Godzilla Goes to Work, Triton Kicked to Curb in Ford's Revamped Commercial Range

by Steph Willems

Published: March 6th, 2019

godzilla goes to work triton kicked to curb in ford s revamped commercial range

While you’re mourning the loss of the Chevrolet Cruze, pour one out for Ford’s 6.8-liter Triton V10 engine. The mill, which once transported full-size families to vacay destinations under the hood of the Excursion, is a goner once Ford completes the revamp of its medium-duty trucks and E-Series. In its place is a monster pushrod V8 dubbed Godzilla, also bound for the 2020 Super Duty line.

The automaker provided a peak at the next generation of its largest vehicles Tuesday, announcing a new entry at the same time — the superest of the Super Duty clan.

Ford’s new 7.3-liter gasoline V8 offers a familiar displacement for Ford’s big trucks, but that old engine was a diesel. For now, the Blue Oval’s keeping its power specs under wraps, but it outpowers the Triton V10 engine it replaces. Same goes for the updated 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel V8 available as an option across its commercial vehicle lineup, which is said to offer more power than the previous unit’s 450 hp and 935 lb-ft.

Besides updated powertrains and new tech content, Ford’s medium-duty line (F-650, F-750) gains a new entry for 2020 that’s something of a tweener: a chassis-cab truck that offers a Class 6 gross vehicle weight rating (22,000 lbs) in a Class 5 package. Ford upgraded an F-550 Super Duty to handle the extra load, calling it the F-600.

Built to appeal to buyers who want more capability with less size, the F-600 carries a standard 6.2-liter V8 (2019 specs are 385 hp and 430 lb-ft), with the 7.3-liter and 6.7-liter diesel available. The only transmission is a 10-speed automatic.

For 2021, F-650 and F-750 (plus stripped-chassis offerings) carry either of the two engines, mated to a six-speed automatic. A revamped instrument panel, a stereo with Bluetooth functionality, and USB ports round out the changes inside the cabin, and the same goes for the E-Series cutaways and stipped-chassis models.

While all of Ford’s big guys carry modems with 4G LTE Wi-Fi as standard kit, fleet managers can keep closer tabs on their crews with optional Ford Telematics and Ford Data Services. Ford Co-Pilot360 safety features like automatic emergency braking and lane departure warning are optional across the lineup, though traction control, hill start assist, and auto headlamps are standard.

Deliveries of the F-600 are expected in mid 2020, with medium-duty trucks and E-Series platforms arriving around that time.

[Images: Ford]

#CommercialTrucks #Ford #FordE-Series #FordF-600 #FordSuperDuty #MediumDuty #ProductPlanning #Trucks

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Hummer on Mar 06, 2019

I’m ready to see the numbers on this engine, the 8.1L had 450-455ft-lbs 15 years ago. Anything over 500ft-lbs I think will be a winner. I don’t think that’s a very far stretch to get over that 500 mark. 550 ft-lbs would put a lot of pressure on the competition and really cause a LOT of buzz for enthusiasts and a lot of good press. I don’t expect to see 600, not just because that’s a pretty far stretch for the displacement but also because 600ft-lbs would cannibalize the Diesel sales heavily. The Hemi 6.4L is at 429 ft-lbs The Chevy 6.6L gasser is 464 ft-lbs Let’s see this thing Ford!

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- Gedrven on Mar 06, 2019
  
  For natural aspiration, 500ft-lb out of 7.3L is a slight stretch, especially for a low-revving engine as truck motors usually are. 600 isn't happening anytime soon; that'd be 82ft-lb per liter, while most engines are around 60 and the record is a Ferrari 458 at 89. Gassers and diesels make comparable torque, other variables held constant. Diesels are often turbocharged to match gasser power, which gives them a major torque advantage.
  
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- Hummer on Mar 06, 2019
  
  @Gedrven I think 500 is possible, I think Ford can hit it, and it will be about as important of a number for them as the new Cummins 1000ft-lbs figure is to Ram. They only need 36 ft-lbs more over the new Chevy gasser, I imagine 7/10s of a liter should get that and then some. I think it will happen, we will see. Either way I’m very interested and would love to see this engine in a Raptor to replace that awful sounding weed eater in it now.
  
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- ToddAtlasF1 on Mar 06, 2019
  
  @Gedrven The GM 6.6 liter is making over 70 ft-lbs per liter. With a few years to reverse engineer it, Ford should be able to match that. 510 ft-lbs is well within reach.
  
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- Jack4x on Mar 06, 2019
  
  @Hummer 600 lb-ft is not happening, regardless of any worries about cannibalizing diesel sales. A Viper V10 makes just that much naturally aspirated, with over a liter extra displacement, high-flow heads, cam-in-cam VVT, and tuned for premium gas. No naturally aspirated engine in a passenger vehicle has ever made more torque from the factory to my knowledge. This engine needs to meet the needs of commercial customers who will run it hard for hundreds of thousands of miles and expect low operating costs. I expect it will come in right around where the last 7.3L Powerstroke finished (525 lb-ft), at least in F250/350 tune. Ford may detune the engines in the heavier trucks for longer engine life as they do now.
  
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- Stuki on Mar 06, 2019
  
  @ToddAtlasF1 The GM 6.6 is direct injected. The Ford 7.3 is not. GM had no choice but to pull out all the stops wrt torque density, if they wanted to stick with the smallblock and still have acceptable power. Ford doesn't have to worry, as they use a larger block. For the kind of continuous-heavy use cases the 7.3 is intended for, a moderate to low compression hence torque density, and lots of displacement, is the ideal formula, if size poses no restriction.
  
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- Hummer on Mar 06, 2019
  
  @jack4x 525 ft-lbs is still very respectable out of a gas truck engine. That would be a home run imo if they can reach that.
  
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- Erikstrawn on Mar 07, 2019
  
  @Hummer You guys are seriously arguing this? My 472 inch Cadillac motor made 525 lb/ft from the factory, and that was in 1969, carbureted, with points. 500 lb/ft is no stretch, and 600 is very doable.
  
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- Erikstrawn on Mar 07, 2019
  
  @Hummer Sorry, duplicate post. I will point out 472 cid is 7.7L.
  
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- JimZ on Mar 07, 2019
  
  @Erikstrawn those were "SAE gross" hp/torque ratings, which were grossly overblown. real world (net) was more like 365-375 lb-ft.
  
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ToolGuy on Mar 07, 2019

Tweeners are allowed now? F-100, please.

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- DenverMike on Mar 07, 2019
  
  A pickup with up-class capabilities is appreciated, while an extra wimpy version within a class is not, and there's no real reason for it, since midsize pickups are basically 1/2 tons already. I forget what killed the F-100 and C-10 (CAFE?), but an F-600 (pickup based) work truck (cab-n-chassis) makes a lot of sense for the trades, and who's going to build the first F-600 King of all "Pickups" (aftermarket conversion) sounds interesting.
  
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- Cdotson on Mar 07, 2019
  
  @DenverMike Probably the folks that build all the custom F-650s... f650pickups.com
  
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