Since the other truck manufacturers have upped their ratings in power and such, let's discuss what's next for the Ford truck line in terms of power and drivetrain.

1. As many of you know, GM has pulled out all the stops for '06 with the 360hp/650lb. tq. Duramax w/ 6 speed Allison. Dodge will probably follow suit in the near future--as we all know, the Cummins can be tweaked to match without much trouble.

Current rumors have been floating around that Ford will be coming out with a 6.4L PSD in '07 with 400hp and 700lb. tq., HPCR injection, etc., however nothing has been said about a new/updated 5 or 6 spd. Torqshift.

2. GM has also come out with the Vortec Max 6.0L V8 that outmuscles the Dodge Hemi in horsepower and torque--all the while Ford (on the F-150 platform) has been sitting on the sidelines--300 is nice, but 330-340 seems to be the current bench mark.

I haven't heard anything about a new high output Ford V-8 in about 6 months. There was talk of a 6.2L engine named the "Hurricane"--but has anything come out of it?

Also will the 4.6L 292hp V-8 from the Explorer be migrating to the F-150 anytime soon?

3. Talk has been the next addition to the GM arsenal will be a V-6 Duramax for the Suburban and 1/2 ton line. I haven't heard anything of a smaller Dodge diesel as of yet.

Ford has the LCF with the V-6 PSD and Torqshift, a potentially very lucrative combo for the F-150--which last I heard the only thing holding it back was emissions certification, but that they were getting closer to passing specs. This would be a welcome addition to the Ford line.

All in all, Ford seems to be mighty quiet about their developments for the next year or so, while GM and Dodge make it known to everyone.

 

Hopefully they're just keeping it quiet.. and are pready to pounce on the competition when it comes out.


But.. I don't think they're doing anything with the mod motor line. I've already said what i have to say about that plenty of times. 6.2 w/3v sounds good.. but i think it got shelved.

 

They should release a diesel for every truck , 6.4 for Superduty, V6 diesel for F-150, and 4 cylinder powerstroke diesel engine offered in South America for the Ranger ,here for the North American Rangers! That would be sweet , but dont think it will happen. Edmunds already said Ford is coming out with a new V8 in 07 and its going to be a Hemi type motor, they plan make it faster and stronger then the Hemi.

 

That 6.4L sounds awesome as well as that Hurricane 6.2L. Unfortunately i read in a magazine that Ford has canceled its production of the Hurricane 6.2L due to an investment in a future family of V6s! I dont know if this is true or not but I sure hope its isn't. The V6s could use some work too but why cancel a great idea? Ford really could use some more engine options right about now although im not complain either ......

 

Yeh GM has added to the power wars in the diesel line as well as in there gas engines. But dont we have enough. More power equals less MPG. I dont know abouit you. But fuel is very high where Im at. My current truck 2003 PSD with the 7.3 is awesome in my book. Plenty off power for my needs. No rumours its a fact. Ford is coming out with the new 6.4. Theres a whole new forum for it here on FTE. So yup its coming. Im really excited about the new interiors in the SD. I seen some spy pics an it looks awesome. A lot more nice featues sismilar to the 150. GM really has to try hard to capture the diesel market which Ford owns the market with over 50% share. No matter what GM an Dodge tries Im stickin with Ford. Ford has some real loyal people out there an Im one off them. As ive said many times Ford has the superduty an nobody matches it. GM or Dodge. Ive ridden in them all an is there anything better then a superduty. Off the subject a bit but Ford has some awesome cars coming to market now an trucks well Ford will awlays have a loyal following. A diesel in the 150 would be a big boost for its sales anll definitly see one in the next few years. BTW MFW95250 hows the newer truck treatin you. Are you enjoying it.

 

That 6.4L sounds SWEEEET!!!!!!!!!

 

A twin turbo 4.8 v6 and a twin turbo 3.2 v4 maybe (do they make v4's?)? that'd be interesting. For the f150 and the ranger. I also think the ranger should be kept up with the explorer platform.. with the new 3v 4.6 going into the explorer.. one of those in the ranger would be PIMP! I'd trade my f150 for a v8 ranger!

I do think the v6 line needs some work though.. the 3.0l has been neglected long enough.. and while the 4.0 is pretty quick in the sploder and ranger, its nothing compared to nissan's v6.

-Paul

 

Yeah I think a 4.6L Ranger to compete with the Dakota is long overdue. At this point Chevy's small trucks are not even in the running. I think I would replace my F150 4.6L with a 4.6L Ranger in a second. NOTE TO FORD: IF YOU DO THIS PLEASE INCLUDE A 6-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION OPTION. 4.6L+6-speed in Ranger=Hemi Killer. Good deal!

 

You checked out the pink forum linked in my sig by any chance?

 

Ford just needs to bring in the SA version of the Ranger diesel and make a bigger (I5 or so) version for the F-truck. Something just doesn't make me giddy about a v6 diesel. If it's a 90 degree v-engine, toss in balance shafts and you lose power to those as well as some revability. Even Mercedes new diesel 3.X CDI is an inline engine and gets upwards of 30mpg or so.

As for a 4.6L Ranger. Probably not. The Triton is a hog and the Ranger, relatively speaking, is not. With CAFE to deal with and the fact that in a Ranger-sized truck, a 4.6L does nothing a 4.0L could do (towing capacity with a 4.6L = lousy, for example), what's the point? For that cost, get a 4.6L SCab F-150 and be done with it. Mind you, I think Ford makes lousy v6's (good I4's, Tritons and Intechs, though...) and I don't like v6s on the whole, but that is the card Ford will play.

 

Mercedes current 3.0l diesel engine is a V6.

We had a Brazilian 4.2l Inline 6 available in our F250's up until 2003.
Brazil still gets them I believe.
Very reliable engine (far more so than the 7.3l it partnered in the line up).

 

It looks like Ford is waiting to see what the other companies are doing with their so called compact trucks. The new Tacoma is the size of the old T100 now and almost as big as a Tundra. They aren't selling as fast around here as the old Tacoma did. You hardly ever see a Dakota. I guess it's hard to justify not spending approximately the same price for a full size. Until fuel prices went up GM couldn't give away their compact truck twins. Probably had more to do with looks than anything else though. Although no 6 cylinder option hurts it's sales too. Rangers sell well here except for regular cabs. It's the last compact truck in the American market (along with it's Mazda clone) and Ford paid the tooling off long ago. They will continue to build it as long as there is demand and until it can no longer pass federal saftey, CAFE and emission regs. Now, an inline slant 5 of 3.4 liters based off of the V10 would be an ideal enigine for a Ranger. I think we may see a diesel after the new low sulfer fuels are on the market.

Fords gas engines in full size trucks have proven to be powerful, reliable and fairly economical. I dont know if Ford wants to get into a horsepower war right now. A destroked V10 of aprox 5.8 liters would be a nice fit for the F150. The parts exist to build it and the development outlay would be faily easy (it's probably already been developed). It would be nearly as powerful and more efficient than a supercharged 5.4.

I think the V6 diesel in the F150 is probably a done deal. It's a nice engine in the LCF. I've driven one and it has plenty of power. It wouldn't surprise me to see it offered in the Super Duty line as a lower cost diesel option. It would be ideal for fleets and Suburban commuters.

These are just my opinions and obsevations, so fire away!

 

I think that Ford needs to upgrade the Ranger. The Ranger WILL be dethroned as the best-selling compact truck in American this year. The Toyota Tacoma will take its place. I think this is a sign that the time has come for Ford to make a change.
I found these figures on
Toyota Tacoma
125,114 4.9% YTD
September 2005: 14632
September 2004: 12040

Ford Ranger
99,907 -21.6% YTD
September 2005: 10105
September 2004: 13687
Like I said, hail to the new king: the Toyota Tacoma.
With the rumors of a long, wider and more powerfull Tundra coming in '07, Ford had better have their ducks in a row or else the fullsize market might go to the Japanese as well.
Octane

 

150ford, you say that more power = lesser fuel mileage, and i want to say i strongly disagree. my dad put a 70hp chip in his diesel (dmax) truck and get 2.5 mpg better than it did stock.

gm's always seem to get better mpg averages than equivalent ford. this is just what i have seen so i am making a generalization, fire away.

i think a diesel ranger/colorado/dakota would be a awesome and also the same in a 150/ 1500 platform.

this is just my guess, but i think chevy is pouring out what they got and i don't think ford has anything big as far as cards to play. i think it will end up being slapped together to match the competition. i hope they are doing their homework on the 6.4 diesel, but it looks to me that IF ford screws this motor up as bad as the 6.oh, i think they will rapidly loose the little that they have left.

i am disappointed that ford seemed to pour it out in the mid 90's but has sat extremely silent in this decade as far as the trucks (motors) have been concerned. if it matter, i think ford's new f150 look like they used the same designers that GM used on their aztec, silverado avalanche line. they fit about in the same boat IMO.

 

Diesels burn fuel differently, thats to be expected.
Ford has the largest light diesel truck market share, so what's this 'little' amount left?
What are you talking about? The F-150 looks absolutely NOTHING like the Aztec, or anything else form GM. You can say it's ugly if you want, that's your opinion, but never say it looks anything like something from GM.
The '07 Tahoe that we saw a while ago looked like it has some design attributes from the Ford Expy, but it still managed to be uglier.

Ford has been very quiet about what they are doing. I think it's a strategy. We already know there will be a 6.4TT, and they aren't going to release numbers on it, just so the competition can raise their numbers higher. I would really like to see a V6 PSD in the F-150.