It is amazing how the new crop of internal combustion engines have become so much more powerful yet at the same time, more fuel-efficient and greener than their predecessors of past years.

Ford’s new 1.0-liter EcoBoost petrol unit is a prime example of how far automakers have gone. Despite its small capacity and proportions, the three-cylinder engine that features turbocharging, direct injection and other technologies, develops up to 123bhp, which is an impressive number in itself.

Yet, Ford may soon surprises us with an even more powerful version of the 1.0-liter turbocharged unit with an output as high as 177bhp! “It’s a stretch, but possible,” Gunnar Herrmann, vehicle line director for the Focus, was quoted as saying by British publication Autocar.

The magazine said that Ford is believed to be already working on a prototype of a high-output version of the 1.0-liter EcoBoost petrol engine fitted with an electric supercharger and a regular turbocharger. This engine would likely be used in sportier variants of the Fiesta and Focus.

Herrmann also noted that the normal 1.0L EcoBoost, which is available in two states of tune with 99bhp and 123bhp, will gradually replace all non-turbo 1.6-litre petrol engines in Ford’s global range.

“We know there might be some resistance from customers asked to go from a 1.6 to a 1.0, but only until they drive it,” said Hermann.