Ford ECOnetic The new Ford ECOnetic range of ultra-low CO2 vehicles offers an alternative to customers who prioritise low emissions performance in their purchasing decision.

The name 'Ford ECOnetic' echoes the company's strategy to link ecologically advanced and affordable technology to its kinetic design 'energy in motion' philosophy for both driving quality and emotional styling.

The first Ford ECOnetic models to be launched in 2008 use a combination of the latest common-rail diesel powertrains together with other carefully-selected features engineered to reduce CO2 emissions to the absolute minimum.

This demonstrates that very favourable fuel consumption levels and significantly reduced CO2 emissions can both be achieved using conventional drive technology, coupled with a clever combination of individual, fuel-saving measures.

The first model, available now, joins the company's most popular range. The new Ford Focus ECOnetic delivers an average fuel consumption of just 4.3 l/100km. This corresponds to a conventional powertrain best-in-class CO2 emission performance of only 115g/km.

Using the already very economical regular 109 PS version with Diesel Particulate Filter as a base, the starting point in achieving such values was to reduce drive resistances. To improve aerodynamics, the vehicle was lowered by 10 millimetres at the front and 8 millimetres at the back. An aerodynamics kit is standard, consisting of a modified front bumper skirt and rocker claddings and a rear spoiler.

To improve the aerodynamics further, the outer areas of the lower grille were given blanking plates on the inside. In combination with low-rolling resistance 195/65R15 tyres, a very good coefficient of drag (cd) of 0.31 is achieved.

A further measure to reduce driving resistance also being used for the first time in the Focus ECOnetic is the introduction of new low-viscosity transmission oil developed as a result of the strategic alliance between Ford and its energy partner BP. Under testing, the efficiency benefits were found to be so significant that this new BP transmission oil is to be introduced across other Ford products in the C and CD segments.

The Ford ECOnetic vehicle portfolio has now been extended to include a sub-140 g/km CO2 Mondeo ECOnetic and this will be followed by a sub-100 g/km CO2 model in Ford's all-new Fiesta range.

The new Mondeo ECOnetic is equipped with a 2.0-litre Duratorq TDCi engine, delivering 115 PS (85 kW) with a 6-speed manual transmission and a Diesel Particulate Filter. Generic measures to achieve the low CO2 emission target are an engine re-calibration, lowered suspension, low rolling resistance tyres, and aerodynamic improvements like grille blanking inserts. In addition, different transmission ratios and the new low viscosity transmission oil contribute to this vehicle emitting less than 140 g/km CO2 on average.