WHAT THEY ARE: Ford EcoBoost four-cylinder and six-cylinder gas engines, which feature turbocharging and direct-injection technology.

WHAT THEY DO: Ford says EcoBoost engines will deliver up to 20 percent better fuel economy and improve CO2 emissions by 15 percent. Direct-injection means that fuel is injected into each cylinder of the engine in small, precise amounts, while turbocharging uses waste energy from the exhaust gas to drive the turbine.

WHERE THEY'LL BE: The EcoBoost will debut as an option on the 2009 Lincoln MKS sedan, which is due out later this year. Eventually, Ford plans to install the engines across its lineup. Ford says it plans to put EcoBoost in 500,000 vehicles annually over the next five years.

HOW MUCH THEY'LL COST: Ford did not give figures, but said customers would be able to recoup their initial investment through fuel savings over two-and-a-half years, which would be less time than it would take to recoup the investment in a diesel or a hybrid.

WHY THEY'RE IMPORTANT: Other automakers, including General Motors Corp., Audi and Volkswagen, are using the same technology, but on a small scale to improve performance. Ford says it will be the first to use the technology on such a wide scale.