The 2015 Ford F-150 introduced a new 2.7L EcoBoost V6 that offers 325 horsepower, 375 lb-ft of torque, an 8,500 lb towing capacity, a 2,250 lb payload capacity and the best fuel economy of any gasoline powered pickup in the half ton segment.
This engine is meant to serve as a low-cost option for those buyers who want more than what you get from the naturally aspirated base model 3.5L V6 which offers just 282 horsepower, 253 lb-ft of torque, 7,600 lb towing capacity, 1,910 lbs payload capacity and slightly lower fuel economy figures.
The 2.7L EcoBoost V6 is better than the naturally aspirated 3.5L V6 F-150 base engine in every way and best of all, the new 2.7L V6 is only a $795 option. For that price, it seems tough to justify picking the base 3.5L V6 unless you literally don’t have any concerns about power, capability or fuel economy.
This leaves me wondering if Ford might not just kill off the base model 3.5L V6 in the next couple of years of the F-150, especially if the take rate of the new smaller EcoBoost V6 is much higher than that of the base V6.
For our Question of the Week, we want to know what you think Ford should do with the base model NA V6. Should Ford kill it off, raise the base price by $795 and make the 2.7L EcoBoost or should Ford continue offering the base NA V6 for those buyers who want to spend as little as possible on their new F-150?
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"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
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