Ecoboost for Ford’s future
January 9, 2008 by Matt Brogan
Ford (America) has today announced news of an engine induction system overhaul which will see increased performance from their current engine range whilst at the same time achieving lower emissions.
Dubbed Ecoboost the philosophy is rather simple. Take today’s engine, turbocharge it, and you’ve instantly netted the desired results with no gain in displacement, a notion that seemed to escape the Americans previously.
So what is it? Essentially Ecoboost means adding a turbo charger and direct injection fuel system (previously Port Injection) to the current engine, lowering the compression slightly and enjoying the benefits gained – not rocket science really.
The rationale behind doing this is simple, logical and cost effective. By applying Ecboost to a wide range of vehicles, from small four cylinder hatches through to large pick up trucks, Ford have essentially saved themselves mega-bucks in research and development over the coming five years – money it has other plans for.
It is hoped by the time Ecoboost’s life span has run its course other technologies, carefully invested in, will become more viable. Ford hopes to have a more sustainable and commercially viable fuel cell or plug-in hybrid engine range developed for the mass market by 2013.
In the interim Ecoboost combined with better transmissions, weight reduction techniques and aerodynamic improvements will spearhead Ford’s campaign. The first engine to feature this technology will appear in the new Lincoln MKS in early 2009.
Print it: 
I had a little chuckle when I read this article… Where have they been all this time. It seems someone was too absorbed in their local market and missed what the rest of the world was up to.
Yeah it’s funny isn’t it, we were just discussing what year it was the Japanese began this technology for the mass market… curious really.
Ford u.s. has pushed the ecopanicboost button.
OMG, what a breakthrough….NOT!!!
wow they used some really fancy diagrams explaining what a turbo is and what direct injection is and labeling the piston as “piston”. They must have been explaining this “all new” break through in automotive technology to a seemingly retarded american public who probably thought their motor was a fuel pump connected to a exhaust pipe.
Well I hope FoA brings that technology with the new V6 and V8 in 2010….
The world would be a boring place without americans
A bit rough guys………..sometimes the solution to problems are fixed by something simple, give Ford some credit. Nothing is new anymore anyway……….I hope it works for them. Every business goes through transistion periods, peaks and troughs…..they have a changing market and they will get over it.
Question: Holden export Commodores at the moment but when the American auto industry gets back on its feet does anyone think that GM workers\shareholders will still want to import cars that they will be able to make themselves thus creating more american jobs? I cant see it lasting too long ………..
hey it might not be new technology but there is only one car in each brand that uses it. So ford might be on a winner here if every engine in there range becomes a low boost turbo set-up much like saab are then its a great short term solution for these ridiculous CAFE requirements.
I think the way they’d do it would be to take something like the barra 190 engine or the duratech, lower compression, add the turbo and direct injection so peak power is about the same but will have a fatter torque curve.
With reduction on the compression ratio, the US will still be using 87 octane. This is bad news for someone who wants to import a car from Japan that requires at least 95 octane.
It’s already so hard to find a petrol station with 91 octane overthere, just imagine asking for 95.
I wonder how the new GTR will do with such a low octane level?
As usual some visitors on this site see the basic information and start ranting crap and never adding anything worthwhile to the topic…
As Rick Harris said it’s not new tech, it’s how Ford is applying it and it’s far more relevant in the US vehicle market than any other market Ford sells in.
It is not that hard like it said in the text1
Hahahahahahahahahahaha Fords solution to climate change…. a turbocharger. Im in stitches.
Its far more relevant because its cheap! Thats the problem with ford america, everything is cheaply done and they will not allow imports from other countries to improve their vehicle lineup. They could have easily gotten around their financial problems by sharing models with europe and australia. Ford America is producing cars in their own country to satisfy unions even though the car may be a piece of cr@p. This technology should have been implemented years ago but because they have been too busy trying to keep unions happy by building ancient crown victoria’s and other old stuff. If they got models from australia and europe they would have more money instead of thinking ford europe and australia is the enemy. They are the reason the Ford Fairlane and Falcon wont be exported.
Falcon chassis, mustang top, Independent rear, shelby motor, FPR under workings, would be a good start. I am a Ford fan and somtimes they give me the S**TS with some of there decisions they make, they have good cars but dumb ideas of what to do with them.
its obviously something to bide them some time till the long term solution in hydrogen (or whatever) is up and running.
i suppose why spend more than you need to on technology that will eventually be extinct aswell.
TP,
toyotas solution to fuel prices is a Prius when a Ford territory on LPG can run cheaper than it. Im in stitches
i wonder which method people would more like to take up? a turbo charged solution or an electric slot car?
i wonder how long the enviro savings will last? i mean when people get these they will boost the hell out of them cause they know they could take it
Hahah Andrew.M… all you got is “Territory” or “LPG” in your recent arguments…
Territory : Claimed by you to be class leader…. Kluger wins car of the year
LPG : Over-rated, the issue is CLIMATE CHANGE… LPG does little to nothing for this, stop getting confused with climate change and other environmental issues such as the depleting of natural resources such as oil.
The fact is Toyota, Honda and a number of other manufacturers are heading in the right direction. Hell by the time this turbo technology comes out the Prius would have been in the market for ages and the friggin hydorgen cell Honda will be out. Ford are a joke…. but I do like your reasoning, ‘biding timing’, highlight doubtful, they have missed the market yet again.
ha ha ha ha ha ha TP,
you crack me up!!! please stop pretending you know anything about LPG before i fall off my chair laughing.
the kluger is new the territory is old news now. well it was true what i said wasnt it? what i have said in the past is the territory is the class sales leader.
ha ha ha ha ha TP and you Misguided LPG info ha ha ha ha please stop.
well arent hybrids also something to bide time till the permanent solution comes (which seems to be hydrogen)
ha ha ha ha sorry still laughing at you and your LPG overrated theory
TP, so did the Territory win awards – IT WAS FULL OF THEM!
Andrew m
Since you seem to be the self proclaimed lpg expert how much does the territory or SS LPG system cost against the older systems. Also does it work on any car or does it have to have a certain compression ratio etc and does the computer have to be flashed to new settings.
Just as a side note, it can take up to 12 years to re-coup the “savings” made from buying a Hybrid car when you draw a comparison between vehicle price and fuel savings made.
12 years!
By comparison, the same savings are achieved in 3 years with the Ecoboost or similar technology. Proven statistical fact.
The Prius is also a nightmare to recycle and leaves a bigger environmental footprint in terms of manufacturing emissions – not the tree hugging little box it’s made out to be huh?
Sure it’s a step in the right direction, but some people need to know ALL the facts on both sides before having their little rant.
One thing remains a fact though, Ford (US) is still a few years behind. They should have adopted fuel injection years ago.
As for the environment, I think Diesel is the best short term solution. It’s a proven fact that diesel cars are more economical than any hybrid.
Reminds me of a Top Gear episode where Jeremy took a Diesel Audi and travel about 800 MILES in a single tank!
I say good on Ford for doing this! Although GM are developing this plug-in crap, Ford is working with current technology and making it better!
Ivan makes a good point. I have a friend with a Peugeot diesel who gets 1000km plus from each fill. Country driving, but still, good effort when you consider the comparisons.
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Sorry sahapat. please translate your last post to english.