Ford Announces Powertrain Enhancements for its European Lineup, Adds Stop/Start Technology

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