New Focus range here at end of March.
Brian Joss
Ford has hit a new production milestone with its fuel-efficient EcoBoost® engine technology when the 5-millionth vehicle with a Ford EcoBoost engine rolled off the line at the assembly plant in Wayne, Michigan.
It was just less than three years ago that Ford celebrated production of its 500 000th EcoBoost-equipped vehicle. Now, a Ford Focus equipped with 1 litre turbocharged engine represents the 5-millionth Ford EcoBoost engine produced.
EcoBoost was launched in 2009 on Ford Taurus SHO with the 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6. That year, 14 439 EcoBoost engines were manufactured.
In 2010, the first full year of EcoBoost production, 62 704 vehicles with the technology were built. The 2-millionth EcoBoost engine rolled off the line at Louisville in October 2013.
Production of the 5-millionth EcoBoost-equipped vehicle coincides with the first full year in which customers can choose EcoBoost-equipped engines on 100 percent of Ford’s passenger vehicles sold in America. The fuel-saving technology is now available in every region the company serves.
The milestone is another step forward in the One Ford plan to drive innovation across the company’s global product portfolio, and continues to deliver on Ford’s commitment in its Blueprint for Sustainability.
The 1litre three-cylinder EcoBoost is a multiple award-winning engine, earning Engine Technology International’s International Engine of the Year honors three years in a row. No other automaker has won the award three straight years.
Other members of Ford’s global EcoBoost family include the 1.5 litre, 1.6 litre, 2litreand 2.3 litre four-cylinder engines, and the powerful 2.7litre and 3.5 litre V6 engines.
The new Focus offers a range of features including lane-keeping system, active park assist and standard rearview camera.
Earlier this month, Ford debuted its newest EcoBoost overachiever at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. The 2016 Ford Focus RS, a global all-wheel-drive performance car is equipped with 2.3 litre EcoBoost engine technology. This high-performance hatch promises thrilling performance for enthusiasts.
Production of the Focus RS with a 2.3 litre EcoBoost will begin later this year.
EcoBoost engines currently feature in 51 percent of Ford’s product line-up in South Africa, with the latest recipient being the new Focus range (which launches here at the end of March.