#ecoboost

Adding the to product range, Ford has unveiled the 2013 Ford Explorer Sport, a performance geared model which the company claims has the “highest projected fuel economy among gasoline-engine-powered, high- performance SUVs.”

Ford Motor Company has announced that it is pursuing a number of avenues aimed at easing the financial burden on small businesses and fleet companies, many of which are feeling the pinch of current gas prices.

It almost sounds strange to hear Ford is working on a 1.0L, three-cylinder engine – especially one that could potentially make 177-hp. Gone are the days of having to rely on large V8 engines for performance, as technology pushes the envelope on smaller and more efficient powerplants with turbochargers.

As it aims to meet ever stringent Corporate Average Fuel Economy Targets, Ford Motor Company continues with its march to introduce still more smaller displacement, turbocharged and direct injected EcoBoost engines into its North American product lineup.

What’s the best car of 2012? Who knows. Is a Porsche GT3 RS 4.0 better than a Ferrari 458 Italia? What about the Scion FR-S? Or a Prius Plug-in Hybrid? The past year has seen the launch of numerous excellent vehicles, including some we really didn’t expect to be any good. That said, we’ve put together our list of the top five surprisingly good cars of 2012, starting with the updated Mazda3.

As another calendar year draws to a close it’s time to take a look back at the top 10 biggest stories of the year in the auto industry. It’s been a busy 12 months, starting all the way back in March when the Fiat 500 officially went on sale, marking the return of the brand to America. The last time an Italian car was sold here that didn’t cost six figures (or close to it) was 27 years ago. Since then, Fiat has introduced the 500C convertible model and most recently the Fiat 500 Abarth, aimed at enthusiasts.

For decades, we’ve known Ford crate engines to be huge V8 powerplants packing plenty of cubic inches and power. But Ford has been quietly offering a 2.0L inline-four from its old Focus for midget racers but very few even paid attention to that option.

Remember the Ford Mustang SVO with it’s turbocharged engine? The Blue Oval might just dust off that old badge for a new forced induction ‘Stang, but it won’t be a turbo 4-cylinder. In fact, with earlier confirmation that the Mustang will get an Ecoboost engine, it might not be a version of the SHO’s twin-turbo 3.5L V6 either.

The next generation Ford Escape is set to make its debut at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show and the decade-old SUV is set to be replaced by a much more modern crossover with three new engines.

Ford is giving racing enthusiasts a new Focus race car option with their ST-R that debuted at Frankfurt Motor Show. The Focus ST-R race car will feature a powerful 2.0L EcoBoost engine, FIA regulation roll cage, upgraded brakes and track-tuned suspension.

Once a popular SUV that battled head on with the likes of the Cadillac Escalade, the Navigator has failed to win the affections of many buyers who in the luxury SUV segment.

Ford ventured into dangerous territory five years ago, when they considered switching out the traditional V8 for a V6 powerplant. The two biggest issues surrounding the change was whether the V6 would have enough power, and whether the engine would be durable enough to compete with big boy V8’s. Doug Scott, manager of Ford’s truck marketing group said, “We knew there’s no replacement for displacement. That’s a very popular saying among full-sized pickup customers, which just shows their love for the V8 engine. We knew we had a marketing challenge”.

Ford recently announced that the four-cylinder Ecoboost powered Edge achieves  21 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway with the Ecoboost option, an improvement over the 3.5-liter V6 which gets 19 mpg city and 27 highway.

Ford is confident customers will pay for improved fuel economy, announcing the new EcoBoost-equipped Explorer model will cost $995 above the 3.5-liter V6. Models will start at $19,990 and jump to $39,560 for a full-zoot Limited model.

Ford is about to launch an EcoBoost powered Explorer SUV. The new EcoBoost engine is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder, with direct injection and a turbocharger and returns 20 mpg in the city and 28 mpg highway.