where to put their rigid, mindless, wasteful, "one size fits all" safety standards.

Karl

[Pu241]

Gomez, the technology is there but MPG doesn't sell at at premium here in the USA, like power and size do.
Unless fuel prices reach the point they have, and now a vocal majority will put there money where their mouth is.
You can't blame the OEM's for this, they can't make as much money selling economy as they do power/size.
Unless forced by legislation like CAFE(??) to produce/import vehicles to offset the crappy mileage of the over fleet.
Remember how few festivas were sold relative to everything else 18 and 23 yrs ago.
It's going to be an up hill battle to change US automotive expectations, unless fuel is raised to $5+/gal!

[Safety Guy]

John, I'd guess that our increasing $4.00 per gallon gas will be only one factor favoring small cars. The other main factor will be the increasing economic problems which will prevent most people from buying a new car to begin with, since all the new wonder machines are inching closer to $15K plus.

$4.50 per gallon gas and higher taxes, coupled with the flat job scene just might kick some sense into those who only think of cars as another status symbol to compare with the Jones'.

I could be wrong, of course. Maybe I'm just wishful thinking.

Picture this, though:

A dual Hyundai/Kia "Pride II" model with their 10 year warranty, with a list price of $9999. (Assuming the improved model I described above were allowed to be sold here, ha ha.)

Gas stays within 20-30 cents of either side of $4.00 and the economy remains mostly stagnant as services are cut and taxes slowly rise (as they must).

As for consumers being primarily responsible for "automotive tastes" (ahem), I'm not completely sold. I think it is more of a back and forth game in which big marketing dollars, coupled with corporate greed and CEO shortsightedness also have some say. But that's me!

Karl

[Gomez]

^ ha ha I drive a Festiva and still compare it to the Jones's

[sc72]

When Ford let it be know that they are going to build a Fiesta with a Diesel Engine that got 60mpg i went right to my local dealer and said i want to order one, the salesman had no idea about this car, well it turns out that Ford doesn't believe that America is ready for Diesel cars, WHAT!! These cars are being made in England and Ford is not going to make them available to the states. In some research i have done, Europe has embraced the Diesel as a main stay for transportation. There is alot more to be said about this topic but i'm done for today.

[Gomez]

^ I think there is a lot more to be said about every topic but I am not as capable with words as most others are so I tend to stay off the front lines for the most part.

For the life of me I can't fathom why Americans can't embrace this and get over the macho mine is bigger than yours mentality. Even as fuel prices go up I see families at the local dealers shelling out cash for Engines with a large body around it. Yes maybe a lot of Americans aren't ready for diesel in the mainstream but I would like the manufacturers to give us a try. I think we are caught in a circle of "I will buy what you sell. You sell what I will buy". Humor us.

[getnpsi]

On an engine that small the mpg will hurt if the car still weighs 2500 pounds or more. All the extra copper wire and plastic adds up quickly.

[Safety Guy]

I'm with you Gomez!

I do love some big vehicles (Checker Marathon, Army 2 1/2 ton truck, 1971 or '72 340 Dart for example), but until I really need one or have the $$$ to comfortably afford one, then I'm sticking to little cars!

Karl