Ford’s three-millionth UK-built small-capacity diesel engine has rolled off the line at Ford’s manufacturing centre at Dagenham.

Low CO2 diesel engines have been built at the Dagenham Diesel Centre plant for a variety of models across the Ford range, and for other manufacturers, since production started in May 2007.

On average more than 30,000 engines are produced every month, with total production of the small-capacity diesel engine for 2013 exceeding 365,000.

The engine was launched with 1.4- and 1.6-litre capacities, and, in 2013, the 1.4-litre version was upgraded to a more fuel-efficient 1.5-litre that delivers lower emissions, and which is produced alongside the ultra-efficient 1.6-litre unit.

By September 2015 all Ford diesel engines will comply with the latest Euro-6 emission regulations, which reflect an 84% reduction in nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions from diesel cars since 2000.

Ford marked 30 years of the diesel-engined Ford Fiesta in May 2014 and all generations of the model, spanning three decades, have been powered by Dagenham-built engines.

Last year, more than 76,000 Ford vehicles sold in the UK were fitted with Ford’s small-capacity diesel engine, accounting for around 20% of all Ford cars and commercial vehicles sold through 2013, with emissions as low as 85g/km.

Martin Everitt, Dagenham Engine Plant manager, said: “This milestone demonstrates the strong demand for clean, powerful, yet economical, small-capacity diesel engines.

"This is set to grow further when we introduce the new Ford Focus and Ford Mondeo models, both of which will be available with this low-carbon diesel engine.”