2017 North American International Auto Show Special

2017 North American International Auto Show Special

- Edward A. Sanchez

2018 Ford F-150 Power Stroke Diesel

FORD BROUGHT its full lineup of ’18 F-150 pickups to the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, including an all-new, light-duty diesel offering. The 3.0L V-6 diesel will be branded “Power Stroke,” giving the company its first 1 ⁄2-ton oil-burner in its history.

The company says the diesel was designed and engineered in-house, leading us to believe the Power Stroke shares its basic foundation with the Jaguar Land Rover “Lion” 3.0L V-6. Ford didn’t release official power and torque figures, but in JLR products, the Lion produces 254 hp and 440 lb-ft. Those numbers compare very favorably to the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel, which makes 240 hp and 420 lb-ft.

The ’18 models also see much wider utilization of the 10-speed automatic including the 2.7L EcoBoost V-6, and 5.0L V-8. The base engine is now a 3.3L direct-injected V-6, presumably mated to a six-speed automatic. The 3.3L engine makes the same power as the outgoing 3.5L port-injected V-6 at 282 hp and 253 lb-ft of torque. All engines will get auto stop-start. The 2.7L EcoBoost follows in the 3.5L EcoBoost’s footsteps with a new dual-port/ direct-injection system to improve power and emissions. The 5.0L V-8 will also get the dual-injection setup.

In addition to the hardware updates, Ford will give the ’18 F-150 all-new front and rear styling. New grilles and headlights give the illusion of a wider stance, and certain F-150s will get wide mouth grilles without center crossbars. It’s a unique new look that helps the F-150 stay current, although some of us are eyeing those nostrils on some models with the same trepidation as the Ram 1500 Limited.