A method for automatically controlling an engine of a turf-care vehicle, said method comprising; receiving, at an engine speed control module, an engine speed control mode selection input from an engine speed control mode selection device, the engine speed control mode controlling a rotational speed of the vehicle engine in accordance with engine speed parameters specific to the engine speed control mode, wherein the engine speed control mode is implementable by the engine speed control module; monitoring, via the engine speed control module, an operating status of at least one vehicle component comprising an operator interface touch-screen display, a vehicle Forward-Neutral-Reverse switch, a tow mode switch, a vehicle light switch, a power take-off switch, a cutting unit position sensor, a cutting unit load sensor, a transport-mower switch, a vehicle main controller, and an engine control unit; and automatically controlling, via the engine speed control module, the rotational speed of the engine based on the engine speed parameters specific to the engine speed control mode and the operating status of the at least one vehicle component, the method being characterized in that: monitoring the operating status of at least one vehicle component comprises: receiving, in real time, inputs from the at least one vehicle component; and automatically controlling the engine speed comprises: determining a target engine speed at which to operate the engine to achieve a predetermined fuel efficiency based on the real time inputs from the at least one vehicle component and the engine speed parameters specific to the engine speed control mode absent input from an accelerator pedal of the vehicle; and absent adjustment of the accelerator pedal, regularly incrementally adjusting the engine speed to achieve the determined target engine speed. receiving, at an engine speed control module, an engine speed control mode selection input from an engine speed control mode selection device, the engine speed control mode controlling a rotational speed of the vehicle engine in accordance with engine speed parameters specific to the engine speed control mode, wherein the engine speed control mode is implementable by the engine speed control module; monitoring, via the engine speed control module, an operating status of at least one vehicle component comprising an operator interface touch-screen display, a vehicle Forward-Neutral-Reverse switch, a tow mode switch, a vehicle light switch, a power take-off switch, a cutting unit position sensor, a cutting unit load sensor, a transport-mower switch, a vehicle main controller, and an engine control unit; and automatically controlling, via the engine speed control module, the rotational speed of the engine based on the engine speed parameters specific to the engine speed control mode and the operating status of the at least one vehicle component, the method being characterized in that: monitoring the operating status of at least one vehicle component comprises: receiving, in real time, inputs from the at least one vehicle component; and automatically controlling the engine speed comprises: determining a target engine speed at which to operate the engine to achieve a predetermined fuel efficiency based on the real time inputs from the at least one vehicle component and the engine speed parameters specific to the engine speed control mode absent input from an accelerator pedal of the vehicle; and monitoring the operating status of at least one vehicle component comprises: receiving, in real time, inputs from the at least one vehicle component; and automatically controlling the engine speed comprises: determining a target engine speed at which to operate the engine to achieve a predetermined fuel efficiency based on the real time inputs from the at least one vehicle component and the engine speed parameters specific to the engine speed control mode absent input from an accelerator pedal of the vehicle; and absent adjustment of the accelerator pedal, regularly incrementally adjusting the engine speed to achieve the determined target engine speed.