New 1.5 Ecoboost for next Mondeo
* Debuts in China, followed by US and Europe
* Due in UK once new Mondeo arrives in 2014
Ford has announced a new turbocharged 1.5-litre Ecoboost petrol engine, which will appear in the next-generation Mondeo in 2014.
The new engine is designed to provide similar horsepower and torque to Fords current 1.6-litre Ecoboost. The main reason for the downsized engine is to squeeze under a tax threshold in the important Chinese market.
Production of the new 1.5 Ecoboost will start at Fords factory in Romania later this month, with the first model to get it being in the Chinese-spec new Mondeo. It will appear in the new Mondeo next year.
It is expected that Ford models that have the current 1.6 Ecoboost could receive the new engine once they are replaced, rather than as a mid-life upgrade. These include the Focus, C-Max, S-Max and the new Fiesta ST.
The engine will be manufactured in other Ford factories around the world, although these havent yet been confirmed. Given Fords ongoing commitment to its engine factory in Wales, we wouldnt be surprised if Bridgend production switched to the new 1.5 in the future as the plant currently only makes the 1.6 Ecoboost variant.
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