The New Ford GT’s 3.5-Liter Engine Is More Boost, Less Eco

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When Ford introduced its all-new EcoBoost line of gas turbocharged direct-injection engines in 2009, it did so under the guise of offering smaller-more efficient powertrains that didn’t sacrifice horsepower. Since then, Ford has gone on to sell millions of EcoBoost-badged vehicles, and most recently made the 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine the star of the 2017 Ford GT supercar, with the automaker boasting of “over 600 horsepower,” though final figures haven’t been detailed yet.

But while we may not yet know the official power rating of the Ford GT (despite production having already begun), we do know its fuel efficiency ratings, courtesy of the EPA. Despite Ford’s best branding and downsizing efforts, however, the 2017 Ford GT not only gets slapped with an approximately $3,000 gas-guzzler tax, but its ratings are lower than its 2005-2006 Ford GT predecessor.

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That’s an impressive feat if you think about it. Not only is the 3.5-liter EcoBoost almost 2 liters smaller than the 5.4-liter supercharged V8 of the previous GT supercar, but the GT itself should be measurably lighter than the last generation, given its mostly carbon-fiber construction. Ford also has more tools at its disposal for improving fuel efficiency, from direct injection to stop-start (the latter of which is absent from the GT, we should note).

According to the EPA, the 2017 Ford GT is good for 18 mpg on the highway but just 11 mpg around town, netting it a 14 mpg combined rating. That’s even below the F-150 Raptor’s 15/18/16 mpg rating. That’s in a truck that should be close to double the curb weight of the new GT, so maybe that 600 horsepower estimation is a bit lower than what we’ll actually see from the next-gen supercar.

Not that anyone who can afford the approximately $400,000 GT will be bothered by a few extra dollars or stops at the gas station. However, the rating doesn’t exactly put the Eco in EcoBoost brand either. If you’re going to get V8 mpg ratings anyway, some would say ‘Why not just stick with the V8?’

About the author

Chris Demorro

Christopher DeMorro is a freelance writer and journalist from Connecticut with two passions in life; writing and anything with an engine.
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