Ford to shortly introduce a 3-cylinder engine

This appears to be the new trend small Ice with turbo/supercharger boost and light weight materials through the vehicle. New technology is being discovered and the designers are pushing the envelop to squeeze every mpg they can. Maybe america has turned the corner and the manufacturers realize many people want more mpg from their vehicles or at the very least very efficient vehicles. Designers and engineers working together as one WOW.....

 

I have a 3 cylinder 1L motorcycle engine that produces 130hp/75ft lbs and 45mpg hwy is possible with a restrained right wrist. 50mpg hwy in a small car with MUCH better aerodynamics should be no problem with a lower rev'ing and lower output turbo version. Won't be able to touch the city mpg of a hybrid tho'.

 

Meanwhile, GM is investing $331 million in Tahoes, Suburbans, Yukons, and Escalades. Let's see who's making the right move.

 

Good point KRELBORNE i think the economy and price of gasoline will make or break GM on their big investment with the big suv's and i think they screwed the pooch.

 

from the referenced article:
"The last time we remember three-cylinder engines being sold in the U.S. was on some Suzuki Swifts and a sister version from General Motors, the Chevrolet Metro, in the '90s. They got such astounding mileage ratings that even beaters were selling for top dollar when gas prices hit all-time highs in 2008."

Their memory isn't very good. They're forgetting the Honda Insight-I with its 3-cylinger 1L ICE which was sold until the summer of 2006 (when I bought mine). I haven't ever seen 50mpg in mine, it's always been above that: its lifetime average has been 84mpg.

 

What for? To run the A/C blower?

The GeoMetros had a 3cyl didn't they?

 

I drive a 2000 Honda Insight with a 995cc 3cyl engine - it has performance better than the 1.5 liter engine of the 1988 CRX HF it replaced. The two cars are so much alike it is and apples-to-apple comparison. The weight of both cars is 1900, aerodynamics is similar. Before the considering the hybrid component - the Insight's engine is at least 20% more efficient.

In the near future, efficient downsized gas engines is going to be the powerplant for mainstream cars while alternate powerplants slowly gain marketshare.

 

The smart car lmao has a 3cly they might sell gm for cheap.

 

OOPS, apparently MY memory isn't very good either! Yes the Smart has a 3 cyl 1L gas engine too, and it is currently available. AFAIK people don't get as high MPG in it as they do in the Insight-I, which also has more interior space.

Anyhow, Ford isn't doing anything revolutionary here.

I'm not sure the turbo is going to help mpg. People have turbo'd Insight-I's and didn't get mpg gains from it. It may be more advantageous to tune the ICE for max efficiency at a lower output and get extra power on demand from a hybrid system.

 

A DIY turbo improves performance and generally does not improve fuel economy....to really improve efficiency you want that same engine about 20% smaller with the turbo.

Ford's eco-boost = Honda's IMA hybrid

Both powerplants kick in the electric motor (or turbo) when you give it a lot of gas. Ford can make the eco-boost in the millions without having to worry about battery supply or a redesign of the vehicle.

One advantage the IMA system has is you can attempt hypermiling techniques such as FAS, something you would NOT dare to do on a turbo as it could easily be burned up.

The one thing I bet Ford's 1cyl enging does not have is lean-burn that changes the air/fuel mix form around 15/1 to around 22/1 - diesel efficency. The lean-burn emits less CO2, but more NO2. The increased NO2 has kept lean burn tech from becoming commonplace.

 

Turbo's require Rpm to create boost in a hybrid I can not see how it would work unless designed and mapped specifically by manufacturer.

 

Lots of ideas tune the ice, turbo/supercharger, new battery technology, fuel cells, deisel hybrid, wankel hybrid, Little know toyota honda shared project purified water engine us put the kill on that would have to put infastructure in first. the govt. does not want to get away from gasoline ice. In europe deisel is cheaper then gasoline. Detroit does not want to go away from gasoline ice. Lots and lots of lobby billions at play here and the wall street types.

 

I don't see conspiracy theories with Detroit.

It's simply easier to milk the ICE to greater efficiency in the short-term. As hybrids and EVs mature, they will take over.

 

NO conspiracy theory intended in my post only $$$$. It is cheaper, easier and quicker to tweek here and there than design. Detroit for years cut weight to improve mph and mpg. Asia on the other hand went into the engines, transmissions and gear ratio's and re designed. I hope detroit learned but they are set in their ways and stubborn. Even Lee Iococca has admitted many errors in the American auto industry and points out continued mistakes his book was great reading.

 

Was not attempting to start something by saying "no conspiracy theory" in Detroit, but saying more efficient gassers is the point of least resistance right now.

 

I understand and agree CHUCK. But Detroit will play safe and tweek every last drop from their traditional ice's. They want Babe Ruth to bunt. Jordan, Dr. j, James and wade to take a long range jump shot. They usually have to play catch up with other companies Toyota and Honda and now possibly Hundai. It will be interesting to see who goes for the home run/slam dunk in their designs and efficiencies. Tweeks are short term new technologies are long term and still allow tweeking Gen I through Gen III prius an example. Gm EV1 then how long until the volt that was probably only brough about because of all the hybrids. Will they evolve like the prius or stop after a few years with the volt.

 

I had a 3cylinder 1989 Chevy Sprint (the model year before the Geo Metro came out, basically the same car except a boxier body and no electronic fuel injection). That was actually one of the best cars I have owned - it was reliable, 120k miles with no issues before I sold it, and well over 40MPG.

With today's technology, they should be able to get 50 with no issues in a similar vehicle. However, I would hope it had a steel cage (that car would have been a death trap if I was ever in a serious accident with it)

It's a travesty that the Smart gets such cruddy mileage.

-->Adam

 

And there is a lot of room to increase ICE efficiency, so the hybrid and EV refuseniks should still be able to get significant improvements for a while.

 

I don't think this is Ford's way to avoid hybrids but a way to get hybrid like efficiency from their small cars that would make hybrids impractical.

Without a Tesla like chassis/battery there is no way you could hybrid a Fiesta. The trunk is already very limited and even with a 1L engine it would be tight in the engine bay.

So, my thought is the Fiesta will get the 1L ICE, the Focus will get the 1.6L Hybrid, Fusion 2.4 etc...