Ford: 4-Cylinder Engines May Power 66% of New U.S. Cars by 2020

Half of all new light vehicles sold in America today are powered by 4-cylinder engines and Ford Motor Co. predicts that ratio could reach two-thirds by the end of the decade, The Detroit News reports.

Ford figures that Industrywide efforts to meet future fuel economy standards will all but force a continuing shift to smaller powerplants.

Analysts polled by the News describe Ford's estimate as a stretch. But most consider the goal feasible if a significant share of SUVs and pickup trucks switch to four-bangers by 2020.

Four-cylinder engines are already standard in most small and midsize vehicles sold in the U.S. But they are beginning to creep into larger models because of turbocharging, which enables four-bangers to match the power of 6- and some 8-cylinder engines while delivering superior fuel economy.