Ford to Offer 1-liter Engine in U.S. Fiesta

Ford Motor Co. says it will introduce its European-built 1.0-liter engine in U.S. versions of the 2014 Fiesta subcompact next year.

The three-cylinder turbocharged EcoBoost powerplant produces 123 hp and 148 lb-ft of torque, making it more powerful than the 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine it has replaced in Europe.

Ford said earlier the 214-lb engine, which is produced in Cologne, Germany, also is about 20% more fuel efficient. Ford says the 1.0-liter powerplant has the highest power density of any engine in its history.

The three-banger debuted last spring in Europe in the Ford Focus and is being added now to the company's B-Max and C-Max MPVs in that market. The engine will be added as an option in the Mondeo sedan next year.

The company predicts the new engine will be rated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as America's most fuel-efficient non-hybrid car. The 2013 Fiesta has an EPA rating of 29 mpg city/39 mpg highway.