Resetting The Bar

Ford rewrote the pickup playbook three years ago by transforming its F-150 bodies from steel to aluminum—a bit more costly and more challenging to build and repair, but the resulting weight savings increased payload and tow ratings.

- Gary Witzenburg

Ford rewrote the pickup playbook three years ago by transforming its F-150 bodies from steel to aluminum—a bit more costly and more challenging to build and repair, but the resulting weight savings increased payload and tow ratings. Continued strong F-150 sales show that it was a risk worth taking, even though no competitor has yet followed suit.

These lighter, more load-capable trucks were freshened and updated with new features and improvements for ’18, and now Ford adds a new twist with its first-ever light-truck diesel engine, a 250hp, 440–lb-ft 3.0L V-6 that is EPA rated at a class-bashing 22 city/30 highway/25 combined mpg in a Lariat SuperCab 4x2, numbers dropping to 20/25/22 with four-wheel drive.

While this new Power Stroke V-6 is a derivative of one built at Ford’s Dagenham engine plant in the United Kingdom, it shares “commercial-grade” technology with the F-Series Super Duty 6.7L Power Stroke diesel. Its engine block is compacted graphite iron, which is lighter and stronger than conventional gray iron. The crankshaft is forged steel, its 29,000-psi high-pressure fuel injection delivers optimum output and efficiency with reduced noise, and variable geometry turbocharger provides better power and response. It also boasts dual fuel filters, a two-stage oil pump, and a cast-aluminum oil pan. The engine’s 250 peak ponies arrive at 3,250 rpm, while its muscular 440 lb-ft of torque begins at a low 1,750 rpm.

By comparison, the ’18 Ram 3.0L EcoDiesel V-6, coupled to an eight-speed automatic, delivers 10 fewer horses and 20 fewer lb-ft, with 21 mpg city and 29 highway with two wheel drive and 19/27 with four-wheel drive. And since the truck business is all about one upping the competition, we’re guessing that GM might find a way to top Ford’s ratings by at least a bit when its ’19 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 diesel is revealed.