Zastava_101

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/07/29/u...train-details/

According to details supplied by shadowy sources, Ford is currently hard at task on the development of a range of new V6 engines. The powerplants are said to be under development in a range of sizes, including 2.6-, 2.7- and 3.0-liter displacements. The engines are being crafted under the codename "Nano" with a single dual-stage turbo making up for the cut in displacement. The largest of the trio is said to have a target of 300-315 horsepower, which is effectively what the current naturally-aspirated 3.0-liter V6 churns out. TDB maintains that the new V6 lumps may also work their way into the Mustang line at some point as well.

rhumb

I kind of like keeping the cylinder count of smaller motor up as think the maximum displacement, for the sake of smoothness and refinement, out to be >2L for four bangers and >3L for V6s -- I6s can pretty much be any displacement as they are naturally balanced. V8s and above, too, can be pretty much any displacement too. I think I4s and V6s above the aforementioned sizes inevitably get fairly rough and course when pushed and revved.

The current 3.7 seems to do pretty well in the NVH arena when pushed, though it will never be confused with, say, an M3 I6 in that regards. The Nissan 3.7 in the 370Z too, while powerful, is not exactly sweet and syrupy when thrashed either. One can also lash balance shafts to I4s, but you still have a fairly coarse parsing of power pulses and have all the added weight and complexity of the added machinery.

Of course, 12 cylinders are a silken symphony when it comes to NVH, but I don't expect one of these in Ford's future, even if that would make for a cool "P-51" option for the Stang!

Zastava_101

A small diesel would be nice too.
Ford Australia has a 3.2L I5 diesel engine in Ranger which is rated at 200 hp and 350 lb ft torque.

Moosetang

It's late at night, but did AB just say that Ford's next-gen 3.0 will use a dual-stage turbo to produce the same power as today's 3.0? I think they needed to take another pass at that article.