COLOGNE Germany, Oct. 29, 2014 – A Ford Fiesta ST was honoured after achieving a 39 per cent improvement in fuel efficiency, compared with official figures, in a real-world test of fuel economy on public roads.
The Fiesta ST, equipped with a 1.6-litre EcoBoost petrol engine, achieved 3.6 litres per 100 kilometres at an average speed of 56 km/h. This showed an improvement of 39 per cent compared with the official combined fuel consumption of 5.9 l/100 km, according to the New European Driving Cycle.
“This achievement shows that while many people will choose the Fiesta ST based on its performance credentials it also has the ability to surprise in terms of its outstanding fuel efficiency,” said Juergen Gagstatter, Ford Fiesta ST chief programme engineer. “It also underlines the power each driver has to make a significant difference to their individual fuel consumption by adapting their driving style.”
Fiesta ST is Ford’s fastest-ever production Fiesta, able to achieve 0-100 km/h in 6.9 seconds, and has a top speed of 220 km/h. The 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine features technologies including turbocharging, high-pressure direct fuel-injection and twin-independent variable cam timing.
Racing drivers Harrison Scott, 18, and Louise Richardson, 21, finished ahead of 25 other vehicles, including three electric vehicles and three vans, to win the “Best Improvement” award at the annual ALD Automotive/Fleet World MPG Marathon, in the U.K.
A Ford Focus ST driven by rally veterans Andrew Marriott, 71, and Andy Dawson, 63, was runner-up after achieving 5 l/100 km – a 31 per cent improvement compared with the official fuel economy figure of 7.2 l/100 km
“The Fiesta ST is a seriously quick car but if you ease off, and carefully optimise all of its fuel-efficient capabilities it’s surprising just how little fuel it consumes,” Scott said, after he and Richardson completed the 494-kilometre route to become the youngest ever winners of the award in its 14-year history.
Scott, who competes in the Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship driving a car powered by the same 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine, added: “The cars are fitted with a tracking device to ensure we follow the rules of the road and are not just coasting at every opportunity. We simply employed fuel-efficient driving techniques that anyone can use in their everyday driving, such as avoiding harsh braking or sudden acceleration.”
Ford previously won the overall MPG marathon award in 2013 and 2012 with a Ford Fiesta ECOnetic. Recently a Ford Tourneo Connect 1.6 TDCI was the outright winner of the 2014 Tour of ALD Ecomotion Automotive in Madrid, after recording an 8 per cent improvement compared with its official fuel consumption figures.
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* The declared fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are measured according to the technical requirements and specifications of the European Regulations (EC) 715/2007 and (EC) 692/2008 as last amended. Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are specified for a vehicle variant and not for a single car. The applied standard test procedure enables comparison between different vehicle types and different manufacturers. In addition to the fuel efficiency of a car, driving behaviour as well as other non-technical factors play a role in determining a car's fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. CO2 is the main greenhouse gas responsible for global warming. Results in MPG also correspond to this European drive cycle and are stated in imperial gallons. The results may differ from fuel economy figures in other regions of the world due to the different drive cycles and regulations used in those markets.
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 186,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information about Ford and its products worldwide please visit www.corporate.ford.com.
Ford of Europe is responsible for producing, selling and servicing Ford brand vehicles in 50 individual
markets and employs approximately 50,000 employees at its wholly owned facilities and approximately
69,000 people when joint ventures and unconsolidated businesses are included. In addition to Ford Motor
Credit Company, Ford Europe operations include Ford Customer Service Division and 24 manufacturing
facilities (13 wholly owned or consolidated joint venture facilities and 11 unconsolidated joint venture
facilities). The first Ford cars were shipped to Europe in 1903 – the same year Ford Motor Company was
founded. European production started in 1911.
