It’s always been said that good things come in small packages, and Ford’s 1.0 liter EcoBoost engine is no exception; it packs a punch and gets the job done efficiently.

Ford’s 1.0 liter EcoBoost engine has been proclaimed the 2014 International Engine of the Year, following voting sponsored by Engine Technology International magazine. The 1.0 liter EcoBoost has also broken a record, becoming the first engine to win the award three consecutive years in a row, and it out-competed the second place winner, the Ferrari 4.5 liter V8, by a margin of 351 points to 281 points. The voting is done by 82 jurors from 34 countries.

The 999cc engine is a three cylinder turbocharged configuration, featuring direct injection and variable valve timing. The compact, low inertia turbocharger manages to spin at 248,000 rpm, a rate more than double even Formula 1 turbochargers. The integrated and cooled exhaust manifold lowers exhaust temperatures, lending itself towards optimizing the fuel/air ratio. The innovative flywheel and pulley system design also constitutes part of what makes the 1.0 liter EcoBoost so advanced; the inherent imbalance of a three cylinder engine is ameliorated by special counterbalancing in the flywheel and pulley system, thus eliminating the need for the conventional, and very inefficient, balance shaft. The engine produces 123 hp and 148 ft. lbs. of torque, and it’s been boosted to about 140 hp for certain model variants; though it’s probably even capable of a bit more.

Available in 72 countries, the engine is becoming the mainstay of Ford’s emerging fleet of compact vehicles, which aim to be efficient, while still retaining potency under the hood. Currently available stateside in the Fiesta, Ford aims to have the engine also available in the US-badged Focus, as well as other models, sometime in the near future.

Ford’s 1.0 liter EcoBoost engine won the sub-1.0 liter class, as well as the overall contest, but the other individual classes and the winners are as follows:

By Displacement:

1.0-1.4 Liter– VW 1.4 liter TSI twin-charged

1.4-1.8 Liter– BMW/PSA 1.6 liter turbocharged

1.8-2.0 Liter– Mercedes AMG 2.0 liter turbocharged

2.0-2.5 Liter– Audi 2.5 liter turbocharged

2.5-3.0 Liter– BMW 3 liter twin-turbocharged

3.0-4.0 Liter– McLaren 3.8 liter V8 twin-turbocharged

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