Cashed-in clichés. Redundant paragraphs. When my fellow motoring hacks sit behind their PCs this morning, most of them will wonder how the hell they gave Ford’s new 1.8 litre second-generation, common rail diesel TDCi engine the thumbs up.

Personally speaking, the arrival of Ford’s new common-rail hardware is a pain in the ass. Jaysus, lads! No more clatter-clatter-clatter catchcries. No more stench-stench or belch-belch bitching. No more asthmatic wheezes. That’s the P45 for three paragraphs, curtains for countless clichéd canons ... a fifth of a regular-sized diesel motoring article down the tubes ...

On an even more serious note this new TDCi technology, to be offered in Ireland from June onwards in four and five-door and estate Focus models, blows the mind. Married to the best handling car with the best chassis in class (our words, not Ford’s), it rockets Ford from bit player in one-act diesel comedies to star billing status in the big oil-burning blockbusters.

Late to the common-rail diesel party, Ford were so tardy, the barrels were empty when they arrived. Missing out, though, was a real blessing. Like sober latecomers, they could lick their wounds, rubbish the opening night gig and wait for round two. Round two appeared in the guise of some high-tech, debut-making, second-generation common rail technology from Delphi Automotive Systems, the Multec(tm) DCR 1400, a system that puts Ford light years ahead of their own TDDi engines, Volkswagen’s pumpe-düse and any other first generation common-rail powertrain you want to mention.

Indeed, Ford tell us that their new 1.8-litre Duratorq TDCi offers several advantages over first-generation systems, including higher system pressure, ultra-compact fast-acting solenoid injectors, inlet flow metering and accelerometer pilot control (APC).

Not much given away there for the layman. Translated into more meaningful numbers, Ford’s 1753cc unit outputs 115PS (113bhp) at 3,800rpm. That’s nearly 28 per cent higher than we get from the 90PS Endura DI. Nominal peak torque is 250Nm (207 lb ft) at 1,850rpm. - also substantially higher than Endura DI’s 200 Nm. Top speed is 120mph; the zero to 62mph run is timed at 10.8 seconds, and the TDCi plant sups a gallon of juice every 51 miles. All fairly impressive performance stats for a diesel - but no longer extraordinary.

What astonished us most about the TDCi was its amazing refinement. No annoying clatter. No harshness. No kick in the pants boost. Just an astoundingly quiet engine going quietly about its job with lots of ready acceleration delivered smoothly through a superb five-speed manual gearbox.

Revisiting Focus was an experience. Three years into its life-cycle, it remains the outstanding car in its class. The tight chassis set-up is exemplary. The handling is precision personified, the ride comfort, simply magnificent. Adding this new TDCi slaughters any ambitious rivals hiding in the tall grass.
Experienced drivers could believe the handling accuracy. The suspension soakage was anticipated. None, however, could believe their ears. Unbelieving, we had Phil Lake open the bonnet. There’s actually less insulation under the Focus hood than we find in a BMW. So what have they done to the noise?
The electronically controlled common-rail system's ability to precisely shape the engine's combustion process under all operating conditions is the key to eliminating the harshness and the clatter. It also provides a cleaner, smoke-free operation.

The precise application of pilot injection - a short burst of fuel prior to the main injection during each combustion cycle - is an intelligent engineering solution that eliminates those old diesel bugbears - the rattle/clatter and the rough delivery.

Common rail is the only diesel injection system with full flexibility of injection timing between the pilot and main fuel injection during one combustion event. It is also unique in having a reservoir of fuel contained in the "rail" at high pressure, independent of engine speed, permitting high specific engine torque to be achieved.

Second-generation common rail technology brings even higher levels of precision to the process by permitting better control of pilot fuel quantity, which is a key contributor to overall refinement. Sensors monitor engine operation constantly and adjust the pilot and main injections as necessary for optimal smoothness. The system achieves this by varying the timing and size of the pilot and main fuel injections according to conditions.

The new Ford Duratorq TDCi engine extends those second-generation capabilities even further by pioneering new electronic noise-reduction technology - called 'accelerometer pilot control' - that 'listens' to the engine's operation for any combustion harshness. An electronic knock sensor, attached to the centre of the engine block, monitors the engine's vibrations and signals the Ford EEC-V engine control module and injection system's electronic brain - the injector driver module - to modify the combustion process until the optimal operating sound is restored.

Is there any good news at all for the competition? Yes, indeed! Dagenham cannot build them fast enough, so Ford are offering it only in the Focus Ghia wagon, four-door and five-door models.

It doesn’t arrive here until late June, and ike all new common-rail technology it carries a price premium. Expect that to be around IR£1,200 more than conventional 90PS Duratorq models.