Ford shows off their new engines

The Ford F-150 has four new engines to choose from.
Photo supplied by Ford.

The Ford "Built Ford Tough Tour" stopped in at Castrol Speedway in Edmonton on Wednesday to show off their four new engines that will be used in the 2011 Ford F-150s.

Most prominent amongst these engines was the 3.5L twin-turbo V6. Ford claims this engine is capable of rivalling a V8.

So the big question is: did it match up?



In a word, yes.

From a specs standpoint the Eco Boost engine produces 365 horsepower and 420 lb ft of torque at 2,500 rpm. Where it really shines is its ability to do everything a V8 can.

Towing


It's twin turbos give it 12 lbs of boost, and they help to give almost instant torque. By the time you hit 1,700 rpm you are using around 90 per cent of the maximum torque. This is extremely useful when towing heavy loads, because it means the engine does not have to work as hard to move whatever you are hauling.

This is very noticeable. The difference between the Eco Boost engine and a Chevrolet Silverado's V8 is staggering. While the Chevy had difficulty accelerating from a standstill, the Eco Boost had no trouble pulling the 6,500 lb trailer that was attached.

The 3.5L Twin-turbo V6 Eco Boost engine.
Photo credit Steven Wagers.

And 6,500 pounds is not even close to the maximum towing capacity of the new F-150. That figure is a mind-boggling 11,300 pounds. Remember that this is a V6, and it has the same tow capacity as the 6.2L V8 F-150.

Saving on Gas


If that's not enough, then consider the fuel economy. The fact that it gets its peak torque at low rpm means helps you save on gas even when you're towing.

When you're not towing, it gets even better. It can get 12L/100km in the city driving or 9L/100 km on the highway.

To put that into perspective for you, the 5.7L Hemi V8 in the Dodge Ram only gets 16L/100km in the city and 11L/100km on the highway. When your towing, the Hemi likes higher revs which means more gas spent.

Any questions about reliability have been answered as well, with the "torture test."

The Torture Test


An Eco Boost engine was chosen at random and put through a series of grueling tests.

First it was put on a dyno and subject to intense heat and cold, on and off, repeatedly for 150, 000 miles straight. Then it was taken to Oregon to drag logs. Normally this practise requires heavy machinery to move the logs, but the F-150 had no troubles doing the job.

After that, the truck was put to the test as it was taken to Daytona where it was hooked up to a trailer holding two nascar cars (around the maximum towing capacity of 11,300 pounds with the two cars and the trailer), and sent around the track for 24 hours.

When it was finished on the track it dominated its competition (the Dodge Ram and Chevrolet Silverado) in a few drag races.

And then, as if it still hadn't made its point yet, it did the Baja 1000.

Now, for those of you who are unfamiliar with the Baja 1000, it is one of the most punishing races around.

A terrifying off-road course winding its way through the Baja peninsula, across the harsh desert. In fact the spectators even take part in the race by creating booby traps (source) to make it more entertaining for themselves. The do everything from digging holes to burying things like logs to obstruct the cars. Just making it to the end of the Baja 1000 is something to be proud of.

The Ford F-150 which took on and
conquered the Baja 1000.
Photo supplied by Ford.

The Eco Boost engine, which was coming off a lifetime of labour already, was dropped into an off-road version of the F-150 and sent back to work. It completed the course in 38 hours (source).

Finally, after 164,706 miles of abuse, Ford tested the horsepower and torque again. The results were impressive. It had the same amount of both as it had when it was first made. But the engine wasn't finished its inspection yet. It was sent to the North American Auto Show to be stripped down in front of a live audience.

After the tear down the motor still fit the specifications of a brand new engine.

Ford set out to try and produce and engine capable of rivalling V8s. What they ended up with is an engine that's even better.

Videos of the torture tests can be seen at ford.com.