Perhaps to prove that their 1.0-litre three-cylinder EcoBoost engine is truly a compact unit, Ford chose to transport it in a hand-carry cabin luggage on its way from Detroit to the Los Angeles Airport.

The winner of the 2012 'International Engine of The Year' award claims to occupy only the footprint of an A4 size paper when it was launched. From the photo, only the empty engine block is carried and hence it should not be too heavy.

Fortunately, the car engine passed the transportation security screening without any problem. The engine is on its way for the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show. Ford is showing the engine to the US market in preparation for its launch in the 2014 model year Ford Fiesta.

The tiny turbocharged 1.0-litre engine is the epitome of downsizing, churning out 125bhp with 200Nm of torque on overboost. In addition to the face-lifted Fiesta, the engine is also powering the Focus hatchback and the 4.8m all-new Ford Mondeo.

Ford proves that great things do come in small packages!