NEW YORK, July 28 — When Ford comes up with a successful advance in one of its high-end models, it’s generally one of the quickest manufacturers to extend such technology and engineering developments to lesser models in its range.
It recently did so with a ten-speed automatic transmission that made its debut in the F-150 Raptor, and now features throughout the Ford portfolio, and it’s now doing something similar with the engine from that mighty version of its all-conquering pickup truck.
To be fair, the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 in its basic form is already available in non-Raptor versions of the F-150, and it isn’t going to be featuring in the Focus or Fiesta anytime soon.
But for the 2019 model year the stunning high-output version of the engine will have its availability extended to the regular F-150, albeit in its top-of-the-range Limited trim level.
The really good news for anyone wanting a 2019 F-150 with that fabulous engine, but not in an off-road performance version of the pickup, is that the full-fat version will be offered with the F-150 Limited.
While it would be perfectly understandable if Ford decided to at least slightly de-tune the EcoBoost powerplant to keep the Raptor that little bit special, the Blue Oval has decided against it.
Instead, the twin-turbo powerplant will still produce 450 horsepower and 510 lb.-ft. of torque, just as it does in the F-150 Raptor.
This is actually quite a clever move by Ford in the incredibly competitive 1500-class segment of the pickup market. There’s an undeniable air of one-upmanship in the full-size pickup realm, so being the biggest, toughest or most powerful matters.
By dropping the 450 horsepower Raptor engine into the standard range, it makes the F-150 the most powerful truck in the high-volume 1500-class. Until now, that title belonged to several General Motors trucks with GM’s 420 horsepower 6.2-liter V-8.
At the moment there’s an almost insatiable demand for incredibly luxurious pickup trucks in the US, so Ford is really ramping things up by extending the availability of its most powerful petrol engine to include models other than the Raptor.
There’s no sign of more workmanlike models getting the twin-turbo V-6 EcoBoost engine, but it probably shouldn’t be ruled out either. — AFP-Relaxnews
