Ford Expects V6 Engines To Make Up Over 70 Percent Of F-150 Sales

Derek Kreindler
by Derek Kreindler

Not that long ago, buying a half-ton pickup with anything other than a V8 engine was looked upon as a sign of mental illness or an inadequate reserve of masculinity. The introduction of the Ford Ecoboost V6, as well as Ram’s gasoline and diesel V6s has shifted the tide more towards smaller cylinder counts, but Ford is projecting a big shift in take rates for the next-generation F-150.

According to Autoblog, Ford is projecting that roughly 28 percent of F-150s will be equipped with the 5.0 V8, while roughly 56 percent of buyers will opt for either the 2.7L or 3.5L V6 Ecoboost engines. The remainder, about 15 percent, will go to the base 3.5L V6. As to the other 1 percent? Perhaps there’s a CNG powertrain lurking somewhere in the shadows, Ford’s projections aren’t entirely rigorous, or the reporter in question is just bad at math, as reporters tend to be.

Right now, Ecoboost engines account for about 45 percent of F-150 sales, and even though everyone has an opinion on the efficacy of a turbocharged V6 engine in a full-sized pickup, nobody can deny their commercial success. Ford’s V6 push is also being aimed at potential buyers of the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon mid-size trucks, with Ford’s own PR team already taking shots at the new GM trucks before full curb weights, mpg figures and other specs have been released for either truck.

Derek Kreindler
Derek Kreindler

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  • El scotto El scotto on Jul 24, 2014

    For the wait and see folks, I can emphasize. For luddites scuttling around like land crabs with one angry fist outstretched and the donkey-like ones braying this, this, this new-fangled stuff, well it's just new fanlged, and will have 200% failure rates,will never work, and will never be acecepted, I'm tel my broker to go long on buggyy whips!; yes, I'll revel in being unpleasant to those folks.

  • Lou_BC Lou_BC on Jul 25, 2014

    I'd prefer to let someone else do the Beta testing. The naysayers tend to be fans of the competitors or clinging tenaciously to the theory that 8 normally aspirated cylinders is better than 6 with boost. Like it or not I'm sure we will see more and more small engines.

  • John Williams John Williams on Jul 25, 2014

    As long as CAFE is the prime motivator behind the push for smaller-displacement turbocharged sixes, that's exactly what you'll see more of in light-duty full-size pickups. These companies aren't gonna be dinged to the tune of millions in gas-guzzler penalties just to keep those large V8s around. At least, not in trucks that aren't exempt from those fuel economy standards. Step up to the 3/4-ton market where the F-250 resides and you can have all of the beefy big-block gas V8s you could ever want. V10s, too, if you aren't a fan of those Powerstrokes.

    • Scoutdude Scoutdude on Jul 25, 2014

      No V10 available in a pickup, you have to step up to a MD truck, F450-F750 (but not a F450 pickup), get one of the last of the Econolines, a step van or class A motorhome if you want the V10.

  • Lou_BC Lou_BC on Jul 25, 2014

    @John Williams - I find it ironic that people refer to the current crop of V8's as large. All of them are small block V8's and the larger displacement 6.2 Ford and Chevy are reserved for full bling and/or limited edition 1/2 ton trucks. Ram upsizing to the 6.4 is an anomaly. The 6.4 is 390 ci and the 5.7 is 348 ci. The larger 6.2 Ford makes sense as it will replace the V10 in MDT's.

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