Ford is investing £70 million at its Bridgend engine plant in Wales to produce next generation low carbon dioxide 1.6-litre, four-cylinder petrol engines.

The additional investment, which includes £13.4m of support from the Welsh Assembly Government, will boost the plant’s production capacity to 1,000,000 units a year.

The new 1.6-litre engines will go into production within two years and will be among the first of a new generation of global petrol engines, known as EcoBoost.

Ecoboost engines will join the existing Ford Econetic range of diesel engined vehicles launched by Ford earlier this year.