Ford to debut Dragon 1.2L petrol engine on Figo crossover

A test mule of what appeared to be a Ford Figo-based crossover was spotted back in August 2017. Now, a media report suggests that a Dragon 1.2-litre petrol engine will debut on what is being dubbed as a 'Compact Utility Vehicle'. The same engine will also power the Figo facelift and the updated Aspire compact sedan.

Ford recently launched its Dragon series 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder, all-aluminium petrol engine on the new EcoSport. The Dragon 1.2 is essentially the same engine downsized to 1,194cc. It features the same 3-cylinder aluminium block with dual-overhead cams albeit with smaller pistons. That said, unlike the 1.5-litre unit, it does not get the balancer shaft that is claimed to reduce engine vibrations.

The new naturally aspirated Dragon 1.2-litre petrol engine reportedly produces 94 BHP and generates a peak torque of 115 Nm.

In addition to the new engine, the upcoming Figo crossover will also use a new 5-speed manual gearbox. The Getrag-sourced transmission is claimed to be lighter, more accurate and easy to operate than the current IB5 unit. An AMT version is also believed to be in the works.

Ford hasn't announced a launch date for the Figo-based crossover, however it is expected to debut in the first half of 2018. 

Source: Autocar India