2015 Ford F-150

[Phil_SS]

Awesome. It's nice to know that they are not standing pat and are still trying to improve the design.

Hopefully the use of aluminum will filter down to the entire car lineup. The Mustang is already seing the benefit and 700 lbs is huge for a truck like this. Many people who sit on the fence between the brands are gonna be very impressed and I think Ford is gonna see a huge spike because of it. Maybe they were right when they said they would the biggest car company in the USA over the next couple years.

[neanderthal]

I was going to "phooey" your statement that 700lbs is huge, until I realised that it is more than 10% of the vehicles mass.

Well bloody done Ford.

[Kchrpm]

The 2014 F150 curb weight is, at its lowest, about 4700 lbs, so yeah, about 15%.

I didn't realize they were THAT heavy. If it's down to 4000 lbs, it will be around 1000 lbs lighter than the Silverado

[MR2 Fan]

I can see the ads now "lighter than a Dodge Challenger"

[thesameguy]

4000lbs would make an F150 about the same weight as many mid-size and full size cars!

[novicius]

Ford Introduces All-new 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 in 2015 F-150 Truck

“We’ve applied lessons learned from the 3.5-liter EcoBoost to the new 2.7-liter EcoBoost, but with new technologies that make this more efficient engine perform like a larger mid-range V8,” says Raj Nair, Ford’s boss of global product development.

The new start-stop technology is especially tuned for truck customers, Ford says. It shuts off the engine when the truck comes to a stop — except when towing or in 4-wheel-drive to give drivers power on demand in critical situations. Otherwise, when the brake is released while the truck is stopped, the engine quickly restarts.

Another new feature of the 2.7L is Ford’s first use of a compacted graphite iron cylinder block in a gas engine. That’s the same block material used in the 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel engine.

Heh, I wonder how much power this lil' mill can withstand. #hotrodding

Other smart new features of the 2.7-liter EcoBoost include:

• First use of fracture split main-bearing caps, which create a superior fit between the cap and engine block for reduced crankshaft friction to help improve efficiency
• All-new aluminum cylinder heads feature water-cooled integrated exhaust manifolds that bring the turbos closer to the exhaust heat and pressure
• Variable-displacement oil pump reduces internal engine friction
• Intake and exhaust variable cam timing that improves torque
• Lightweight, durable composite intake manifold
• Cooling jets beneath the pistons that spray oil on the pistons to help lower operating temperatures
• Piston connecting rods use an offset I-beam that provides strength to manage peak engine power levels while reducing weight
• Cartridge-style oil filter integrated into top of the engine for easy service

In addition to stringent factory testing and validation, the engine also completed the 883-mile Baja 1000 race last year. Powering a new F-150 disguised to resemble a current production model, the truck raced with no additional coolers or radiators typically added for such a race. Ford says the truck had no engine issues and only the stock air filter was changed.

Other Ford tests included more than 1,000 consecutive extreme temperature loops and brings the engine from -25 F to 235F — which is like driving from Death Valley to the Arctic Circle. The engine was also ran a full load for more than 17 straight days, most of the time at peak torque and power. And the start/stop function was validated with more than 900 hours tests, simulating 240,000 start/stop cycles. The engine was even torture tested with gas mixtures up to E20 and intentionally degraded oil with towing for more than 800 hours.

Is this the first American-made start-stop vehicle?

[Kchrpm]

Is this the first American-made start-stop vehicle?

No, the first GM hybrid trucks were just start-stop vehicles.

[novicius]

Ah, good to know. It's too bad this new 2.7L Ecoboost V6 isn't in the new Mustang 'cause it sounds the business.

[thesameguy]

The 2.7l does sound pretty awesome... the features read like a textbook on how to build a great turbocharged engine! 2.7l has got to be one of the smallest motors ever put in a full size truck.

[novicius]

Nicko, are you making any parts for this mill yet? I hope the factory wrist pins are beefy... #800rwhp #newlightning