Main Street Rides

Fuel economy has once again become the governments soap box.  Fuel economy and emissions standards.  Unfortunately the two aren’t quite synonymous and both are usually descriptive of soggy four cylinders that can only be described as uninspiring.  Fortunately, technology is allowing us to clear the hurdles that stand in the way of fun cars being fuel efficient as well.  You may have noticed an uptick in cars with turbos as well as a decrease in engine sizes and lots of new acronyms that stand for fancy fuel management and timing systems.

A prime example of forward thinking in achieving stellar fuel economy is the new Ford 1.0 Liter EcoBoost.  Currently found in the European spec Ford Focus, this mighty mite won’t be sold here in the States until 2014.  Still, it’ll be worth the wait.  Looking at the numbers the little 1.0 Liter engine is an anomaly.  It weighs roughly 215 pounds (that’s light), has only 3-cylinders, and the engine block itself is about as long as a $5 foot-long.  Incredibly, the little engine produces 125 horsepower and 147 ib-ft of torque.  That isn’t an exorbitant amount of power but coming from an engine that size – it might as well be a knock-out punch.

The tiny engine utilizes advance technology to help it achieve the power it produces and let’s not forget the fuel economy.  Gasoline Direct Injection, Variable valve Timing, and a turbo charger help the engine achieve a more efficient combustion process and produce a claimed 50-55 mpg.  Conventional gasoline engines haven’t produced those kinds of numbers for over twenty years – thanks to emissions laws.  With fuel prices anticipated to reach $5 a gallon by this summer, engines like Ford’s 1.0 Liter Ecoboost will be in high demand.  Unfortunately, if you need those numbers now you only have a few options.  Since the 1.0 Focus won’t be sold here for another couple of years, you’ll either have to find an old Honda CRX HF or a Geo Metro.  Then of course there are the more expensive options of EV’s and hybrids.  Here’s to rising fuel prices and sandwich sized engines.

Related articles

• First Drive: Ford Focus 1.0 EcoBoost (independent.co.uk)
• Ford’s 1.0 Ecoboost (The Daily Derbi)