Ford Returns Production To Vaunted Engine Plant
Ford Motor Company's Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1 resumes production to become the first Ford manufacturing site in the world produce EcoBoost engines. Ford's EcoBoost technology, which combines direct injection and turbo-charging, is the cornerstone of Ford's commitment to deliver affordable fuel economy for millions.
Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1 was opened by the Ford Motor Company in 1951, the very first engine plant for the automaker in Ohio. Throughout its near fifty year history the plant produced more than 35 million engines until it was temporarily idled in 2007.
The production lines on at the vaunted engine plant will soon whir into action again as Ford ramps up to build what will most certainly be its most important engine line of its time: EcoBoost, the direct-injection, twin-turbocharged engines which will eventually be available for 90% of its products. The first iteration of EcoBoost with a 3.5L V6 that will find its way into the Lincoln MKS, Lincoln MKT, Ford Flex and the Ford Taurus SHO.
Ford Is Betting On EcoBoost
EcoBoost is where Ford is hinging the company’s success, a technology which helps to improve fuel efficiency while reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Perhaps most important to drivers is that this technology will also boost power.
“The launch of EcoBoost is the big milestone in Ford’s commitment to deliver affordable fuel-efficient cars and trucks to millions of customers,” said Barb Samardzich, vice president, Global Powertrain Engineering. “The EcoBoost V6 is going to achieve the fuel economy that our customers demand, while delivering even more of the performance that they want.”
Idled Engine Plant Is Updated, Improved and Back Online
Before the plant was idled in 2007 it had received a redesign in 2004 which included the addition of a new assembly line as well as block, crankshaft and cylinder head machining lines. To build EcoBoost, Ford made $55 million in tooling and equipment upgrades; 250 employees will be pulled from adjoining plants located at the Cleveland site.
To view and/or print out a larger version of the “More With Less” picture, right click it with your mouse and then enlarge. Photo copyright the Ford Motor Company.
To understand EcoBoost, what it is and how it works, Ford has supplied the above chart to educate consumers about its proprietary engine technology.
Source: Ford Motor Company
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It seems that Ford are one of the leaders in in trying to work towards providing the customer with what they want vehicles that are both greener and cheaper to run. It’s a pity its taken the worlds economies to reach such desperate times to get companies to change their ways and invest more in the technology.
Khaled, even the current state of the economy won’t necessarily bring about change. It still takes a lot of capital to build new technologies, something that is certainly lacking in the current economic crisis.
True, Ford seems to be further down the pike than General Motors and Chrysler who have shown us concepts and one or two models that are at least eighteen months away from launch.