New 2014 Ford Fiesta will offer an available one liter EcoBoost engine

Boosting sales

Yesterday afternoon, Ford announced that the new Fiesta, already in production in Europe, would be arriving here in the U.S. as a 2014 model.

And while the newly-styled subcompact won't be available with all seven of the powertrain options that are offered across the pond, it will be arriving with one of the most advanced and certainly the smallest engine the Dearborn-based manufacturer has ever offered.

Voted International Engine of the Year back in April by a jury of 76 journalists from 36 countries, the diminutive 1.0-liter turbocharged and direct injected EcoBoost engine also features variable valve timing on both intake and exhaust.

Earlier this year, 1.0-liter EcoBoost-powered Ford Focuses established no fewer than 16 Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) world speed records at the CERAM test circuit in Mortefontaine, France.

EPA testing

Although the three-cylinder powerplant is currently available in Europe in the Focus, C-MAX and B-MAX, over here the certification process by the EPA is not yet complete. Ford, however, does expect that the engine, when it's available in the Fiesta and which is projected to produce 123 horsepower and peak torque of 148 lb.-ft., will allow the subcompact to be certified "as the most fuel-efficient non-hybrid car available in the United States."

"Customers are going to be pleasantly surprised at what the smallest member of the EcoBoost engine family can do," said Joe Bakaj, Ford vice president of Powertrain Engineering. "Most customers are not going to be thinking about the number of cylinders under the hood when they drive the new 1.0-liter EcoBoost Fiesta. They'll notice an extremely smooth and quiet idle, terrific acceleration accompanied by a sporty sound at high revs, and – most importantly – outstanding fuel economy."

Pricing

Although new car prices have yet to be set, Ford has stated that "the 1.0-liter will be a very affordable option." The press release also noted that the addition of an EcoBoost engine typically costs around $995 in most Ford vehicles.

"Many customers would like the fuel efficiency of a modern diesel or a hybrid, but can't stretch their budgets to cover the cost premium," said Bakaj. "That's where the EcoBoost Fiesta fits in. It will offer a highly fuel-efficient alternative at a lower cost."