Ford mulls Falcon engine options

FORD Australia will decide before June if it will make four-cylinder Falcon and Territory models in line with the policy recently set down by head office in Detroit.

Product development chief Derrick Kuzak has said that every Ford model should have a four-cylinder engine available by 2013.

The policy arose from a board-level decision that the global Ford operation should become a fuel economy leader in the industry.

Ford Australia president Marin Burela said at the Melbourne International Motor Show that his company was assessing its powertrain needs for the immediate future.

“Our powertrain line-up on Falcon is gas (liquefied petroleum gas) and petrol,” he said.

“We are currently studying alternatives, and that study is due to be completed within two or three months.” Ford Australia is known to be working on a diesel-engine Territory, but it is not clear if that will be a V6 or a four. Either engine would be turbo-charged.

Asked at the motor show when Ford would offer a four-cylinder Falcon, Mr Burela said: “You’ll have to wait for that one. In the next two or three months, our power train line-up for Ford Australia will become clearer.

“What Derrick said was we are going to be very bold, we are going to take a leadership role in fuel economy and we are going to move forward with that very aggressively.

“He is leading us in the right direction.” Mr Burela said he believed the inline six-cylinder engine made at Geelong would continue for at least five years after its emissions performance was lifted to Euro IV levels.

“We feel the engine is about right until 2014-2015,” he said. “We’ll have to wait and see how legislators move in terms of engine standards.

“When we get to 2012 we will be re-looking at it: whether we continue to upgrade the technology on the I6 engine to move it forward or whether we have to make a change.” Speculation has been swirling around the possibility that the Geelong engine plant, which last December was given a reprieve from its death sentence, may be used to produce the four-cylinder engines required for the Focus small car, which is due to go into production at Broadmeadows in 2011.

Plans are to produce 40,000 cars a year, with half earmarked for export to regional markets, which may gradually be opening up under the leadership of the 10-country ASEAN forum.

Left: Ford EcoBoost uses multi-jet injectors for a better burn.

Ford in the US has revealed plans for a range of smaller, turbo-charged petrol engines known as EcoBoost. A four-cylinder unit producing 205kW and 379Nm and a 3.5 litre V6 producing 253kW are planned.

The base model Falcon inline six produces 195kW and 391Nm, which means the Eco-boost four could easily replace the I6.

However, such a move is unlikely in the next five years as Ford is in the throes of spending $21 million refurbishing the I6 and raising its emissions performance so it can pass the imminent Euro IV regulations.

Installing a four-cylinder unit in some Falcons would rob the Geelong engine plant of valuable production volume.

Mr Burela also ruled out the possibility of a V6 Duratec engine being imported for use in the Falcon and the Territory because the company had decided to invest in improving the emissions performance of the I6.

“Does that mean we won’t see a V6? The answer is yes, because there is no need for one.” He said there had been an “overwhelming” reaction when Ford announced it would cease making the I6 and close the Geelong plant.

And there was a similar outpouring when the decision was reversed last December.

“You should have seen the pile of letters on my desk. I couldn’t believe it,” he said.

“We’ve got the right combination. It’s a fantastic engine.”

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