Truck owners are notorious for their demand for engine power, especially torque. Thus, truck fans and the press were more than a little nervous when Ford announced it would be introducing its EcoBoost twin-turbocharged, direct-injected V-6 engine for its F-150.
Well, the gamble seems to be paying off. The EcoBoost has so far represented 35 percent of F-150 sales in April, and Ford notes that incoming orders are tracking even higher at 40 percent.
Although the 3.5-liter V-6 is unusually small-displacement for the full-size truck segment, its output of 365 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque matches or surpasses most of its rivals’ top V-8 engine offerings. At the same time, the EcoBoost nearly matches the fuel economy of the 302-horsepower normally-aspirated 3.7 liter base V-6, which itself is representing a surprising chunk of 2011 F-150 sales.
Having proven itself, at least initially, in the bellwether F-150, Ford is aggressively rolling out other versions of the EcoBoost formula in four-cylinder configurations in its other passenger cars and SUVs, including the 2013 Taurus, which will offer the choice of either a four-cylinder or six-cylinder EcoBoost, depending on model. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder will be positioned as the fuel economy leader and is expected to get 31 miles per gallon on the highway, while the 365-horsepower 3.5 liter V-6 will remain as the high-performance engine in the flagship SHO model.
via Ford courtesy of Motor Trend Staff
Sounds like the V6 is in it to win it.