F-150 Diesel Engine Deets, Sucky Chevy Ads Kept 2017 Very Interesting
Blue Oval’s many successes in 2017 are paving the way for what is certain to be one helluva great 2018 for Ford.
It’s certainly been a fantastic year for Ford’s F-150 trucks, which continue to be America’s best-selling truck. But on top of that accolade, in 2017, F-150 trucks and their drivers have made headlines all year long for a variety of commendable reasons, from proving the reliability of F-150s and what it means to be “Built Ford Tough,” to doing its part to curb America’s gas crises. Check out F-150 Online‘s Top 10 best stories of 2017 for an idea of where Ford is headed in 2018, which is likely right back to the top of most consumer safety, reliability, and sales polls.
#1: Chevy’s Anti-Ford Ad Campaign Completely Backfires
As a fellow Ford enthusiast, you probably saw last year’s Chevy Silverado truck bed commercials and wanted to throw your TVs out the window. In the clip, the Chevy pitch guy shows “real” people what happens when cinder blocks are dumped into an empty (non-lined) F-150 bed and a Silverado bed. Since the Ford F-150 has an aluminum bed there were more dents and dings than the Chevy. The moral of their story? Chevy is a better truck! Wrong!
The truth is truck buyers aren’t dumb. Chevy insulted their intelligence by showing scenarios that are completely far-fetched. No one in their right mind would do this to their truck, even if their bed is titanium, without a bed liner. Any way you cut it, the Chevrolet ad was a major loss for Chevy, and inadvertently, it helped the sales of F-150s. So, probably for the first time on this site, we would like to thank Chevy for creating more Ford truck owners.
#2: What Will the 2018 F-150 Diesel Engine Specs Be?
Fans have been clamoring for an oil-burning version of the F-150 for what seems like forever. And Ford is finally answering those prayers with the new 2018 F-150 diesel. Earlier this year, Ford announced that the refreshed F-150 would receive a 3.0 liter Powerstroke V6 diesel engine but provided no further details. That left Torque News and a lot of other auto enthusiasts to speculate on what we’ll see in the first-ever diesel-powered F-150. Check out how close their predictions were.
#3: New Details Emerge Regarding 2018 F-150 Diesel Engine
Since announcing they would offer a diesel engine in the 2018 F-150, Ford has remained coy on the details. So you can’t blame folks for trying to play connect the dots. So, when Truck Trend received word that the new diesel would come straight from Land Rover, no one was surprised. After all, Ford already builds a 3.0 liter diesel engine for the British SUV maker. And they’ve done so since 2004. So, over the last several months, most have made the rational assumption that Ford would simply use that same diesel engine in the forthcoming F-150.
#4: 2018 F-150 Diesel Specs Leaked via Owner’s Manual
One of the best kept secrets in the automotive industry surrounds the mysterious 2018 Ford F-150 diesel specifications. Ford has already revealed everything you could ever want to know about every other powerplant present in the refreshed truck. Yet they’ve remained incredibly mum on the topic of the F-150 diesel, refusing to give us any details. Thanks to some intrepid snooping, however, we’ve got our first official leak.
Our pals over at Ford Truck Enthusiasts ran across the information, and there’s good news and bad news, of course. The good news is, we’ve got full access to the 2018 F-150 owners manual, which include axle ratio and gross combined weight ratings for the entire engine lineup. Unfortunately, the bad news is that we still don’t have any horsepower, torque, or fuel-economy ratings for the F-150 diesel. But with the F-150 diesel rumored to debut sometime early next year, it’s only a matter of time.
#5: F-150’s Car-Wash Crunch Costs Big Bucks
Like many folks this time of year, F-150 Forum member dtibbals decided to take his new Ford truck through a local car wash to clean it up a bit. Instead, he got more than he bargained for — the removal of his Ford F-150’s antenna!
The rotating brush in the drive-through car wash took hold of the antenna and ripped it clean out of the aluminum fender. Making matters worse, the antenna proceeded to beat the passenger side of the truck mercilessly. The ensuing carnage consisted of multiple dents and scratches. Total cost of damage: $6,000!
#6: Reviewing Ford’s 2018 F-150 Engine Options
When Ford rolled out the new 2018 F-150 in Detroit, much of the attention lavished on it revolved around styling changes. But they’re just minor details compared to what’s going on under the hood. All carry-over 2018 F-150 engines feature improvements, and the biggest news of all? The new 3.0 liter diesel.
The entry-level powerplant for 2018 is an all-new 3.3 liter V6. Smaller than the outgoing 3.5, the new six-cylinder uses dual injection for improved fuel economy and identical performance numbers. Slotting above the naturally aspirated V6, the 2nd gen 2.7 liter Ecoboost also comes with dual injection. That will lead to greater efficiency and power, but numbers aren’t final yet.
The 3.5 liter Ecoboost V6 received only minor refinements for 2018. Fresh off becoming the first F-150 engine to mate to the all-new 10-speed transmission, it might see a boost in power as well.
#7: 2017 Ford F-150 Ecoboost Makes Ludicrous Power for Pennies
It’s tough for us old-school truck guys to accept that Ford put a turbo V6 in the F-150. Not to mention the fact that it’s selling like hotcakes. But even the most hardcore V8 fan has to admit, those F-150 Ecoboost motors are impressive, especially the 2nd-gen 3.5 liter, which landed in Ford’s best-selling pickup last year. The mighty twin-turbo six pumps out 375 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque right off the factory floor, which is pretty incredible.
But, let’s say you don’t want to mess with your stock setup or install any performance parts. What if you just want to throw on a cheap tune so you can hold on to that factory warranty?
Well, what if we told you that you could tack on 100-150 horsepower with a dirt cheap $300 tune? We didn’t believe it ourselves, until we saw the video of this MPT Performance F-150 Ecoboost ripping off impressive numbers on the dyno. Using the company’s 3x Tune and nGauge programmer, the 2017 model truck achieves a best run of 449 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque – at the wheels!
#8: Forget Hybrids: The F-150 Is Why Gas Prices Are So Cheap
According to a recent report, no vehicle has impacted gasoline consumption more than the F-150, and a new study from Rice University credits Ford’s F-150 for the drop in gasoline consumption.
That might seem crazy, but bear with us. We already know that the F-150 is America’s most popular vehicle, and it has been for many years. So, when Ford makes incremental improvements to the F-150’s efficiency, it makes a huge difference on America’s gas usage.
Over the last five years, Ford has improved the F-150’s average fuel economy by around 5 mpgs. That improvement shaves one gallon (or 17%) from its gasoline usage over 100 miles, which now stands at 5 gallons. Over that same time period, the Prius has enjoyed a roughly 6 mpg improvement, but still uses two gallons of fuel to travel 100 miles. That means that it takes six new Priuses to equal the gas savings of one new F-150.
So, the next time some hybrid driver takes credit for today’s attractive gas prices, just show them this story. And tell them they’re welcome.
#9: 2018 F-150: Everything You Need to Know
If you’re a staunch follower of all things F-150, you’ve undoubtedly heard about the 2018 F-150. Now, Town and Country TV, makers of some pretty great YouTube content, is here to break things down for us with a video that serves as sort of Cliff’s Notes on the popular truck.
The first and most obvious change to the 2018 Ford F-150 is the styling and a series of new and revised powertrains, like the 3.0 liter Powerstroke diesel. But the biggest changes might just come in the form of technology. The adaptive cruise control is now capable of bringing the F-150 to a complete stop. Forward collision warning is now able to sense pedestrians as well. In addition, stop/start comes standard on all 2018 F-150’s. And for all you audiophiles out there, a high end Bang & Olufsen stereo system is in the works for upper trim levels.
So, even though the 2018 Ford F-150 is only considered a “refresh,” it’s clear that Ford continues to push forward with it’s iconic light-duty truck by packing it full of great features and the latest technology.
#10: F-150 Crushed like a Beer Can…and Driver Walks Away!
Accidents happen every day on our roads, but thankfully, most wrecks are usually minor affairs. But every once in awhile, we come across an accident scene that looks like something out of a Hollywood movie, like the incredible wreck this Ford F-150 endured that left it looking like a crushed beer can.
The horrific accident occurred in DeKalb, Illinois, on a rural road. The F-150 was stopped behind a 1992 Mack truck, then, a 2003 Freightliner barreled into the back of the Ford truck and turned it into a vehicular accordion.
Judging by the aftermath, you would have to assume that both the driver and his passenger suffered major injuries from this accident. But you’d be wrong. Both were removed from the truck and taken to the hospital with only minor injuries.
To us, it’s just another stellar example of how tough Ford trucks really are. But we have to admit, this one might take the cake. If nothing else, seeing a Ford F-150 endure this kind of punishment while still protecting its occupants gives us plenty of peace of mind. Regardless, we’ll still be eyeballing our rear view mirrors the next time we’re sitting behind a big rig at a light.