Lincoln MKZ - First Drive w/ 3.5L V6 - 08/18/06 05:36 PM
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FirstDrives/articleId=116471#2
Originally posted by Edmunds:
More ponies
To date, the top engine in the Fusion/Milan/Zephyr was the 3.0-liter V6 Duratec engine. While a capable workhorse, this mill is not known for its refinement. When you push it hard, the feeling is coarse. And its 221-horsepower output is adequate, but falls short of the current three-plus-liter V6 engines that power its competitors.
In the transition from Zephyr to MKZ, the 3.5-liter replaces the Duratec. This change brings an additional 42 horses and 44 pound-feet of torque, yielding totals of 263 hp at 6250 rpm and 249 lb-ft at 4500 rpm. Stab the accelerator and the 20-percent power gain makes itself known. Thrust comes on smoothly, and builds intensely as the tachometer swings past 4000. Unlike the Duratec, the 3.5-liter likes to rev. There's no harshness. No thrash. No clatter. Just plenty of power and a purposeful growl that is loud enough to add some aural thrill to the acceleration, but not so loud that it detracts from the MKZ's luxurious intentions.
The new engine
The improvement this engine represents is significant. "The 3.5 is a foundational engine for us," says Tom McCarthy, managing engineer on the project. "We wanted this to be a great starting point that still had great potential going forward." McCarthy's team focused on three key areas of development for the engine: structure, combustion process and airflow.
Here's a quick lesson on engine development (stay with me): Having a solid structure helps an engine be quieter, smoother and more reliable. An advanced understanding of combustion affects everything from idle smoothness to power to emissions. Airflow is important because engines must move air efficiently to make power efficiently.
Features of Ford's new 3.5-liter include an aluminum block that shows considerable evidence of structural ribbing, a forged-steel crankshaft, and four-valve combustion chambers with a compression ratio of 10.3:1. Curiously, McCarthy is quick to point out technologies not on his engine. "To meet our performance goals, we didn't need to employ 'add-on' technologies like variable exhaust-valve timing, manifold swirl valves or active management (of the intake system)." By pointing this out, the Ford engineer takes a gloved swipe at competitive engines that utilize such features to match his engine's output. His comment also hints that much more "power density" (his engineeringspeak) resides within the compact dimensions of the 3.5-liter â?? no larger than the existing Duratec V6.