It is battery-driven and can be recharged from the mains or by an on-board three-cylinder engine that never directly drives the wheels.

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Farley said the 1.0-liter, turbocharged three-cylinder engine has been in the works since before he joined Ford from Toyota in late 2007.

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The engine had 25 horsepower and a three-cylinder engine.

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At the 2012 Paris Motor Show, which opened last weekend, Audi unveiled its brand-new Crosslane Hybrid Coupe concept, which is powered by a 1.5L three-cylinder engine and two electric motors.

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Next year Ford will offer a new Focus compact car in Europe, with a one-litre, three-cylinder engine that performs as well as the 1.6 litre, four-cylinder engine it replaces, yet uses about 20% less fuel.

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Coming in three trim levels, all models come powered by a peppy 180-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that drives the front wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission.

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