FORD RELEASED A 167-HP 1.0-LITER THREE-CYLINDER AND NO ONE'S TALKING ABOUT IT

Ford's EcoBoost three-cylinder is a tiny marvel. The latest iteration makes its debut in the Puma ST Powershift, the hot-hatch version of Ford's Fiesta-based baby crossover. It makes 167.7 horsepower and 183 lb-ft from just 1.0 liter, matching the specific output of the BMW M3 Competition's straight-six. A remarkable figure, especially for a car like this.

It's not the most power-dense tripod out there, as the 300-hp Toyota GR Corolla manages 187.5 hp/liter from its 1.6-liter. Still, this 1.0-liter EcoBoost is well into rarefied air when it comes to a specific output.

The 1.0-liter EcoBoost debuted to much fanfare back in 2012, initially offering a maximum of 123 horsepower. America briefly got to sample this engine in the Fiesta SFE, though the Fiesta itself has long since been discontinued here. Instead, we get Ford's 180-hp 1.5-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder in the Escape and Bronco Sport. Both the Fiesta ST and regular Puma ST get a 198-hp version of the 1.5-liter triple.

For the Puma ST Powershift, unveiled in early March, the 1.0-liter is paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, and Ford says the car is good for a 7.4-second 0-62 mph sprint. Not blindingly fast by today's lofty standards, but then again, this is a car with a 1.0-liter engine. It's also augmented by a mild-hybrid system with a 48-volt starter-generator that helps out with transient response, adding 10 horsepower in certain scenarios.

The mild-hybrid system probably makes this too complex, but we'd love to see Ford sell this as a crate engine. Imagine a tiny, rev-hungry three-cylinder in a Caterham or an open-wheel race car. The thought is extremely rad.

We're just surprised that the car didn't get much press. As we're not getting the car in America, it makes sense that publications here wouldn't cover it, but even internationally, it didn't make much of a blip. Ford should be pushing this car, this remarkable achievement harder. One-hundred sixty-seven horsepower from just a liter shows how internal-combustion technology has evolved.

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2023-04-14T15:58:32Z dg43tfdfdgfd