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At this week's 2011 Brussels Motor Show in Belgium, Ford announced a series of powertrain enhancements that include the addition of Stop/Start technology for its European market Mondeo, S-MAX and Galaxy models, together with the introduction of an all-new 1.6-liter Duratorq TDCi diesel engine.

“The introduction of the new small-displacement diesel engine and of the Ford Auto-Start-Stop system is another important step towards even more sustainable mobility”, said Rolf Deges, Chief Program Engineer for Ford of Europe. “All through Europe there is a growing demand for frugal, smaller displacement powertrains and new technologies, and we are more than happy to address this demand with our new entries”.

Replacing the 115HP 2.0-liter diesel, the new 1.6-liter motor comes with a standard Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) producing 270 Nm (199 lb-ft) of torque between 1,750-2,000 rpm.

“With this torque performance, it's now possible to have such a small displacement diesel engine driving even large cars like the Ford Galaxy in a more than appropriate way – and at very low fuel consumption”, said Deges.

Equipped with the new four-pot oil-burner, the Galaxy MPV's combined fuel economy is 5.4 lt/100 km (43.5 US mpg), while the Mondeo needs just 4.9 lt/100 km (48 US mpg).

Ford said these figures are also achieved by adding standard Ford ECOnetic Technologies features to the range, including Smart Regenerative Charging, the Ford Eco Mode driver information system and an Active Grille Shutter system. All of these technologies come as standard equipment on the new 1.6-litre Duratorq TDCi engine.

In addition, the 1.6 TDCi variant can be paired with the Ford Auto-Start-Stop system, further improving fuel economy by as much as 10 percent in city driving and reducing CO2 emissions.

To better cope with the increased number of engine starts, the system features an enhanced starter motor, capable of firing up the powerplant in just 0.3 seconds after the driver presses the accelerator or clutch pedal.

The Ford Auto-Start-Stop system is also available in conjunction with the turbocharged 1.6-liter Ecoboost petrol engine.

Last but not least, the small diesel was also chosen to motivate the new Ford Mondeo ECOnetic after it was specially calibrated and coupled to modified a six-speed manual gearbox with a longer final drive.

Featuring a Start-Stop system, the Mondeo ECOnetic returns 54.7 US mpg (or 4.3 lt/100 km) in the combined cycle. Other special features include a lowered suspension and low rolling resistant tires.

The last item on Ford’s list is the Durashift 6-speed automatic transmission, which is optional for the 200HP 2.2-liter Duratorq TDCi diesel engine. Upgraded to withstand the 420 Nm (310 lb-ft) – 450 Nm (332 lb-ft) in overboost mode, the auto box helps the Mondeo achieve an average fuel consumption of 6.5 lt/100 km (36.2 US mpg).

“The combination of the 2.2-litre Duratorq TDCi with the Durashift 6-tronic transmission is really a connoisseur's choice: it really delivers a powerful yet very relaxed and refined driving experience” Rolf Deges commented. “With these attributes in place, this combination is the perfect addition to our large car range, and supplements well to the already available combinations of the Ford PowerShift 6-speed double-wet clutch transmission with the 2.0-litre Duratorq TDCi with 140 and 163 PS”.

By Csaba Daradics

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After the Mondeo, the revised S-Max and Galaxy MPV models are next in line to be offered with Ford's new 1.6-litre 160hp EcoBoost engine with European sales starting this month. The new 1.6-litre turbocharged unit is the smallest displacement engine that has ever been made available to the S-MAX and Galaxy models.

The EcoBoost engine produces peak power of 160 horsepower and a maximum torque of 240 Nm within a rev band from 1,600 to 4,000 rpm. All models equipped with the 1.6-liter powerplant come with a number of fuel-saving features as standard, including Smart Regenerative Charging, the Ford Eco Mode driver information system and an Active Grille Shutter system.

According to Ford, the S-Max 1.6 EcoBoost model completes the standard 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint in 9,8 seconds (Galaxy: 9.9'') and reaches a top speed of 204km/h - 127mph (Galaxy: 201 km/h - 125 mph).

The five-seater MPV returns a combined fuel efficiency of 7.0lt/100km - 40.3 mpg UK (Galaxy: 7.2lt -39.2 mpg UK), which translates into an average CO2 emission of 164 g/km (Galaxy: 169 g/km).

In addition to the 1.6-liter turbo gasoline unit, Ford said it plans to introduce more options in early 2011 including a version of the same EcoBoost engine with a stop/start system, the 200HP 2.2-liter diesel with a 6-speed automatic transmission and a 115HP 1.6-liter diesel with start/stop and ECOnetic features.

As part of the UK launch of thefacelifted Mondeo, Ford released details on the new 1.6-liter EcoBoost gasoline engine with 160 hp. The new turbocharged four-cylinder unit is not only 10% more powerful than the naturally aspirated 45 hp 2.0-liter variant it replaces, but also extends the driving range by an extra 100 miles or 160km returning 41.5 UK mpg on the combined cycle (34.5 US mpg or 6.81 lt/100 km).

Under the EcoBoost moniker, Ford combines a range of technologies including turbocharging, direct fuel injection and variable cam timing, all of which were non-existent in Ford's older engine line-up. But, better late than never, right? The important thing is that, now, the Blue Oval has modern engines, both powerful and economical that benefit from lower taxation, as is the case with Britain.

Ford claims that, factoring in power, consumption and taxation, the Mondeo 1.6 EcoBoost is comparable with the 2.0-liter TDCi diesel, as showcased in the comparo below.

Kevin Griffin, Ford of Britain fleet director, said: "Ford's newest Mondeo has an exterior look and standard of interior well suited to the executive car park. We've added powertrains which support the lower carbon economy we now live in. The efficient 1.6 EcoBoost in Mondeo is a sporty alternative for petrol advocates who switched to diesel in order to pay less tax."

In the coming months, Ford will also introduce the 1.6 TDCi diesel engine, with 115 hp, while the 1.6 EcoBoost will be available in the S-MAX and Galaxy.

In the UK, prices for the Mondeo 1.6 Ecoboost start from £18,945, all taxes and fees included.

By Csaba Daradics

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