2009 Ford EcoBoost Hot Rod

2009 Ford EcoBoost Hot Rod

Call it EcoBoost, call it TwinForce, it's a welcome addition to the Ford lineup and is heralded by the automaker as the key to finding a balance between power and economy.

Hot rodders, on the other hand, have always lived by the motto “There’s no replacement for displacement,” preferring a bigger engine in the quest for more power. Ford has now teamed up with vehicle customizer Detroit Street Rods in order to prove this thinking is out-of-date with the new EcoBoost-powered ’34 Ford hot rod.

Set to go on show at next week’s 2009 SEMA Auto Show, the Ford hot rod will be the first rear-wheel drive application of the 3.5-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V-6 delivering an estimated 400 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque.

EcoBoost essentially combines turbocharging and gasoline direct injection technologies to help boost power while reducing fuel consumption. In initial testing Ford has found that a V-6 with EcoBoost gets as much as 20% better fuel economy than a conventional V-8 but with similar power levels.

In the case of the ’34 Ford hot rod, the guys at Detroit Street Rods needed to repackage engine’s turbochargers to fit the engine bay of the all-steel replica body. Apart from this, the only other modifications include a new air filter, coated headers and large custom exhaust cones located outside the engine bay and just above the front fenders of the vehicle.

The 2009 SEMA Auto Show kicks off on November 3 in Las Vegas.

[Ford]