[staff]

EcoBoost guns the engine at Ford

FORD ECO BOOST FORUM - Ford Motor Co.'s big bet on its new line of EcoBoost engines appears to be paying off.

Demand for the engines, which promise better mileage while delivering more power, has taken off since they debuted last summer -- boosting vehicle sales, luring new customers and raising average transaction prices by thousands of dollars.

Ford's first analysis of EcoBoost sales data, completed last week, found that the number of customers opting for EcoBoost engines far exceeded the Dearborn automaker's expectations for all four models that offer it as an option.

Now, Ford is rushing to put the V-6 version of the motor in new vehicles, such as the F-150 pickup in the United States and the Ford Falcon sedan in Australia. Next year, the company plans to introduce new four-cylinder models here and in Europe. And The Detroit News has learned Ford has developed a 1.0-liter three-cylinder version that could power future versions of the Ford Focus and Fiesta.

"It clearly was part of our plan to distinguish us in a very crowded marketplace," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford's global head of product development. "It's doing that very well."

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