Originally developed under the TwinForce moniker, Ford eventually changed the name of its downsized, turbocharged engine line to EcoBoost, jumping on the green trend. Make no mistake though, Ford’s pint-sized turbo powerplants have proven enormously popular with consumers, delivering a one-two punch of increased performance and fuel economy.

Ford’s drivetrain engineers deserve a high-five for their efforts, although the news that the Blue Oval has built more than two-million EcoBoost-equipped vehicles since 2009 is probably validation enough. So what’s next for Ford’s downsized engine hero?

Introduced in late 2009 on the 2010 Ford Taurus SHO, the Dearborn-based automaker promised that within a few short years every car in its lineup would have an EcoBoost engine option. And save for the Ford Mustang, that statement holds true today. Over in Europe the EcoBoost engine has proven wildly popular with consumers dealing with $8.00 per gallon gasoline, and Americans love the performance of cars like the Focus ST and Taurus SHO.

But it is more than just turbochargers that set the EcoBoost engines apart. Ford engineers added other technologies, like direct injection and variable valve timing to promote both performance and efficienicy, drawing on the talents of engineers with a wide varitey of backgrounds that included working on Soviet laser systems. And their efforts have not gone unnoticed. The 1.0 liter EcoBoost was awarded the Engine of the Year award for the second year in a row. Demand for the small, powerful, and efficient engines continues to rise. 

From the fuel-efficient 1.0 liter three-cylinder to the 365 horses of the twin-turbo 3.5 liter V6 to the 2.0 liter middle-child, Ford has had to up production of its turbo engine line more than once to meet demand. With an EcoBoost-powered Mustang designed for global sales on tap for next year, EcoBoost engine sales will continue to expand rapidly. It won’t be long before Ford builds its four-millionth EcoBoost engine, and then from there? The sky’s the limit.