Ford Introduces New 2.0L EcoBlue Engine in Europe, Potentially a “Game Changer”
Here in the United States, Volkswagen has pretty much screwed the pooch on people accepting diesel-powered cars in their life. But in Europe, diesel-engined vehicles are insanely popular, and Ford caters to that market. But now they’ve created a new diesel engine, dubbed the EcoBlue, that might be a game changer for cars and trucks worldwide.
The EcoBlue is a 2.0L turbocharged engine that can range anywhere from 100PS to 240PS (98 hp to 237 hp). A clean-sheet design reduces the friction and has an off-set crank, belt-in-oil and Ford’s use of modular camshafts for an improvement of 13% in fuel economy over their previous diesel offerings.
Diesel engines are known for their torque, and the EcoBlue will deliver thanks to a mirror-image inlet manifold and low-inertia turbocharger that develops 20% more low-end torque.
Of course, modern-day diesel engines have to be clean, and not “fake clean” like VW, so the EcoBlue features diesel after-treatment and improved NOX reduction. Thanks to a new design, the engine’s radiated noise is also reduced by 4 decibels at idle.
It looks like a solid engine and is making its debut in the Transit and Transit Custom commercial vehicles.
For those wondering if it could be sold in the United States, Ford’s own press release suggests that the EcoBlue has been tested for “extreme usage in markets as diverse as Europe, the U.S. and China.” We’ll just have to wait and see.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments or over in our forums!
via [Ford Europe]
