The Cologne V6 was designed to be compatible in installation with the Ford Taunus V4 engine, having the same transmission bolt pattern, the same engine mounts, and in many versions, a cylinder head featuring "siamesed" exhaust passages, which reduced the three exhaust outlets down to two on each side.

Like the 2.9 L version, the camshaft is chain-driven, it has fuel injection system (EFI) and Ford's EEC-IV engine management.

The only fuel injected first-generation engine, its sole application was the 1970-1973 Ford Capri RS 2600.

Weslake developed a racing version of the engine, bored to 96 mm (3.78 in) to give 3.0 L; 182.8 cu in (2,995 cc) of displacement and producing in excess of 320 PS (235 kW; 316 hp).

The siamesed inlet and exhaust ports of the 2.8 only respond well to forced induction or an overbore; normal tuning will yield only minor power results.

The MFI 2.8 Cologne (Capri/Sierra 2.8i) uses a very restricted induction setup, and no open air kit is available due to this.

[citation needed] Ford offered a limited run of approximately 150 "Capri turbos" with turbocharged 2.8 engines.

These engines displayed RS badging and used a productionized version of an existing aftermarket kit offered by a Ford dealer in Germany.

Because of this difference over the 2.8 L model, this version was a more popular candidate for aftermarket modification (typically turbocharging) from companies such as Janspeed and Turbo Technics.

Applications: A special twin DOHC (QUAD CAM) version of the 2.9 was created by Cosworth Engineering in 1991.

Although it shared the same block as the standard 2.9, power output was up to 195 PS (143 kW; 192 hp) and torque was boosted to 203 lb⋅ft (275 N⋅m) at 4500 rpm.

This engine configuration was only paired with an improved A4LDe automatic gearbox with partial electronic shift control.

In place of the single-cam arrangement, an endless duplex hydraulically tensioned timing chain was used to drive the overhead cams.

[3] The casting and bearings for the standard underhead cam were repurposed for a shaft which drove the oil pump.

Differences included two simplex chains with two hydraulic tensioners and the addition of a variable-length intake system called VIS.

In addition, the 4WD Ranger/Explorer with the SOHC 4.0 had a 4th timing chain driving what Ford called a balance shaft.

Timing chain rattle was mitigated in later years of the SOHC (in most vehicles, after 2002) with updated cassettes and tensioners.