My father used to say, “After you make it better – make it BETTER.” Usually this was in reference to something I was working on (pinewood derby cars to hotrods). Indeed, working hard to improve what is already a good product is pragmatic. This is a competitive business and staying ahead of the pack is challenging.
Ford has met the challenge with the 2010 Ford Flex.
As many readers know, Ford has managed to keep its head above water while others have slowly sunk. This seems to have made the automaker even more aggressive. Rather than simply introducing a new model and letting it float around with few modifications, Ford did something different. Both the base model and powerful EcoBoost Flex crossover SUVs are better then the vehicles they replaced.
Bear in mind, the Flex was introduced last year and it was not a bad vehicle.
“EcoBoost” is a new series of power plants that the consumer will be hearing a lot about it in the next few years. By 2013, Ford intends to have 90% of their vehicles equipped with an EcoBoost engine. The 2010 Ford Flex, 2010 Ford Taurus (SHO), 2010 Lincoln MKS and 2010 Lincoln MKT are the first batch of Ford vehicles to have the optional EcoBoost engine available.
EcoBoost is the name of a series of Ford engines (a few variations of four and six cylinder engines are slated) whose impetus is more power while maintaining efficiency. Ford has direct injection engines which forego an intake manifold and inject fuel directly into the combustion chamber –far more efficient. Two small turbochargers sit in tandem alongside the engine providing boost at very low rpm.
As an example: the Ford Flex’s normally aspirated base engine is the 262 horsepower (which makes 248 lbs feet of torque at 4,500 rpm) Duratec 3.5 liter V6. This is a nice, mellow engine that gets 17 mpg city and 24 mpg highway; in the FWD Flex – not bad at 16 city and 22 highway with AWD. Now look at the EcoBoost Flex; 355 horsepower (making 350 lbs feet of torque down at 3,500 rpm) while still measuring in at a 3.5 liter V6. Oh, and it gets the same mileage as the Duratec V6.
I have driven both versions of the Flex’s V6 and can truly attest to the muscular bravado of the EcoBoost, especially when you consider the up to 4,800 lbs mass of the Ford Flex. Equally impressive is the 4,500 towing capacity the big Flex demonstrates (when properly equipped).
This is a big vehicle.