Turbocharged Ford engine sets Daytona records

Chris Woodyard | USA TODAY

A prototype race car with a new 3.5-liter, V-6 Ford EcoBoost race engine set a new Daytona single lap speed record of 222.971 miles per hour during a special record run attempt today, Ford says. The old record, set 26 years ago, was 210.364 mph set by Bill Elliott in a Ford Thunderbird during qualifying for the 1987 Daytona 500.

The records were engineered to show that Ford's huge bet on turbocharging, which adds power while saving gas, doesn't result in any sacrifices. Ford has applied EcoBoost engines across almost its entire line, from its smallest engines for its subcompacts to big V-6 turbos for its F-Series pickups.

Ford says the prototype also set other records, which are still subject to certification by an international body:

•A world speed record for 10 miles from a standing start of 210.01 mph on average.

•A speed record for 10 kilometers from a standing start of 202.438 mph on average.

"It was a challenging day," driver Colin Braun is quoted by Ford as saying. "There was a lot of work put in by a lot of people to accomplish these records. The power in the new EcoBoost engine was incredible, and it was amazing how fast it came up to speed on the runs.