CLEVELAND – Ford Motor Co. is resuming production at its Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1, which becomes the first manufacturing site to build Ford's new fuel-efficient EcoBoost engines.

The plant, idled since 2007, is ramping up pre-production of 3.5L EcoBoost V-6 engines optional on the 2010 Lincoln MKS, Lincoln MKT, and Ford Flex, and come standard on the 2010 Ford Taurus SHO.

EcoBoost engines, which combine direct injection technology and turbo-charging, are a key part of Ford's overall strategy to improve fuel efficiency and lower CO₂ emissions across its lineup. The engines can achieve up to 20 percent better fuel efficiency and 15 percent lower CO₂ emissions compared with larger displacement engines without sacrificing power.

"The launch of EcoBoost is the big milestone in Ford's commitment to deliver affordable fuel-efficient cars and trucks to millions of customers," said Barb Samardzich, vice president of global powertrain engineering.

Ford invested $55 million for tooling and equipment upgrades at Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1 to build the EcoBoost engine. Approximately 250 employees will form the shift to build the engine. The plant will be staffed by employees from the existing three plants at the site.

With the fuel economy of a V-6, the EcoBoost engine delivers 355 hp and a responsive 350 lb.-ft of torque across a broad RPM range.

Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1 opened in 1951 as Ford's first engine plant in Ohio. Since then, it has produced more than 35 million engines, including 24.3 million engines in the famous 302 and 5.0L V-8 family. In 2004, Ford invested $350 million into the plant for redesign and installation of an all-new assembly line as well as block, crankshaft, and cylinder head machining lines.