Ford To Highlight New Fuel-Efficient Engines, Provide Special Test Drives At SAE World Congress

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DETROIT, April 8, 2010 – Stepping up to meet rising consumer demand for smaller and more fuel-efficient engines, Ford Motor Company announced today it plans to introduce three new four-cylinder advanced technology powertrains in the next year.

The three new engines joining Ford’s portfolio include a 1.6-liter Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing (Ti-VCT) Sigma I-4, a 2.0-liter direct-injection Ti-VCT Duratec® I-4 and a 2.0-liter Ti-VCT EcoBoost™ I-4.

The new powertrains will be just some of the topics Ford will discuss at SAE World Congress, where it is serving as host company and will offer show attendees firsthand experiences behind the wheel of several of its new vehicles. The conference kicks off on Tuesday, April 13.

“The SAE World Congress has always been a unique opportunity to showcase our R&D and debate and discuss the application of new technologies, such as our growing family of high-tech four-cylinder engines,” said Paul Mascarenas, Ford vice president of Engineering Global Product Development and general chairman of the 2010 SAE World Congress. “But nothing brings innovation to life better than getting behind the wheel and experiencing it firsthand. This year we are going to let our vehicles and powertrain technologies do some of the talking for us.”

The nation’s premier automotive engineering conference will include expanded ride-and-drive sessions during the three-day gathering. Ford is offering up the most comprehensive lineup of products and powertrains for test drives. Included are:

  • Ford Taurus SHO, with the award-winning 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine
  • Ford Fusion Hybrid, 2010 North American Car of the Year
  • 2011 Ford Mustang, featuring the all-new all-aluminum 3.7-liter Ti-VCT V-6
  • Ford Transit Connect commercial van with fuel-efficient 2.0-liter Duratec DOHC I-4
  • A test version of Ford Focus Electric, being presented by Magna International, Ford’s vehicle development supplier and 2010 SAE World Congress Tier 1 Strategic Partner

Big response with smaller engines

Ford is doing its part to respond quickly to shifts in consumer buying patterns with the introduction of more fuel-efficient small engines this year. In 2009, about 4.9 percent of vehicles sold in America featured V-8 engines, an all-time low, while I-4s dominated with nearly 62 percent. That’s a far cry from the heyday of the V-8 engine. Consider that in 1969 nearly 90 percent of vehicles sold in America were powered by V-8s.

Ford’s all-new Ti-VCT 2.0-liter EcoBoost I-4 will debut in the 2011 Ford Edge coming this summer, as well as the all-new Ford Explorer, which goes into production later this year. The 2011 Ford Fiesta, the new affordable small car debuting this spring, is powered by a 1.6-liter Ti-VCT I-4, the most advanced powertrain in its segment, which will be mated to a six-speed PowerShift dual-clutch transmission. The all-new 2012 Ford Focus will launch with the new 2.0-liter direct-injection Ti-VCT I-4 when it debuts early next year.

During SAE World Congress, much of the Ford conversation will focus on the company’s near- and long-term powertrain advancements and how its product development and engineering teams are working together with industry partners to translate global environmental, economic and societal trends into feasible, flexible powertrain platforms.

“It’s widely accepted that the auto industry reshaped the world and drove the growth of the global economy in the 20th century,” said Mascarenas, “and I believe as we move into the 21st century the auto industry will continue to be as important as it was in the early decades of the last century.

“As important as alternative energy sources are, in the foreseeable future most passenger cars and light trucks will continue to use petroleum-based fuels. Our challenge in the engineering community is to make them vastly more efficient.”

Ford engineers will share the technical development story behind the Fiesta, which is projected to deliver a best-in-class 40 mpg on the highway. Engineers also will discuss developmental details behind the turbocharged 2.0-liter I-4, the next member of Ford’s EcoBoost global engine family. This engine will offer fuel economy benefits at least 10 percent better than a comparable V-6, while delivering class-leading power and torque for an I-4.

On the other end of the powertrain spectrum, Ford will also showcase its leadership to develop an intelligent vehicle-to-grid communication technology that could cultivate a smarter, more efficient battery-electric vehicle culture. Forecasts show that by the 2020 model year, BEV, HEV and PHEV sales combined could add up to 25 percent of total vehicle sales in the U.S., Europe and Japan.

In total, Ford engineers, researchers and academia will present more than 60 papers at the 2010 World Congress on a variety of powertrain, safety and material issues, building on Ford’s reputation for technical innovation. From 2004 to 2009, Ford researchers and scientists consistently authored and published more technical papers each year through the SAE World Congress than other OEMs, including Toyota, Honda and General Motors.

To kick off the 2010 World Congress, Mascarenas will deliver a keynote address highlighting the show as a turning point for an industry and engineering community emerging from unprecedented change. “The only way we can effectively manage the impact of our industry on the economy, the environment and society going forward is by engaging each other and challenging ourselves to excel,” Mascarenas said. “This World Congress begins a journey for all of us – to work together to transform our industry and leave a positive legacy for future generations.”

Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford will be featured speaker at the SAE World Congress closing banquet and will discuss the company’s environmental progress and new innovations to promote fuel-efficient driving.

Throughout the three days of the show, Ford’s senior leaders and engineers will participate in a variety of panel discussions, including:

    • Barb Samardzich, vice president of Powertrain Engineering, will appear on a powertrain panel at 10 a.m. on Tuesday
    • Sherif Marakby, Global Hybrid chief engineer, will participate on a Smart Grid Technology panel at 10 a.m. on Tuesday
    • Mike Tamor, executive technical leader, HEV & FCV Research, will appear on The Battle Over Batteries panel at 1 p.m. on Tuesday
    • Gerhard Schmidt, chief technical officer, will participate on a long-term powertrain solutions panel at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday
    • Graham Hoare, executive director, Powertrain, Ford of Europe, will participate on a panel about meeting environmental and fuel economy requirements while still giving customers what they want at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday
    • Sue Cischke, group vice president, Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering, will moderate the Energy Policy Recommendations panel at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday
    • Dan Kapp, director of Powertrain Research, will speak on a panel exploring the top five emerging powertrain technologies at 1 p.m. on Wednesday
    • Bob Fascetti, director, Large Gas & Diesel Engine Engineering, will address a Turbochargers and EGR panel at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday
    • Jim Vondale, director, Automotive Safety Office, will appear on the Global Designs for Different Markets panel at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday
    • Michael Taylor, director of Global Interior Purchasing, will participate in a Chief Purchasing Officer panel at noon on Thursday
About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 198,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and, until its sale, Volvo. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com.