New Ford EcoSport Embarks On Australian Journey

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MELBOURNE, 27 Nov, 2013 - Ford’s newest urban sports utility vehicle, the Ford EcoSport, is just the right vehicle at just the right time for the Australian consumer.

The newest Ford SUV’s command driving position, rugged capability, superior fuel efficiency, easy manoeuvrability, and convenient features all make it just the right vehicle for both city streets and mountain roads.
The well-rounded EcoSport is just as comfortable wading through flooded areas as it is entertaining the driver through hands-free phone calls and music selection.
With its global design DNA, the Ford EcoSport range enhances Ford’s SUV lineup, which includes the Ford Kuga and award-winning Territory SUV.

Giving customers the power of choice, the Ford EcoSport will be available in eight colours, three trim levels, two engine options, as well as manual and petrol automatic transmissions.
Introduced in South America in 2003, the ground-breaking first EcoSport model established a new segment there and has gone on to sell more than 700,000 units in the region. The project was led by Ford’s Development Centre in Brazil, one of the most specialised in the development of compact cars. The team leveraged Ford engineering strength and SUV expertise globally to create the all-new Ford EcoSport, which is projected to help drive additional growth for Ford around the world.

Clever capability
The all-new Ford EcoSport makes driving fun and intuitive with an array of smart features. The urban SUV is the first in its class to offer Ford SYNC®, the voice-activated in-car connectivity system powered by Microsoft. The award-winning system enables drivers to keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel while choosing their favourite music and making phone calls using voice commands.

With Smart Keyless Entry available on the Titanium model, customers no longer need their key to unlock the SUV or to start the engine. They can unlock the doors automatically by pulling the door handle; push the Ford Power Start button and go.

The Ford EcoSport’s cabin also has 20 practical storage spaces, including a glove box that can keep up to six beverage cans cool. Its cargo space at the back is just as versatile.

The rear seats can be reclined in select models for greater comfort or easily folded down for additional cargo space. With the rear seats tumbled against the front seats, the boot space increases to 705 litres, big enough to fit a front loading washing machine. The rear seats can also be split 60:40 to transport long objects such as flat-pack furniture while still carrying passengers at the back.

[COLOR=Blue]Revolutionary EcoBoost technology
Ford brings its globally acclaimed 1.0-litre EcoBoost technology to the all-new Ford EcoSport. The award-winning three-cylinder delivers power and performance of a traditional 1.6-litre engine with an improvement in fuel economy by up to 20 per cent.

The 2012 and 2013 International Engine of the Year is tiny enough to fit on a sheet of A4 paper but produces 92kW and peak torque of 170 Nm from 1,400 to 4,500 rpm. In Australia, the 1.0-litre EcoBoost will also be joined by an economical 1.5-litre petrol engine with twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT).
To further improve fuel economy, the aerodynamic Ford EcoSport boasts an outstanding drag coefficient of 0.371.

Quality that speaks to all five senses
With a signature Ford face, dramatic rising beltline and a ready-to-pounce stance, the new Ford EcoSport conveys a dynamic spirit of energy in action. The Titanium spare tyre, with an exclusively designed wheel, is mounted on the tailgate as a classic SUV cue.

Inside, soft-touch fabrics, tight gaps and the global Ice Blue dashboard illumination all reinforce superior quality and craftsmanship. Controls and knobs are ergonomically placed while seats are designed to be soft enough for comfort and firm enough for longer journeys.

The cabin is also extremely quiet at high speeds, thanks to meticulous efforts to reduce noise, vibration and harshness. Add to this a very effective climate control system, and the customer will be very comfortable in the Ford EcoSport.

The Ford EcoSport’s compact dimensions and the electric power-assisted steering with Pull-Drift Compensation help drivers tackle the stress of city driving, be it parking in small spaces, manoeuvring in heavy traffic, or making tight U-turns.

The Ford EcoSport’s high ground clearance of 200 mm also means customers won’t have to worry about driving over speed bumps and potholes. And with its exceptional ability to wade through 550 mm of water, drivers can confidently drive through large pools of water.

Cool, quiet and refined
Paying special attention to passenger comfort in the Ford EcoSport’s cabin, the engineers developed an air-conditioning system that is so effective that it can cool the cabin from 65 degrees Celsius – the interior temperature of a car that has been sitting in the afternoon sun – to under 30 degrees Celsius in just 10 minutes.

The automatic climate control system uses inputs from the sun load sensor, ambient temperature and integrated in-car temperature sensor to adjust and maintain the desired temperature in the cabin.
Given that air-conditioning can affect fuel economy, the engineers used a new compressor technology that requires less energy, so that the occupants can enjoy cool comfort without burning a hole in the pocket.

To ensure the Ford EcoSport’s climate control system can handle all weather conditions, it was tested in temperatures from -20 to 50 degrees Celsius, at humidity levels between 20 and 85 per cent, and went through at least 1,000 wind tunnel tests.

The second thing that Ford EcoSport occupants will realise after getting into the SUV is how quiet it is. The engineers took painstaking effort to prevent noise, vibration and harshness from intruding into the cabin. They spent countless hours tweaking computational fluid dynamics models and testing vehicle shapes in the wind tunnel for one that reduces wind noise.

They put in sound-deadening materials in the doors, roof and body to minimise noise from making its way into the cabin. To reduce the chance of leaks and whistles, the team used a double-sealing system for the doors and applied new technologies for improved glass sealing. Inside the cabin, the urban SUV has an acoustic headliner that helps absorb ambient noise.

The result is impressive – the all-new Ford EcoSport boasts remarkable levels of interior quietness.
The articulation index – which measures how easily passengers can converse in the cabin – is the top in its segment even at highway cruising speeds. This means that passengers can continue to chat with one another without having to raise their voices even when travelling on the highway.

In addition, the suspension geometry in the Ford EcoSport has been specially designed for an urban SUV.
Dampers and springs have been tuned to achieve an optimal balance of steering, handling and ride. Typically, the design of a vehicle suspension involves a difficult compromise between ride comfort and handling but the engineering team used dampers with a hydraulic rebound stop to combine more of both qualities in the vehicle.
The hydraulic rebound stops use hydraulic fluid to dissipate energy when the damper approaches its full extension.
The technology can reduce the peak force by two to three times compared to traditional mechanical rebound stops, providing a smoother ride for the customers and preventing damage to the vehicle or suspension. This also helps avoid noise when driving through speed bumps.

At the same time, the team engineered excellent stability into the Ford EcoSport by reducing the roll gradient, or how much the car rolls while steering.

Nimble and agile
The all-new Ford EcoSport is fitted with an electric power-assisted steering (EPAS) system, which delivers precise steering with a natural and confident feel.

More than 90 parameters have been carefully tuned to deliver accurate responses at high speed while remaining light and manageable in parking manoeuvres. The steering is also intelligent enough to vary its assistance based on vehicle speed, steering wheel angle, cornering forces and acceleration or deceleration.
Because the belt-driven power steering pump is eliminated, EPAS results in a quieter vehicle with fewer components drawing engine power. The EPAS steering system also reduces fuel consumption by at least 3 per cent compared to a conventional hydraulic power steering system.
EPAS also enables new technologies that adjust for minor driving annoyances.

Pull-Drift Compensation detects road conditions – such as a crowned road surface or blustery crosswinds – and adjusts the EPAS system to help the driver compensate for the pulling and drifting these conditions can cause. Active Nibble Control helps reduce vibrations that transfer through the steering wheel. This feature senses and eliminates the "shimmy" felt at high speeds when a wheel is out of balance or a brake rotor is warped. Both software-based technologies are designed and integrated to be seamless and unnoticeable to the driver.

The steering accuracy of the EPAS system is particularly useful when negotiating narrow city streets. The Ford EcoSport’s tight turning circle of 10.6 metres also makes navigating urban traffic easier, especially when making U-turns on streets with cars parked on both sides.

Safety and driver assistance
The all-new Ford EcoSport has been designed to provide high levels of protection and driver support through a range of advanced features.
About half of the urban SUV’s body structure is made up of high-strength steel and ultra-high-strength steel, such as boron steel, making the Ford EcoSport’s frame especially strong yet lightweight too.

The SUV’s array of airbags provides additional peace of mind. The Ford EcoSport offers seven airbags – driver and front passenger, driver’s knee airbag, side airbags and curtain airbags.
To take the stress out of driving, the Ford EcoSport comes with an array of driver-assist systems. On automatic models, Hill Launch Assist helps drivers make a perfect hill start whether it’s uphill or downhill, by holding the SUV for up to three seconds. This prevents the vehicle from rolling backwards or forwards while moving off from the slope, increasing driver confidence.

Advanced safety technologies such as Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), also help customers remain in control of the Ford EcoSport at all times, especially on slippery roads. When it detects that the car is losing control, it automatically reduces engine power and selectively brakes individual wheels to stabilise the vehicle and keep it travelling on track.
The Ford EcoSport’s DSC system includes the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) which prevents the wheels from locking up and helps the vehicle to stop quickly on slippery road surfaces.


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Source: Ford Media

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