The Zeta shared some parts with other Ford engines developed at the time, including the smaller Sigma I4 and larger Duratec V6.

Production of the engines, renamed Zetec (the rename occurred because Lancia owned the "Zeta" trademark), began at Ford's Bridgend plant in Wales in September 1991, with later production added at Cologne, Germany in 1992 and Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico, in 1993.

The final Zeta Zetec was produced on December 10, 2004 at the Bridgend factory with over 3,500,000 built at that location.

A high 10.2:1 compression ratio and larger valves contributed to the SVT version's much higher output; while a special ECU tune that modified the Variable Valve Timing, among other settings, contributed to the 10% power increase on the ZX2 S/R.

Applications: The European Ford Focus RS featured a turbocharged version of the 2.0 L Zeta unit producing 215 hp (160 kW) and 229 lb⋅ft (310 N⋅m) of torque, although it was badged as Duratec-RS.