Kick-starting the week when we hear Ford’s plans for Australia post the closure of its Broadmeadows and Geelong assembly facilities in Victoria, come these photos of the road-legal 1.0-litre EcoBoost Formula Ford arriving in Australia from its European base.
The diminutive racer has a top speed of 255.5km/h, accelerates from zero to 100km/h in under 4.0 seconds and lapped Germany’s Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit in 7 mins 2 seconds. That’s an average speed of 169km/h and the lap time is the 11th fastest time so far recorded on the famed race circuit.
Not only did the 1.0-lite EcoBoost Ford post the fastest three or four-cylinder Nurburgring lap time, its mark actually eclipses those of the 515kW Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4, the 485kW Ferrari Enzo and the 442Kw Pagani Zonda.
The EcoBoost engine used was tuned to deliver 152kW but Ford is just as proud of the fuel consumption – at 56km/h that would be 2.4l/100kms and at 120km/h, fuel is used at the rate of 5.0l/100kms.
To make it street-legal, engineers fitted the Formula Ford with road-legal tyres, wheel covers, front and rear lights, aerodynamically designed wing mirrors and even a horn.
Australian new car buyers will soon be able to enjoy Ford’s 1.0-litre, three-cylinder EcoBoost engine themselves – it’s coming in the updated Fiesta compact car due next month and all-new EcoSport compact SUV.
Ford Australia models already using EcoBoost engines are the Falcon, Mondeo, Focus ST and Kuga.
“Once you experience the innovative 1.0-litre EcoBoost’s blend of performance and economy, everything else seems old school,” enthused Ford Australia chief Bob Graziano.
