The 2.0-liter EcoBoost, the standard unit on MKC, generates 240 hp (179 kW) at 5,500 rpm and 270 lb-ft (366 N·m) of torque at 3,000 rpm, according to preliminary test data. Class-exclusive Active Grille Shutters are designed to help improve MKC fuel efficiency at highway speeds.

Other engines in Ford’s EcoBoost family are the 1.0-liter three-cylinder; 1.5-liter, 1.6-liter four-cylinder engines; and the 3.5-liter V6. EcoBoost technology is available in every region Ford serves worldwide, and will be offered on approximately 80% of the company’s global nameplates by the end of this year.

Ford specifically engineered the 2.3-liter EcoBoost for higher performance. Two pivotal factors are the three-port integrated exhaust manifold cylinder head and a twin-scroll turbocharger.

The three-port IEM design is the key driver for performance because it improves airflow and optimizes exhaust energy pulses through the turbocharger. The three-port IEM and twin-scroll turbo design really opened us up to have outstanding power and refinement.

—Pete Pandolfi, 2.3-liter Engine Supervisor for Lincoln

The exhaust flows from the inner and outer pairs of cylinders are kept separate as they go through the three ports into the two scrolls of the turbocharger. Separating the exhaust pulses until they hit the turbine wheel minimizes the backflow into the next cylinder that fires, preserving energy to help spin up the turbo.

Turbo lag is virtually eliminated for quicker response when the driver needs power for passing while enabling the exhaust valve to stay open longer for lower emissions and up to 15% better fuel economy than comparable six-cylinder engines.

MKC will be the first Lincoln to have always-on built-in connectivity, allowing owners to utilize a smartphone app to control the vehicle. With the MyLincoln Mobile app, MKC owners can start, lock, unlock and locate the vehicle, as well as schedule a remote start event for a set time.

Drivers also can use the app to place a call for roadside assistance, monitor the vehicle’s fuel level, check tire pressure and battery status, and program engine start times to allow the vehicle to heat or cool to comfortable levels.

Production of the all-new 2015 Lincoln MKC will begin in the second quarter of 2014 at the Louisville Assembly Plant in Louisville, Ky. Vehicles will begin arriving to Lincoln dealerships next summer.

EcoBoost prospects for the mid- and long-term. Ford has invested heavily in EcoBoost (GTDI) technology; the company recently reported building its two-millionth unit (earlier post), and plans global deployment across its product line.

Ford is working toward further fuel economy improvements with the engine in the mid- and long-term through steps such as:

• Advanced dilute combustion with cooled exhaust gas recycling and advanced ignition;

• Advanced lean combustion with direct fuel injection and advanced ignition;

• Advanced boosting systems with active and compounding components; and

• Advanced cooling and aftertreatment systems.

Ford is currently slightly past the midpoint in a 4-year, $30-million project ($15 million from the US DOE) with Michigan Technological University (MTU) to demonstrate a 25% fuel economy improvement in a mid-sized sedan using a downsized, advanced gasoline turbocharged direct injection (GTDI) engine with no or limited degradation in vehicle level metrics, while meeting Tier 2 Bin 2 emissions on FTP-75 cycle.

Resources

• Corey E. Weaver (2013) Advanced Gasoline Turbocharged Direct Injection (GTDI) Engine Development (DOE 2013 Merit Review)