Edge Guide Posted January 7, 2008 Report Share Posted January 7, 2008 Detroit's Battle for Better, Smaller Engines The trick at Ford and GM is balancing better fuel economy and power with consumer desire for vroom There is a new battle shaping up between General Motors (GM) and Ford (F) over engine superiority. And it's not the race for who can achieve the highest horsepower. With gas prices expected to stay above $3 per gallon and pressure on automakers to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, the new battle is over which companies can shrink their engines' sizes and displacements without compromising driving performance or leaving power-hungry customers behind. What does this really mean? Gas-thirsty V-8 engines in passenger cars and crossover SUVs will soon be an endangered species. This fall, Ford will launch the first in a series of smaller engines it is calling gas turbocharged direct-injection engines, or GTDI engines. These engines, the first of which will appear in the 2009 Lincoln MKS sedan, will achieve a 15% improvement in fuel economy over Ford's current engines. Over the next five years, Ford expects to put 500,000 vehicles equipped with the new engines on the road worldwide, with faster growth after that. The MKS sedan will be introduced with what Ford may call, for marketing purposes, the "EcoBoost" 3.5-liter twin-turbo direct-injection V-6, expected to produce 340 hp. This same engine will migrate to other Ford models including the Taurus, Edge, and Lincoln MKX crossover SUVs in 2009...... CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THE STORY?. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Posted January 7, 2008 Report Share Posted January 7, 2008 The story leaves out the mention of a new 4 cylinder TDI engine that will become standard fare in many of the new vehicles, with the V6 being an option. I would prefer the 4 cylinder if it gets significantly better fuel economy and still pumps out 230 Horse Power or better. We will see how it unfolds as 2009 approaches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
07 MKX Posted January 7, 2008 Report Share Posted January 7, 2008 According to ford's official release yesterday: http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?...p;make_id=trustFord will introduce EcoBoost on the new Lincoln MKS flagship in 2009, followed by the Ford Flex and other vehicles. By 2013, Ford will have more than half a million EcoBoost-powered vehicles on the road annually in North America. In 2009, Ford first will introduce EcoBoost on the Lincoln MKS featuring a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V-6. It will produce the power and torque of a V-8 engine with the fuel efficiency of a V-6. In fact, with an estimated 340-horsepower and more than 340 lb.-ft. of torque, the Lincoln MKS will be the most powerful and fuel-efficient all-wheel-drive luxury sedan in the market. Not one mention was made of the Edge. Mr. Kiley could be just speculating at this point as to a time line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capnkirk52 Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 I think it will trickle down into the Edge and MKX but not until 2010. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardhawk Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 (edited) I think it will trickle down into the Edge and MKX but not until 2010. MKX will get it in 2009 or 2010, Edge won't. Edge will get the non turbo version of the direct injection engine. MKX will also get the MKS twin grille in 2010. Edited January 8, 2008 by Hardhawk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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