Third top title for EcoBoost

A small petrol engine that powers Ford cars including the new Fiesta has fought off competition from premium brands and supercars to win the ‘Oscars' of the engine world for an unprecedented third time in a row.

Ford Motor Company's 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine - which lowers fuel consumption without sacrificing power - is named 2014 International Engine of the Year for its drivability, performance, economy, refinement and technology.

A panel of 82 automotive journalists from 35 countries also named the 1.0-litre EcoBoost the "Best Engine Under 1.0-litre" for the third year in a row at the Engine Expo 2014, in Stuttgart.

The engine has now won 13 major awards. In addition to collecting seven International Engine of the Year awards in three years - including Best New Engine in 2012 - the 1.0-litre EcoBoost also has been awarded the International Paul Pietsch Award 2013 for technological innovation in Germany; the Dewar Trophy from the Royal Automobile Club in Great Britain; and in the U.S., the Breakthrough Award from Popular Mechanics magazine. Ford also is the first automaker to win a Ward's 10 Best Engines trophy for a three-cylinder engine.

"This year's competition was the fiercest yet, but the 1.0-litre EcoBoost continues to stand out for all the right reasons - great refinement, surprising flexibility and excellent efficiency," said Dean Slavnich, co-chairman of the 16th International Engine of the Year awards and editor of Engine Technology International magazine. "The 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine is one of the finest examples of powertrain engineering."

Launched in Europe in 2012 with the Ford Focus, the 1.0-litre EcoBoost is now available in the UK in a further nine vehicles: Fiesta, B-MAX, EcoSport, C-MAX and Grand C-MAX, Tourneo Connect, Grand Tourneo Connect, Transit Connect and Transit Courier. The all-new Mondeo will continue the roll-out of the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine when it launches later this year; the smallest engine to be specified in such a large family car.

Already available with 100PS and 125PS, Ford recently debuted a new 140PS version of the engine in the new Fiesta Red Edition and Fiesta Black Edition models; the most powerful volume production 1.0-litre road cars ever, achieving 0-62 mph in 9 seconds, a top speed of 125mph and delivering 62.8 mpg and 104 g/km CO2.