Also at the focus of the efficient powertrain buildup is a range of new transmissions. The combination of more efficient, smaller displacement turbocharged engines and more efficient drivelines are hoped to deliver significantly improved fuel economy while allowing the company to continue to offer the same size and performance of vehicles its buyers are used to, reports The Detroit News.
"We have no intention of giving up our leadership in trucks," said Derrick Kuzak, chief of Ford's global product development. "Fuel economy [will be] a reason to buy - no longer a reason to reject - Ford vehicles."
An added bonus of the decision not to change over to smaller pickups is the plant capacity can now be diverted to production of more small cars, helping Ford fill a gap in its supply chain without resorting to overseas suppliers or importing its own models.
