Tuesday 4th September 2012

1.0-litre Formula Ford laps Norschleife in 7:22

Racer with modifed EcoBoost engine thrashes supercars and gets 57mpg!

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Ford's latest EcoBoost engine is winning itself lots of fans; the combination of small displacement (just 999cc across three cylinders) with a turbo has created a powerplant with the power of a 1.6 (up to 125hp) and fuel economy typical of a tiny engine (58.9mpg combined). Riggers was a fan of the 125hp version when installed in a Focus, and the 145hp upgrade by Superchips offers a significant performance gain for a small financial outlay. Ever since, inevitable questions have arisen around what the engine could achieve in a lighter bodyshell. Surely it would make for a great Fiesta Zetec S? Or even a cheeky Ka ST?

Three cylinders, 999cc, 205hp and road-legal!

But Ford itself has gone one step further by putting the 1.0-litre EcoBoost into a Formula Ford car and given it 205hp. Then sent it round the Nordschleife. In 7 minutes 22 seconds.

Yep, that's a car with a one-litre, three-cylinder engine lapping the 12.94 mile Nurburgring quicker than an Aventador or an MP4-12C. Unsurprisingly, Ford claims its the fastest lap time ever completed by a car with three cylinders.

Ah yes, you might say, but that's a racing car; it will have downforce and run on slicks so there's no way you can compare it to cars with a tax disc and lights. However, this wasn't a regular Formula Ford. As well as substituting the regular 1.6-litre, four-cylinder EcoBoost for the smaller triple, the team in charge of the project fitted the Formula Ford with all the equipment to make it fully road-legal; lights, wheel covers, indicators, mirrors, horn, a manual gearbox and treaded tyres.

Road-legal tyres, yes, but they're hardly all-weather...

7:22 is the 11th fastest time ever recorded around the Nordschleife, and means the Formula Ford averaged 105mph over the lap. Ford's own testing suggests the car is capable of nearly 160mph and 0-60mph in less than four seconds.

Perhaps just as interestingly, they say it should also achieve 57mpg at a steady 75mph. Looks like you can have your cake and eat it after all...

Nick Tandy drove the Formula Ford on its spectacular lap. He says it's "simply astonishing" that such a small engine can deliver the giant-killing performance shown.

7:22 'Ring lap means 105mph average

The car is a one-off but the lap is great publicity for Ford and the merits of the EcoBoost triple. Its Vice-President of Marketing and Sales, Roelant de Waard says it's "an amazingly capable engine". And with a lap time like that, who are we to argue?

[anonymous-user]

Any footage? I see the GoPro on the car...
As for this engine, I have a feeling it'll be one of those 'great' ones people talk about for years!

[anonymous-user]

Ok, it's a fun marketing excercise, but come on, lets not kid ourselves with the "why bother with a Mp4-12c or 458" bolleux! Why? well, just off the top of my head:

1) crash protection (both occupant and pedestrian)
2) Worldwide emissions and OBD homologation (inc aged at 100k miles)
3) NVH
4) 2 seats vs 1 seat
5) you don't get wet when it rains
6) you can take some stuff with you, not just a toothbrush
7) It doesn't take 10 mins to get into and belted up in a 12c
8) You can hear yourself think in a 12c
9) ABS, stability, traction, radio, cd, DAB, SAT NAV (in fact this list is endless
10) i suspect the ordinary man on the street could lap the ring faster in a 12c


The problem with "race cars as road cars" is that they are just a one trick pony. they go fast, that is all. (and if that FF gets 57mpg over the EUDC with the gearing they did the ring with i'll eat my hat) ***


;-)

*** i don't actually have a hat

[anonymous-user]

well i never, PH getting excited about a 1 litre engine, how the mighty have fallen................ ;-)