Ford isn't losing ground to the Japanese because it's motors aren't big enough. There are countless reasons why, motors being the least of which. Small cars and small engines are what sells for the Japanese companies. And putting a 300hp motor in a Fusion might sell a couple thousand, but it's not going to sell a quarter-million. For the incredible vast majority of consumers of sedans and crossovers, a V6 only needs to be large enough to provide some confidence-inducing torque, but small enough to provide the fuel efficiency to go with it. Few consumers are wowed by some outrageous high-powered version of family cars or crossovers which is why to this day I have never seen an Altima SE-R on the road, nor do any of my local dealers have any in stock. The demand is virtually nil.
If Ford had a sports coupe that was competing against the 350z then you'd have a point if they were sticking a 265hp motor in it. But, unfortunately, they don't. But in the cars that they are putting the Duratec35 into, it will provide them with more than adequate power for the current market and, in the case of the Edge, what I believe will be class-leading power.
Is that going to "save" Ford? No. Probably not. But sticking a 320hp motor wouldn't help them any more either. All that'd get them is even more people going "Pfft. American companies just don't get it" while they go and buy their 32mpg 260hp Japanese cars.
I agree with a lot of this. Ford needs to get their market share back if they wish to succeed in the long run. While making a high HP engine do it, especially in gas-tight times? Doubtful.
My response was more in line with all the people on here (as well as over at E-C) that are ready to bust out a ticket tape parade for this motor, when the fact is it won't make a huge difference. The only possible long term implication I see is lower cost because it is their first engine that is DFSS (Designed for Six Sigma).
"Bros before Hoes" <-- More men need this mentality.
