DEARBORN, MI – Ford cited 12 cars, trucks, and SUVs in its lineup that are designed with improved fuel economy characteristics. The automaker stated that the vehicles that get better than 40 mpg are the Ford Focus SFE, which the EPA recently rated at 40 mpg; the 41 mpg city Fusion Hybrid; the 40 mpg highway Fiesta; and the Lincoln Hybrid MKZ, which gets 41 mpg city.

Outside of this group, the company listed a number of other fuel-efficient vehicles, including the following:

• F-150, which gets 17 mpg city and 23 mpg highway

• Super Duty, which has the 6.7L Power Stroke diesel engine and gets 20-percent better fuel economy than the previous 6.4L, according to the automaker

• Edge, which gets 19 mpg city and 27 mpg highway. The company said its 2012 model will feature the upcoming 2.0L EcoBoost engine, which the company expects will provide even better fuel economy

• Escape Hybrid, which gets 34 mpg city and 31 highway, according to 2010 EPA estimates

• Ford Mustang, which gets 31 mpg highway with its 3.7L V-6 engine and six-speed automatic transmission

• Transit Connect, which offers an estimated 21 mpg city and 26 highway

• Ranger, which gets an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 22 mpg in the city and 27 on the highway for the 2.3-liter I-4 engine, based on 2010 ratings

The company cited a number of technologies that it’s using to achieve better fuel economy. The company said in 2010 it launched nine new engines and six new six-speed transmissions. Many of Ford’s new powerplants include fuel-saving technologies such as:

• Twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT): This technology enables the engine to operate at peak efficiency by continually adjusting the precise moment the intake and exhaust valves open.

• Gasoline direct injection (GDI): This improves efficiency by raising the compression ratio and by using precise amounts of fuel placed directly in the combustion chamber.

• Turbocharging: This uses exhaust gases to pressurize the engine cylinders with a more dense mixture of fuel and air, increasing power.

• EcoBoost: This technology uses direct injection, turbocharging and variable valve timing to allow four-cylinder engines to deliver the power of V6s and V6s to deliver the power of V8s. EcoBoost engines save fuel in part because they burn less fuel and because they weigh less than the larger-displacement engines they replace, Ford stated.

• EPAS: This eliminates drag on the engine by replacing the hydraulic pump with an electric motor. EPAS, available on Ford Mustang, F-150, Fiesta, the new Focus, and other vehicles improves fuel economy by approximately 4 percent, according to the company.