Ford 1.0-litre EcoBoost Engine Impresses

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It seems Ford’s Engine of the Year, the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine, has been turning heads at the famous Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit in Germany. The engine was put through its paces in a road-going Formula Ford race car and produced impressive results that are somewhat difficult to believe considering the size of the engine.

The single-seat Formula Ford race car was driven around the Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit by racing driver and course specialist Nick Tandy (28) who completed the course in a time of 7m22s, making it the 11^th fastest time ever recorded there, beating the likes of the Lamborghini Aventador, Ferrari Enzo and the Pagani Zonda.

“This little engine has people rubbing their eyes in disbelief. It’s simply astonishing that a 3-cylinder, one-litre engine can deliver that kind of performance” said Nick Tandy.

The Formula Ford race car was modified for road use by fitting it with wheel covers, front and rear lights and indicators, aerodynamically designed wing mirrors and a horn. The Formula Ford race car also made use of road-legal tyres and was fitted with a 6-speed manual gearbox.

The unofficial top speed for the Formula Ford race car is 255.5km/h and can accelerate to 100km/h in under four seconds. Its average speed on the 20.832 km Nordschleife circuit was 169km/h.

The 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine is not only powerful, but frugal too, consuming only 2.4-litres/100km at 56km/h and 5.0-litres/100km at 120km/h. “We wanted to prove that size doesn’t matter by showing everyone what an amazingly capable engine we have developed in the 1.0-litre EcoBoost,” said Roelant de Waard, vice president of Marketing and Sales, Ford of Europe. “What better way than by beating some of the best supercars in the world on the Nordschleife, while using a fraction of the fuel.”

The 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine will also be used in the new Ford Fiesta which will be available in South Africa in 2013.

News Source: Ford

New Stylish Ford Fiesta coming to South Africa

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Meet the new Ford Fiesta that will be available in South Africa in 2013. Having sold more than 15 million units worldwide since 1976, the Ford Fiesta is a popular car that has earned its respect and the new Fiesta will keep that flame alive.

This time however, the new Ford Fiesta will be fitted with the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine, the 2012 Engine of the Year, as well as the voice activated in-car connevctivity system called SYNC that allows owners to voice-activate phone calls and music selection from devices connected via Bluetooth or USB. The striking front-end of the new Fiesta features a trapezoidal grille accented by ‘laser-cut’ headlamps and a power-dome bonnet design.

 “Fiesta has been one of the world’s best-loved small cars across five decades, and the sporty appeal of the last generation Fiesta inspired real passion among global compact car customers, contributing to its status as the world’s most successful small car,” said Martin Smith, Ford of Europe executive design director. “We had to keep that vital part of Fiesta’s make-up – but we also wanted to give it a more sophisticated look.”

What do you think of the new Ford Fiesta?

News Source: Ford

Fourth Generation Renault Clio

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Renault is planning to unveil its fourth generation Clio at the Paris Motor Show in September this year and it seems they might be going for something a little bit different this time round.

The Clio, competition to the Ford Fiesta and VW Polo, is expected to take on more refined styling than its predecessors. Although there is not much to go by at this stage, except for this teaser image, the Renault Clio could quite possibly take styling cues from the Zoe electric car.

The interior of the new Renault Clio is also expected to undergo some major changes to accompany its new look. Engine specifications are unknown at this stage, but reports are pointing to a new range of downsized turbocharged petrol and diesel engines. It’s simply a matter of time before the mist draws back and clarity prevails. For now, we just have to wait.