Topic: Ford Reveals 2015 F150 With Two New Engines, Aluminum Body

[opg210]

Love the idea of losing weight, hope it works...

Heard a story from my brother about a coworker who damaged his tailgate on a newish pickup and replacement cost was $2,700 due (in part) to the backup camera...truth? fiction? Not good if true, tailgates can be exposed to a lot. An aluminum one would be worse I'd imagine.

[Hammy]

lots of innovation for sure... whether it's innovation for innovations sake or for the final consumers benefit, we have yet to see.

i like the aluminum use but we'll have to wait and see about alloys used, how well it all joins together and how it holds up... i hope it's a good thing. figure most cars have been using aluminum for certain things (hoods mainly) so they should hold up to vehicle use...

the 2.7... i don't know. they seem to have issues with ecoboost stuff now, why get a smaller engine to move what is still a big truck? though it's lighter, the drag coefficient still will give a small engine a workout.

overall... should be nice. though they say prices will be similar to current ones.... will incentives be similar too? i'd guess nope. and that's where the big difference will be.

Yes and the incentives are quite good now, I just got a 2013 with $16,000 in total discounts at 3.49% for five years.

[revalations]

I'm not big on the styling, kinda knew I wouldn't anyway as the rumours had it looking like the atlas concept. The interior is fantastic, looks better than the GM trucks IMO. I'm on the gene with all the new techno features, not going to sway my buying decision based on electronic gizmos. The loss of the larger V8 kinda bugs me.

[Fobroader]

lots of innovation for sure... whether it's innovation for innovations sake or for the final consumers benefit, we have yet to see.

i like the aluminum use but we'll have to wait and see about alloys used, how well it all joins together and how it holds up... i hope it's a good thing. figure most cars have been using aluminum for certain things (hoods mainly) so they should hold up to vehicle use...

the 2.7... i don't know. they seem to have issues with ecoboost stuff now, why get a smaller engine to move what is still a big truck? though it's lighter, the drag coefficient still will give a small engine a workout.

overall... should be nice. though they say prices will be similar to current ones.... will incentives be similar too? i'd guess nope. and that's where the big difference will be.

Good comments, lots going in the truck segment these days. You bring up an interesting point about light weight and engines...funny, my mind goes right to the benefit of more power not less in a lighter weight truck.

Im with you....I buy trucks to haul and pull, so to me, lighter weight=less stability and more power=more betterer always  I guess the 2.7 could be ok for someone hauling lots of big, bulky, light things, packing peanuts, foam, bubble wrap....you know, takes up a bunch of room but weighs practically nothing.

Or the millions of people who just like the look/idea of a truck and use it 99% of the time as a one passenger commuter vehicle.

A crew cab, 4x4 would be an absolute slug with that motor....but hey, its not my truck.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

If it's got the same relative power output as the 3.5TT, the 2.7L should be putting out around 280hp and 323ft-lbs. In a truck that's 700lbs lighter, it should be fine.

I'm not sure if it'll be available this year, but the new Ford/GM 9 or ten speed will be introduced in the near future.

[Snowman]

I will never own an extended cab pickup without a center post. Death traps in a roll over.

[Fobroader]

I will never own an extended cab pickup without a center post. Death traps in a roll over.

Very true, plus those stupid suicide doors rattle and have hinge issues.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Everybody has to meet the same roof crush standards now. It's not an issue.

[mixmanmash]

I'm not big on the styling, kinda knew I wouldn't anyway as the rumours had it looking like the atlas concept. The interior is fantastic, looks better than the GM trucks IMO. I'm on the gene with all the new techno features, not going to sway my buying decision based on electronic gizmos. The loss of the larger V8 kinda bugs me.

I don't think Ford is planning on killing the 6.2L or 5.0L V8 from the truck?   At least I couldn't find any info confirming that.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

The 5.0 is definitely staying. I haven't heard anything about the 6.2 one way or the other.

From pickuptrucks.com

For 2015, Ford sticks with a four-engine lineup. Replacing the standard 3.7-liter V-6 will be Ford's smaller 3.5-liter V-6. While no power or torque numbers (or tow ratings) have been released for the 2015 F-150 yet, the 3.5-liter engine is expected to be less powerful than the 3.7-liter engine it replaces. In the 2014 Ford Explorer, the 3.5-liter V-6 makes 290 horsepower versus the 3.7-liter's 302 hp in the base 2014 F-150. But with the new truck weighing hundreds of pounds less than the outgoing model, thanks to the switch to aluminum construction (Ford told up apples-to-apples crew cab models save 700 pounds), the base engine doesn't need to be as powerful as the old model to achieve the same performance feel or to achieve better fuel economy numbers.

Moving up from the base engine will be an all-new 2.7-liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V-6. It is designed to be as powerful as a lighter-duty V-8 engine, according to Ford, and is a response to customers' requests for a midlevel engine that can accommodate moderate towing duties and smaller payloads than a 5.0-liter V-8 or the powerful twin-turbo 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine for the tradeoff of even better fuel economy. From their research, a good number of their customers don't want to pay for capability they won't need; not everyone needs to tow a 10,000-pound trailer or haul cinderblock to a job site. This more moderate 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine is the first of a new family of EcoBoost engines, featuring a compacted graphite block and standard stop-start technology.

Carrying over is the 5.0-liter V-8 Coyote engine, but we'll have to wait to see if it makes any different power numbers. Fans of big V-8 engines will, however, be disappointed to learn that the current truck's top engine choice, the 6.2-liter V-8, is no more. Instead, the top premium engine choice will now be the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6. And if it's going to replace the 6.2-liter in the lineup, we expect that it will likely make more power than the current model's 365 hp and 420 pounds-feet of torque. The torque numbers of the current 3.5-liter EcoBoost are already nearly a match for the 6.2-liter V-8 (420 versus 434), and the same benefit applies here as with the base V-6. With the top-of-the-line Platinum SuperCrew model ringing in at nearly 700 pounds lighter than the outgoing model, one doesn't need as much power to enjoy the same performance.

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2014/01/2015-ford-f-150-everything-you-need-to-know.html

[Noto]

If it's got the same relative power output as the 3.5TT, the 2.7L should be putting out around 280hp and 323ft-lbs. In a truck that's 700lbs lighter, it should be fine.

I'm not sure if it'll be available this year, but the new Ford/GM 9 or ten speed will be introduced in the near future.

I would think that the transmission plays a very, very important role in the efficiency of turbocharged engines - the idea is that a smaller engine uses less fuel, but force-feeding it air allows the same size to burn as much fuel as a larger engine.  Therefore, using the boost often will result in poor fuel economy, and keeping it out of boost will be relatively efficient.  Where a transmission takes longer to up-shift, the revs will go into a boosted stage; but it must allow the engine to accelerate at a rate of 5.4km/s without being in (or in high) boost to remain efficient.

That's my thought, at least.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

If it's got the same relative power output as the 3.5TT, the 2.7L should be putting out around 280hp and 323ft-lbs. In a truck that's 700lbs lighter, it should be fine.

I'm not sure if it'll be available this year, but the new Ford/GM 9 or ten speed will be introduced in the near future.

I would think that the transmission plays a very, very important role in the efficiency of turbocharged engines - the idea is that a smaller engine uses less fuel, but force-feeding it air allows the same size to burn as much fuel as a larger engine.  Therefore, using the boost often will result in poor fuel economy, and keeping it out of boost will be relatively efficient.  Where a transmission takes longer to up-shift, the revs will go into a boosted stage; but it must allow the engine to accelerate at a rate of 5.4km/s without being in (or in high) boost to remain efficient.

That's my thought, at least.

I think you're correct.

The 8 speed in the Ram 1500 made a huge difference when the truck is equipped with the V6. It didn't feel like you were wringing it's neck to accelerate.

[Ex-airbalancer]

I will never own an extended cab pickup without a center post. Death traps in a roll over.

Or should that be I will never own another one without a centre post

[mixmanmash]

The 5.0 is definitely staying. I haven't heard anything about the 6.2 one way or the other.

From pickuptrucks.com

For 2015, Ford sticks with a four-engine lineup. Replacing the standard 3.7-liter V-6 will be Ford's smaller 3.5-liter V-6. While no power or torque numbers (or tow ratings) have been released for the 2015 F-150 yet, the 3.5-liter engine is expected to be less powerful than the 3.7-liter engine it replaces. In the 2014 Ford Explorer, the 3.5-liter V-6 makes 290 horsepower versus the 3.7-liter's 302 hp in the base 2014 F-150. But with the new truck weighing hundreds of pounds less than the outgoing model, thanks to the switch to aluminum construction (Ford told up apples-to-apples crew cab models save 700 pounds), the base engine doesn't need to be as powerful as the old model to achieve the same performance feel or to achieve better fuel economy numbers.

Moving up from the base engine will be an all-new 2.7-liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V-6. It is designed to be as powerful as a lighter-duty V-8 engine, according to Ford, and is a response to customers' requests for a midlevel engine that can accommodate moderate towing duties and smaller payloads than a 5.0-liter V-8 or the powerful twin-turbo 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine for the tradeoff of even better fuel economy. From their research, a good number of their customers don't want to pay for capability they won't need; not everyone needs to tow a 10,000-pound trailer or haul cinderblock to a job site. This more moderate 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine is the first of a new family of EcoBoost engines, featuring a compacted graphite block and standard stop-start technology.

Carrying over is the 5.0-liter V-8 Coyote engine, but we'll have to wait to see if it makes any different power numbers. Fans of big V-8 engines will, however, be disappointed to learn that the current truck's top engine choice, the 6.2-liter V-8, is no more. Instead, the top premium engine choice will now be the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6. And if it's going to replace the 6.2-liter in the lineup, we expect that it will likely make more power than the current model's 365 hp and 420 pounds-feet of torque. The torque numbers of the current 3.5-liter EcoBoost are already nearly a match for the 6.2-liter V-8 (420 versus 434), and the same benefit applies here as with the base V-6. With the top-of-the-line Platinum SuperCrew model ringing in at nearly 700 pounds lighter than the outgoing model, one doesn't need as much power to enjoy the same performance.

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2014/01/2015-ford-f-150-everything-you-need-to-know.html

Ahh.  I'd also venture to guess that not many people went for the 6.2L V8 and sales of the EcoBoost and 5.0L V8 made up the lions share.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

The 5.0 is definitely staying. I haven't heard anything about the 6.2 one way or the other.

From pickuptrucks.com

For 2015, Ford sticks with a four-engine lineup. Replacing the standard 3.7-liter V-6 will be Ford's smaller 3.5-liter V-6. While no power or torque numbers (or tow ratings) have been released for the 2015 F-150 yet, the 3.5-liter engine is expected to be less powerful than the 3.7-liter engine it replaces. In the 2014 Ford Explorer, the 3.5-liter V-6 makes 290 horsepower versus the 3.7-liter's 302 hp in the base 2014 F-150. But with the new truck weighing hundreds of pounds less than the outgoing model, thanks to the switch to aluminum construction (Ford told up apples-to-apples crew cab models save 700 pounds), the base engine doesn't need to be as powerful as the old model to achieve the same performance feel or to achieve better fuel economy numbers.

Moving up from the base engine will be an all-new 2.7-liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V-6. It is designed to be as powerful as a lighter-duty V-8 engine, according to Ford, and is a response to customers' requests for a midlevel engine that can accommodate moderate towing duties and smaller payloads than a 5.0-liter V-8 or the powerful twin-turbo 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine for the tradeoff of even better fuel economy. From their research, a good number of their customers don't want to pay for capability they won't need; not everyone needs to tow a 10,000-pound trailer or haul cinderblock to a job site. This more moderate 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine is the first of a new family of EcoBoost engines, featuring a compacted graphite block and standard stop-start technology.

Carrying over is the 5.0-liter V-8 Coyote engine, but we'll have to wait to see if it makes any different power numbers. Fans of big V-8 engines will, however, be disappointed to learn that the current truck's top engine choice, the 6.2-liter V-8, is no more. Instead, the top premium engine choice will now be the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6. And if it's going to replace the 6.2-liter in the lineup, we expect that it will likely make more power than the current model's 365 hp and 420 pounds-feet of torque. The torque numbers of the current 3.5-liter EcoBoost are already nearly a match for the 6.2-liter V-8 (420 versus 434), and the same benefit applies here as with the base V-6. With the top-of-the-line Platinum SuperCrew model ringing in at nearly 700 pounds lighter than the outgoing model, one doesn't need as much power to enjoy the same performance.

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2014/01/2015-ford-f-150-everything-you-need-to-know.html

Ahh.  I'd also venture to guess that not many people went for the 6.2L V8 and sales of the EcoBoost and 5.0L V8 made up the lions share.

I'd think you'd be right.

Something like 40-45% of US sales were the Ecoboost. I'd guess most of the rest were the 5L and whatever number of 6.2 Raptors they sold.

If people needed the bigger engine, I suspect they'd spring for the F250.

Sent from my G3 using Tapatalk Pro

[Snowman]

Everybody has to meet the same roof crush standards now. It's not an issue.

I read that he standard is moving higher.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Everybody has to meet the same roof crush standards now. It's not an issue.

I read that he standard is moving higher.

That could be. It's been bumped up at least once in the last few years.

Sent from my G3 using Tapatalk Pro

[pcsp]

Sounds like the 2.7 is a winner. Race proven, reasonable size, boosted, V6. Good on Ford for adjusting their engines to take advantage of the weight. 700 lbs. - not insignificant. This should bring the weight of the lightest 4X4 config down to about 4,200 lbs. That is progress. I wonder if the 2.7 will make its way into the Fusion or 500?

[PJ]

Ford seems to be the clear innovator in the truck segment right now (innovation doesn't always mean good outcomes tho).

Agree that Ford is definitely taking a more cutting edge approach to full-size trucks than GM - and I also agree that this may backfire on them.  Especially if the aluminum body panels are going to be very difficult/expensive to repair, there will be some PISSED fleet owners. But if that isn't going to be a big problem, the weight reduction is great news!

I would disagree that Ford is the "clear innovator" in the truck market - RAM deserves a lot of credit too.  Diesel engine, air-suspension, 8-speed auto, RAMbox, etc... - they are innovating just as much as Ford. 

Now if only a MNFR would "innovate" a full-size truck that wasn't so bloody big!

The only thing about Dodge, I am truly afraid of what all that fancy air suspension, 8spd tranny....blah blah blah will be like after the warranty ends. Fords have generally been fairly reliable, where Dodges have been russian roulette. Anyways, what a great looking truck, Ill still take a 3.5 Ecoboost with a tailgate step and those cool loading ramps. Cant wait to see and drive one.

I see it the other way around.  The hemi is more trouble free then the 5.4, the cummins is way more reliable then nightmare ford diesels have been and bits and pieces are about the same American standard of hit and miss.  I was reading a long list of ecoboost problems on an RV forum yesterday and that engine is still too new to show what real problems lay ahead. 

If I were buying a new pickup today it would be a Dodge or a GMC.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Ford seems to be the clear innovator in the truck segment right now (innovation doesn't always mean good outcomes tho).

Agree that Ford is definitely taking a more cutting edge approach to full-size trucks than GM - and I also agree that this may backfire on them.  Especially if the aluminum body panels are going to be very difficult/expensive to repair, there will be some PISSED fleet owners. But if that isn't going to be a big problem, the weight reduction is great news!

I would disagree that Ford is the "clear innovator" in the truck market - RAM deserves a lot of credit too.  Diesel engine, air-suspension, 8-speed auto, RAMbox, etc... - they are innovating just as much as Ford. 

Now if only a MNFR would "innovate" a full-size truck that wasn't so bloody big!

The only thing about Dodge, I am truly afraid of what all that fancy air suspension, 8spd tranny....blah blah blah will be like after the warranty ends. Fords have generally been fairly reliable, where Dodges have been russian roulette. Anyways, what a great looking truck, Ill still take a 3.5 Ecoboost with a tailgate step and those cool loading ramps. Cant wait to see and drive one.

I see it the other way around.  The hemi is more trouble free then the 5.4, the cummins is way more reliable then nightmare ford diesels have been and bits and pieces are about the same American standard of hit and miss.  I was reading a long list of ecoboost problems on an RV forum yesterday and that engine is still too new to show what real problems lay ahead. 

If I were buying a new pickup today it would be a Dodge or a GMC.

The 5.4 hasn't been around since 2010, neither have the Navistar diesels. The Scorpion 6.7L has been more than decent and the newer Cummins aren't without their issues.

The 3.5L Ecoboost was introduced in 2010 on the 2011s. There are roughly 800k of them on the road out of the 2M F150s sold since the start of 2011. If there were widespread issues, it would be all over the press. The engines rate either "better than average" or "much better than average reliability" over at CR. The 5.0L has been much better than average across the board.