Many viewed Ford’s decision to offer the F-150 with a twin-turbocharged as a bit of a gamble, but the roll of the dice has certainly paid off. Today the 3.5L EcoBoost represents 45 percent of F-150 sales and is the most popular engine choice for the full-size pickup.
In comparison, no other half-ton truck maker has cracked a 20 percent take rate for a six-cylinder engine since the EcoBoost launched in the F-150 38 months ago.
“Today’s customer doesn’t hold to the old notion that a truck must be powered by a V8 engine,” said Doug Scott, Ford truck group marketing manager. “Just five years ago, you would have had a hard time making a case for V6 truck engines. Not today. Now, it’s all about fuel effectiveness. Customers are looking for the best combination of city and highway mileage, horsepower, torque, towing capacity, payload and value, asking the key question, ‘What is the most productive, efficient package for the work I need to do?’.”
When compared to a conventional V8, Ford estimates that F-150 EcoBoost customers have collectively saved 56.8 million gallons of gasoline on an annual basis.
Buyers of the 2015 F-150 will have even more economical V6 choices – in addition to the carryover 3.5L EcoBoost, the F-150 will also offer a new 2.7L EcoBoost V6 and a naturally-aspirated 3.5L V6.
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