While Ford is offering a fire-breather of a V8 powerplant in the new 2013 Mustang Shelby GT500 with 650 horsepower, it’s oppositely showing off its smallest engine ever: a 3-cylinder engine producing a mere 99 horsepower or 100 PS. The return on such a frugal engine is a fantastic 58.9 miles per gallon on the European cycle.
Ford also noted that there will be a 125 PS or about 123 horspower unit that is good for 56.5 equivalent MPG. Expect the EPA numbers when and if this engine comes to the United States to be a bit lower.
To solve the issue of the inherent imbalance of three-cylinder engines Ford used a simple engineering solution by offsetting the flywheel and the crankshaft pulley. By doing this, Ford engineers were able to counteract the vibrations from the odd amount of cylinders.
The Motrolix Take
With fuel costs on the rise again demand for an engine such as this in the United States may become a reality. If it does, this engine would most likely find its way into the Ford Fiesta. Given the impressive fuel economy numbers and power ratings, these three cylinder mills may someday replace four cylinders in American subcompacts.
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