They can already get towing capacity with the ecoboost and for only $1000. no expensive diesel fuel, less expensive maintenance, etc needed. Towing capacity for the F-150 isn't the problem. I have towed heavy 6-9k lbs for the past two years. Mainly fertilizer spreaders and cattle trailers. But I have found the F-150's weaknesses. One, mpg stinks while towing. Two the truck is too light for my 12' high toyhauler so I have a 6.7 Power Stroke on order.

Only way the diesel will sell well is if it costs less than $2k for the option and it gets substantially better fuel economy while towing.

I do agree that the ecoboost doesn't get the fuel economy that Ford said it would. Only way to get it is to drive on flat land @55-60mph, no winds, and definitely no towing. Also don't add different tires, ranch hand bumper, topper or anything else that increases wind resistance as this keeps the boost up and mpg down.

 

It's the same old stuff...you want speed, get a gasser. You want power, get a diesel. You want both, open your wallet.

 

Nissan Titan is scheduled to get the 2.8l Cummins i4 possibly by 2014. Preliminary figures have it at at 220hp and 380+ lb/ft torque with a targeted combined MPG of 28 which will put it over 30mpg hwy. I read it was a joint venture with the Department of Energy and Cummins each contributing 15 million to the research and development of the power plant. I think we will likely see more and more of these half ton diesels pop up in the coming years.

 

Right on the button savage.

A gasser will wear you out towing.

I enjoy the fact my 6.7 diesel pulling whatever I want all I gotta do is go and enjoy knowing I can top the hills without planning anything. oh crap I better get this gasser wound tit drum tight going down the hill and stay on top of it at all times. And screw the gas guzzling pig ecoboost.towing and empty. Its just a play toy.

 

My father has an ecoboost and I've towed with it plenty. If you ignore the mpg (typically 8-10 towing) it really acts a lot like a diesel until you reach 65mph. It's got good grunt off the line and power to change speed in city driving is very responsive. I like it, very similar grunt to our diesels until you get up in the gears. At 70mph it needs to shift a lot and rev high though so it returns to the way a gasser would behave.

 

6.2L ecoboost would be fun with some fat rear wheel tires...just saying. They need to make that an available option.

 

......or this.
Roush Blower Powered by Hennessey | 2011 - 2012 6.2L F-150 Raptor | Hennessey Performance Store

 

Good call...that would be some serious fun. I'd have a blast driving one of those

 

I read the Diesel Ram 1500 tows 7400lbs. and the F150 eco-boost tows 11,000lbs

 

If that is true. I guess we could call it Ram 1500 Wussy.

 

Well they report same 3.0 litre as in jeep grand cherokee rated at

240hp and 420 ft lb torque. But states it probably could be tuned for more in the fiat/gm ram 1500.Italian diesel.

 

diesel is the future. my best friends wife has the new passat tdi. thats a full size sedan getting 46mpg! ford dodge and chevy all have 1/2 ton diesel prototypes getting 30+mpg. everyone knows people will pay more if the window sticker shows good mpg, and the ecoboost proved it. from the time that i was a diesel tech, i know we have the technology for 30+mpg trucks. but for some reason we arnt emplimenting it. now, wether thats because the automotive manufactures are getting payoffs from the oil industries to keep sales high, or from the government who wants there gas tax revenue to stay high, we will never know. but either way, from the 50+ friends/family i have talked to, they all would jump at a 1500 diesel pickup!

 

if this is true its only because dodge builds a weaker truck (frame, suspension, brakes ect..) diesel will always out tow gas

 

I tow a couple trailers quite a bit (but nothing compared to you comercial guys), maybe 10K a year. While it may be mu driving style - i drive the same speed towing or not and am definitely heavy footed on teh throttle, but I'm not that impreassed with the mileage I get towing with my diesel. Towing a 6,500 lb enclosed laoded trailer I get 9.x -10 MPG, while towing my smaller aluminum 2,500 lb trailer loaded I get 11.5. So nothing to brag about really and not that much better than a gasser.

 

When the 4.4L idea came about in the 150's I thought that was a quite viable option. For some people I can see that it is. It is a neat idea. I think if the fuel mileage can be in to the high 20's to low 30's, or better, then dealers wouldn't be able to keep up with the demand - even if it is a $2000 option. If I could drive a truck every day that got that kind of fuel mileage that would be awesome.

The only benefit to a diesel option, from an every day operation standpoint, is fuel mileage. If anyone can make one that gets good fuel mileage, while maintaining current towing capacities (not necessarily exceeding, just meeting) I think they would have a good seller.

The big drawback to the 1/2 ton trucks in general is the load capacity. If you put much in the bed or have much tongue weight you'll squat it pretty good, or even have it riding on the bump stops. Yeah, there are options to help that (overload springs, air bags, etc), but the trucks aren't designed for that. The same thing goes for current-generation 3/4 ton trucks. The 2011+ F250's are a bigger, heavier, more powerful 1/2 ton truck - it is a lighter/softer riding super duty. Only until you step up to the F350's do you get the heavier rear axle springs = will take the heavier loads, at the expense of a stiffer ride. It is all a compromise.

Again, if someone can figure out how to make the fuel mileage substantially better in a diesel 1/2 ton vs. a gas 1/2 ton truck, they will take the market by storm. If the fuel mileage is marginally better, if any, it will flop. I don't see there being very much benefit to it otherwise.