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Small Engines, Big Power

With four cylinders now capable of better acceleration than some muscle cars of the 1960s, the time has come to re-evaluate underwriting methods.

By Greg Horn | Updated on July 15, 2011
In this product image provided by the Ford Motor Co., the 2013 Ford Taurus SHO is displayed. The SHO offers 365 hp, a broad torque band, all-wheel drive, while delivering 25 EPA-rated highway mpg. (AP Photo/Ford Motor Co.)

Ford Motor Company recently announced a fresh Taurus for the 2013 model year. What caught my attention was that it would be the first full-size car with a four-cylinder 2.0 liter engine that is expected to dish out 31 mpg on the highway, a considerable increase over the 2011 Taurus with a standard 3.5-liter V6 engine that delivers 28 mpg.

I remember my Ford Taurus company car in the 1990s, with its underpowered four-cylinder engine, mustering a mere 90 horsepower. Our company car coordinator said we used four-cylinder cars because they got good mileage and were cheaper to insure. The new Taurus sports a fuel-efficient EcoBoost four-cylinder engine, but doesn’t sacrifice power. Ford estimates that with the help of a turbo charger, the car will generate 237 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque, on par with some of Ford’s normally aspirated V6s.

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