This is news we have been waiting for! Today, Ford revealed their “EcoBoost” engine program. The engine will be direct injected, turbocharged, 4 and 6 cylinder motors which will offer 20 to 30% increase in fuel economy, equal reduction in emissions, yet the big power benefits of a turbo.

The 2009 Lincoln MKS will be the first to feature an Ecoboost engine. The 3.5L V6 will be twin-turbocharged and pump out an estimated 340 torque and horsepower. WOW! Fuel economy should be in the mid to high 20 mpg. A Ford Explorer concept car at this years North American International auto show was built to achieve 275 horsepower with a 4 cylinder turbocharged version of the Ecoboost engine.

EcoBoost’s combination of direct injection and turbocharging mitigates the traditional disadvantages of downsizing and boosting 4- and 6-cylinder engines, giving customers both superior performance as well as fuel economy.

With direct injection, fuel is injected into each cylinder of an engine in small, precise amounts. Compared to conventional port injection, direct injection produces a cooler, denser charge, delivering higher fuel economy and performance.

When combined with modern-day turbocharging – which uses waste energy from the exhaust gas to drive the turbine – direct injection provides the best of both worlds: the responsiveness of a larger-displacement engine with fewer trips to the gas pump.

Ford’s 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6, for example, can deliver upwards of 340-plus lb.-ft. of torque across a wide engine range – 2,000 to 5,000 rpm versus 270 to 310 lb.-ft of torque for a conventional naturally aspirated 4.6-liter V-8 over the same speed range. At the same time, this V-6 gives customers an approximate 2 mpg improvement and emits up to 15 percent fewer CO2 emissions to the environment.

Direct injection coupled with turbocharging allows for the downsizing of engines that deliver improved torque and performance. A small 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine has the capability of producing more torque than a larger 4-cylinder engine – nearly an entire liter larger in displacement – with better fuel efficiency.

Continue for a video clip from Ford