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Ford starting up 2.0L EcoBoost engine production in Ohio

Joe Hinrichs, Ford's President of The Americas (pictured above), announced today that in late 2014, the automaker will be building the 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder at its Cleveland Engine Plant, a move requiring a $200-million investment and the hiring of 450 new employees. European-built Ford products will continue to source this engine from the Valencia, Spain plant where all of these EcoBoost four-cylinder engines are currently built, and the new Cleveland engines will be used for all North American-made models.
Ford is planning to build its popular EcoBoost engines regionally to maximize production capacity and meet customer demand. Last year, Ford sold 334,364 vehicles with EcoBoost engines in the US alone, and that number is expected to swell to more than 500,000 by the end of this year, with global sales expected to total 1.6 million. By 2015, Ford says that 95 percent of its nameplates will offer an EcoBoost engine.
One such vehicle that could be adding an EcoBoost engine, according to Automotive News, is none other than the 2015 Ford Mustang. The report says that Ford could use either the 2.0-liter EcoBoost or an upcoming 2.3-liter EcoBoost in the sixth-generation pony car.

Ford GT concept adorns Forza 6 cover

Ford has rolled in to the Detroit Auto Show this week with a staggering array of performance machinery, including the new GT Concept, Mustang GT350R and F-150 Raptor. That's the exciting part. The thing is, that most of us won't have the opportunity to drive any of them, let alone really wring them out on the track. Fortunately, they'll all feature in the upcoming release of Forza 6. Not only that, but the new Ford GT will adorn the box cover as well. Featuring on the cover of the latest installment of what Microsoft (citing Metacritic ratings) says is "the highest-rated racing series of the past decade" would be a coveted place of honor for any automaker. The box art for the original version (at least the one first released in North America) featured a modified Acura NSX, followed by a Nissan 350Z drifter on Forza Motorsport 2, an Audi R8 on Forza 3, Ferrari 458 Italia on Forza 4, an SRT Viper on Forza Horizon, the McLaren P1 on Forza 5 and the Lamborghini Huracan on Forza Horizon 2. This, then, will be the first time a Ford will be the poster child for a new version of the popular game. With carbon-fiber construction, active aero and a twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 pumping out over 600 horsepower, it strikes us as a place well deserved by Dearborn's finest. Microsoft and Ford Unveil Ford GT as the Cover Car for "Forza Motorsport 6" Debuting Exclusively on Xbox One Ford's new line of performance vehicles will star in Microsoft's newest and most advanced racing game DETROIT – Jan. 12, 2015 – Microsoft, Turn 10 Studios and Ford unveiled their new collaboration today at the North American International Auto Show, announcing the all-new Ford GT ultra-high performance supercar as the featured cover car in the next iteration of the acclaimed racing simulation franchise for Xbox, "Forza Motorsport 6," launching exclusively on Xbox One. The GT serves as a technology showcase for Ford with its ultra-efficient EcoBoost engine performance, advanced aerodynamics and lightweight carbon fiber construction. It begins arriving in dealerships in select markets globally late next year. In addition, the companies revealed that Ford's performance vehicle line-up will appear in "Forza Motorsport 6." This includes the GT, Shelby® GT350 Mustang and F-150 Raptor debuted by Ford earlier today at the auto show.

Ford secures Microsoft for software updates

Ford is dropping Microsoft later this year as its infotainment partner when the Blue Oval switches to the BlackBerry QNX operating system for Sync 3 (pictured above). However, the two companies aren't severing ties completely, because the Redmond, WA, outfit is taking responsibility for Sync 3's wireless updates. Don Butler, Ford Director of Connected Vehicles and Services, announced the deal during a speech, according to Automotive News. "We've obviously had a good, long relationship with Microsoft," he said. "Microsoft understands the automotive environment and the kinds of experiences that we'd like to enable." The ability for Sync 3 to accept Wifi updates was announced as a major feature the new infotainment system, but this was the first mention of how that has been handled. Ford will host the files on Microsoft's Azure Cloud servers, according to Automotive News. Owners will need to give permission to check for new software, and they'll be notified after an improvement's installation. Dealers will install Wifi transmitters to keep vehicles on the lot up to date, as well. Sync 3 is set to replace the much-maligned MyFord Touch later in 2015 on some 2016 model year vehicles, and by next year it should be available throughout the Ford and Lincoln lineups. In addition to the wireless updates, the new system also promises a simplified interface, better voice recognition and faster response times. Ford Motor Company is preparing for vehicle ownership and user experiences of the future with the creation of a global cloud based Ford Service Delivery Network enabling new ways for consumers to interact with cars. Teaming up with Microsoft, Ford will expand connected services for customers around the world using the globally scalable and reliable Azure Cloud infrastructure. Ford and Lincoln owners will benefit from the convenience of new connectivity services keeping them better informed and in control of their vehicle at all times with the expanded availability of features like scheduled remote start, vehicle finder, and vehicle status (fuel or charge level, tire pressure). Building the Ford Service Delivery Network (SDN) on the Microsoft Azure platform enables a common platform for Ford to bring new features and services to market faster, quickly scale up for global implementation, and remain flexible for the future. Starting later this year, the Service Delivery Network will first enable over-the-air software updates for SYNC 3.