First Drive: 2011 Ford F-150 and its four new engines

[snakekiller]

The year is 1977. Jimmy Carter replaces Gerald Ford to become the 39th President of the United States and creates the United States Department of Energy. Apple Computer is incorporated, and the Commodore PET, the world's first personal computer, is sold. NASA's first space shuttle is christened Enterprise and performs its initial test flight.

Music lovers welcome Fleetwood Mac's latest release, the Grammy-winning album Rumours. The Supremes, Elvis Presley and Led Zeppelin play their final concerts, and, later in the year, Elvis leaves the building for good. The top grossing movie? Star Wars. On television, Fonzie rather famously jumps the shark.

In the world of automobiles, Porsche introduces the front-engine 928 and Burt Reynolds turns the black and gold Pontiac Trans-Am into an object of desire. And, finally, the Ford F-Series earns its status as the best-selling vehicle line in America. Clearly, a lot has changed since 1977... except, of course, for the Blue Oval, which can still boast that its full-size pickup truck is the number one nameplate in the United States.

Ford has no intention of passing that particular baton to anyone else, and in order to maintain this impressive bit of marketing gold for a 34th straight year, the Dearborn-based automaker is putting four brand-new engines, including a 3.5-liter turbocharged EcoBoost V6, in the engine bay of its F-150. The automaker says 2011 marks "the most significant powertrain upgrade in 62 years of the F-Series." We, of course, had to verify that claim for ourselves.

Links:Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/27/2...iew-road-test/
M/T http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...ive/index.html
Pick-up Trucks http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2010/09...-6-part-1.html

[bigjohns97]

For the first time ever i want a truck.

[CamaroScotty]

A new engine.....reasons to AVOID it for a few years to see if it stands up.

Number one nameplate, but not number one in resale value

[snakekiller]

Originally Posted by CamaroScotty

A new engine.....reasons to AVOID it for a few years to see if it stands up.

Number one nameplate, but not number one in resale value

Good point always avoid 1st year introductions.
But i don't see how it could go drastically unreliable. The 6.2L is going to be a year old when it hits the market in the F150, the F150 6.2L is basically unchanged from the raptors engine(unlike the F250). The 5.0L is also unchanged other than tune and some more durable parts, it will also be a year old when it comes out.

The unproven one here is the 3.5L EcoBoost.
it has all the sings of a great engine, power, price(700dlls over the 5.0L)
only one problem unproven reliability.

[assasinator]

Originally Posted by snakekiller

Good point always avoid 1st year introductions.
But i don't see how it could go drastically unreliable. The 6.2L is going to be a year old when it hits the market in the F150, the F150 6.2L is basically unchanged from the raptors engine(unlike the F250). The 5.0L is also unchanged other than tune and some more durable parts, it will also be a year old when it comes out.

The unproven one here is the 3.5L EcoBoost.
it has all the sings of a great engine, power, price(700dlls over the 5.0L)
only one problem unproven reliability.

the taurus and lincoln cars are using the 3.5 ecoboost right now.

[chain777]

As far as durability is concerned, the 'test' they are going to be putting it through should be interesting. If it survives that, durability shouldn't be a concern with the Ecoboost.

From the MT article:

"The third concern is one of durability. Ford has done extensive testing with this engine, and recently announced it's going to promote the EcoBoost's strength with webisodes showing the same engine undergoing the equivalent of 150,000 miles of testing, then getting installed in an F-150 on the production line and being driven up to Oregon, where it will do work at a logging company. After that, the same engine will be put in a race truck and run in the Baja 1000."

Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...#ixzz10qS3Z5ez

[bigearl]

Originally Posted by snakekiller

Good point always avoid 1st year introductions.
But i don't see how it could go drastically unreliable. The 6.2L is going to be a year old when it hits the market in the F150, the F150 6.2L is basically unchanged from the raptors engine(unlike the F250). The 5.0L is also unchanged other than tune and some more durable parts, it will also be a year old when it comes out.

The unproven one here is the 3.5L EcoBoost.
it has all the sings of a great engine, power, price(700dlls over the 5.0L)
only one problem unproven reliability.

The 3.5 in particular has been proven in car applications, but until you have some construction workers towing around a 5000lb trailer from jobsite to jobsite in bad traffic and some people pulling a trailer up a hill with the boost maxed for over an hour, you won't know for sure. I agree that I don't think it's going to be grossly unreliable, but I'd still rather let someone else get those 1st model year recalls-even if they're minor.

[SleepWarz]

I think its gonna kick ass, like the old sy/ty did.

[motorhead]

They've been running turbos in big trucks for years with reliable outcomes. What makes you think they can't make a turbo motor for a light duty truck that will hold up? My problem with the new ford truck isn't the motor direction they're taking , it's how ugly they keep make them look.

[bigjohns97]

Loving all of they nay sayers.. LOL

[bigearl]

Originally Posted by motorhead

They've been running turbos in big trucks for years with reliable outcomes. What makes you think they can't make a turbo motor for a light duty truck that will hold up? My problem with the new ford truck isn't the motor direction they're taking , it's how ugly they keep make them look.

Originally Posted by bigjohns97

Loving all of they nay sayers.. LOL

I don't think anyone is really naysaying, and ya I know turbos have been around for a while. What's wrong with saying that engines often need a sorting out period in the public for a couple of years? (edit: and I can give you examples btw from all 3 makers with their turbo-diesel engine/tranny combos over the last decade of why you should wait a year)

And I don't just apply that to turbo engines, I apply that to ALL engines. That's not naysaying, that's just being a cautious consumer. It has the potential to be a great engine and I've said that before. My last 2 trucks have turbos on them and I have nothing against the concept on a gas 6 cylinder truck.

[motorhead]

Originally Posted by bigearl

I don't think anyone is really naysaying, and ya I know turbos have been around for a while. What's wrong with saying that engines often need a sorting out period in the public for a couple of years? (edit: and I can give you examples btw from all 3 makers with their turbo-diesel engine/tranny combos over the last decade of why you should wait a year)

And I don't just apply that to turbo engines, I apply that to ALL engines. That's not naysaying, that's just being a cautious consumer. It has the potential to be a great engine and I've said that before. My last 2 trucks have turbos on them and I have nothing against the concept on a gas 6 cylinder truck.

That's true. I was just putting it out there. I wouldn't buy one for a couple of years.

[2010 2-Tone]

You are correct my friend BUT Chevrolet and GMC are looked at as 2 seperate and that is the only reason that Ford wins that award every year!!

[Loud Pedal]

A torqueless V6 truck... Isn't that sort of like a pedal powered tractor? No thanks.