The 3.0 L Duratec 30 or Mazda AJ was introduced in 1996 as a replacement for the 3.8 L (230 cu in) Essex V6 in the up-market versions of the Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable. It has 2,967 cc (181 cu in) of displacement and produces between 200 hp (150 kW) and 240 hp (180 kW). With an aluminum block and cylinder heads, it is the same basic engine used in the Jaguar S-Type, Lincoln LS, Mazda MPV, Mazda 6, Mondeo ST220 and many other Ford vehicles. It is essentially a bored-out (to 89 mm) Duratec 25 and is built in Ford Motor Company's Cleveland Engine #2 plant in Cleveland, Ohio. A slightly modified version for the Ford Five Hundred entered production at the Cleveland #1 plant in 2004.
There are two key versions of the Duratec 30:
DAMB - The Lincoln LS and Jaguar AJ30 versions have direct-acting mechanical bucket (DAMB) tappets. Output is 232 hp (173 kW) at 6750 rpm with 220 lb·ft (298 N·m) of torque at 4500 rpm.
RFF - The Taurus/Sable/Escape version uses roller finger followers (RFF) instead and produces 201 hp (150 kW) at 5900 rpm with 207 lb·ft (281 N·m) of torque at 4400 rpm.
The 2006 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, and Lincoln Zephyr feature a version of the Duratec 30 using variable valve timing. The engine has an output of 221 hp (165 kW) at 6250 rpm, and 205 lb·ft (278 N·m) of torque at 4800 rpm. 23 L/100 km (10 mpg-US) The 2009 Escape and the new 2010 Fusion feature a version of the Duratec with engine output now at 240 hp (180 kW) at 6550 rpm, and 223 lb·ft (302 N·m) of torque at 4300 rpm.
A Twin-turbocharged version of this engine is used in the Noble M400, a British supercar. The engine is rebuilt and tuned to a max power of 425 bhp (317 kW) at 6500 rpm, with a torque figure of 390 lb·ft (529 N·m) at 5000 rpm. Noble has used forged pistons, an oil cooler, a larger baffled oil sump and extra cooling ducts to maintain its durability. 29 L/100 km (8.1 mpg-US)
Mazda's MZI version adds variable valve timing, as does Jaguar's AJ30. Note that the MZI name is also used in Europe on Mazda's version of the Ford Sigma I4. The 3.0 L, 226 hp (169 kW) V6 used in the Mondeo ST220 is called Duratec ST. The 3.0 L 204 hp (152 kW) V6 in the Mondeo Titanium is called Duratec SE. 28.1 mpg-US (8.37 L/100 km; 33.7 mpg-imp)
