The diesel engine for the 2014 Ford Transit van will be a five-cylinder PowerStroke model, the company announced today, extending the fuel efficiency benefits of clean-diesel powertrains into its upcoming commercial van.
The new 3.2-liter PowerStroke Diesel will be the only five-cylinder turbodiesel sold in the U.S.
It's already used in other products outside the U.S., including the Ranger small pickup truck that Ford does not intend to sell in the States.
Ford says the new engine will offer "smooth, responsive performance" and power as well as good fuel efficiency, reducing its operating costs for van owners and fleet operators.
The engine is not yet rated for its U.S. version, but in Europe, the five-cylinder diesel puts out 197 horsepower and 347 lb-ft of torque.
And 90 percent of the turbodiesel's peak torque is available across the broad range of engine speeds from 1,700 to 3,500 rpm, making it flexible to use under a wide range of load conditions.
Ford did not issue projections for the fuel efficiency ratings of the 2014 Transit fitted with the new diesel engine.
Like most modern diesels, it uses high-pressure direct fuel injection--up to 26,000 psi--and sophisticated aftertreatment systems to reduce emissions of particulate matter and other pollutants.
Far from the image of simple, unsophisticated diesel designs, Ford's five-cylinder uses double overhead cams and four valves per cylinder housed in an aluminum cylinder head.
The diameter of its turbocharger nozzle can vary based on power demand and turbo speed, letting it boost power more quickly than fixed-nozzle designs.
Ford says the engine's injection timing and calibration reduces the typical "diesel clatter," making its noise level more comparable to that of a gasoline engine from the outside.
Quick-start glow plugs let the engine start quickly and smoothly at temperatures down to 25 degrees F. Below that, presumably, there may be a short delay before ignition.
The Transit van diesel will use urea injection to reduce emissions of nitrous oxides, and will be fitted with a tank for Diesel Exhaust Fluid that will have to be refilled periodically by the owner.
It will also use a diesel particulate filter integrated into its catalytic converter to trap particulates that would otherwise be emitted into the exhaust stream.
And Ford says it expects the new diesel engine, and hence the 2014 Transit van into which it's fitted, to be compatible with up to 20 percent biodiesel fuel sources (known as B20).
The five-cylinder PowerStroke Diesel won't be the only engine offered in the Transit van.
Ford has already announced that it will also be fitted with the 3.5-liter turbocharged EcoBoost gasoline engine.
That engine is now offered in a number of Ford's largest vehicle lines, including its F-150 full-size pickup truck, as a more fuel-efficient replacement for the V-8 that might previously have been specified.
All engines in the upcoming Transit van will be mated to Ford's six-speed automatic transmission.
The new Transit van will replace the ancient Ford E-Series van line with a global design that's already in production in numerous countries around the world.
For the U.S. market, it will be built in a Missouri plant now being refitted for that purpose.
The 3.2-liter five-cylinder diesel engine will be built in South Africa and shipped to the U.S. assembly plant.
The 2014 Ford Transit van will go on sale late in 2013.