(June 2, 2011)  DEARBORN, Mich. -- Ford is expanding its range of fuel-efficient powertrains in North America with the addition of a new 1.0-liter EcoBoost  three-cylinder – the smallest engine Ford has ever built – and an all-new eight-speed automatic transmission.

In addition, Ford's next generation of hybrid vehicles, including a new plug-in hybrid that will launch next year, will have a Ford-engineered transmission that will be built in Michigan.

The arrival of the latest member of the EcoBoost family, Ford's first eight-speed automatic and its new hybrid transmission will further strengthen the company's lineup of fuel-efficient vehicles.

"In the last five years, we have made a record investment in new powertrains and fuel-saving technologies," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president of Global Product Development. "Today, we have the freshest powertrain lineup in the industry. And there is plenty more coming."

Engineers at Ford's Dunton Technical Center in the U.K. began designing the new EcoBoost 1.0-liter engine long before the current spike in fuel prices pushed the cost of a gallon of gas over $4. Their goal: To design a technically advanced, super-efficient three-cylinder engine that delivers the same performance as a four-cylinder, but with much higher fuel economy and lower emissions.

To do that, engineers at Dunton, Ford's global center of excellence for small-capacity engines, focused on improving thermal efficiency and reducing friction of the engine's internal moving parts, especially during warm-up. That's when an engine emits higher levels of CO2 and other pollutants. The new engine introduces many new technologies that could someday be part of the DNA of future Ford engines, said Joe Bakaj, Ford vice president of Global Powertrain Engineering.

The new three-cylinder engine will be available globally in the company's small cars. It will also play an important role in North America.

"Consumers are telling us they want to buy affordable vehicles that get many more miles per gallon," said Kuzak. "Our new 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine will give consumers looking for hybrid-like fuel economy a new, more affordable choice."

Final calibrations of the new EcoBoost 1.0-liter are under way. Kuzak said the new engine will deliver horsepower and torque outputs equivalent to or better than most normally aspirated 1.6-liter gasoline engines.

"The 1.0-liter engine is a little dynamo," Kuzak said.

Like the 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine, advanced technology will be a key feature of the new Ford-designed, Ford-engineered and Ford-built eight-speed automatic currently under development, Bakaj said. "The new gearbox will be the first with a number of advanced new technologies that will provide faster, smoother and more positive shifts," he said.

The eight-speed transmission will feature:

• Ford's next-generation clutch controls
• An input torque sensor, which measures torque coming into the transmission. The sensor enables faster selection of the proper gear, reduces hunting and helps smooth out shifts
• Actuators built into the case for tighter, more precise control of hydraulic pressure
• Closed-loop control

More details on production and applications will be released at a later date.