F150 Ecoboost Forum banner
Status
Not open for further replies.
1 - 6 of 6 Posts
Discussion starter · #1 ·
The 2018 Ford F150 configurator is live on Ford.com and while the Motor Company still doesn’t offer a proper replacement for the old SVT Lightning, you can build a pretty stout sport truck while keeping the purchase price relatively low.




Land vehicle Vehicle Car Motor vehicle Automotive tire

The last time that Ford Motor Company offered a proper on-road sport truck was back in 2004, when you could walk into your local Ford dealership and drive out in an F150 SVT Lightning. That rear-drive, half ton truck was powered by a supercharged 5.4L V8, creating 380 horsepower and 450lb-ft of torque, which with the short bed, short cab construction made for one quick sport truck.


Since the Lightning left the lineup, every high performance pickup from FoMoCo has been an offroad ready Raptor, and while the previous generation Raptor with the 6.2L V8 and the new Raptor with the 3.5L EcoBoost are solid performers on the road as well as in the mud – the Raptor fails to meet the requirements of the sport truck market.
The biggest concern with the new Raptor from those who want an F150 which will tear up the street is that it has chock full of features which make it a great offroader. More importantly, those offroad features increase the price significantly, so someone buying a new Raptor to go fast on the street will be paying for a bunch of features which he or she may not ever use.


Fortunately, prospective Ford F150 buyers who are most concerned with on-road performance can buy a new pickup which will serve as a great basis for a simple sport truck build.

By TorqueNews.com
 
Unfortunately, the 3.5 EB is not available in the regular cab 6.5' bed. You gotta go 5.0 or 2.7, not that those wouldnt be quick.
 
Unfortunately, the 3.5 EB is not available in the regular cab 6.5' bed
I commented on that article: I think the 2.7L EB is a better SVT alternative for the simple fact that is known to be the quickest off the line (at least to 60 mph), which may be more closely matched by the 5.0 with respect to the 2018 versions due to the fact that the new 5.0 gains power to weight on the 2.7 versus the 2017 models (the engineers made the 5.0 lighter as the base truck gains only 1 pound compared to the 2.7 which gains 18 lbs with the 10-speed and other changes applied to each); but the 2.7 will still likely be the quickest and most explosive of the two when they are each hammered down, as the 5.0 will need to build some RPM to really go. Also, the author makes a point about affordable price, and a would-be customer can knock off around one grand choosing the 2.7 over the 5.0. One last point, a would-be customer would more likely find a 2WD, std cab with sport trim on dealer lots with the 2.7 versus the 5.0 and overall performance difference would be negligible. I have a feeling of what the author is thinking in this write up. The previous SVT was a 5.4 V8; it had that V8 rumble, but I think the author is misreading the average would-be customer for a street-only sport truck. I think this customer would look favorably on a turbo-charged, not-so-in-your-face muscle truck. This is not necessarily the rugged redneckish would-be market truck, although it could be configured each way for each consumer preference, but I don't think it's not necessarily correct to think most who would want this truck want a V8 Mustang engine; we're talking about younger generation mostly. They're not going to value the "sound" as much as Gen-X. They'll want it to be quick; look quick; and be reasonably priced.

Good point on the quote above. I noticed that too when I was looking to see how cheap a truck Ford will let a customer have with their most expensive and advanced engine. Cheapest 2018 Ford F150 with the 3.5 EB, 2WD, XL, Std Cab, long bed is $30,320 including destination and a current $1250 manufacturer incentive. That is one heck of a deal for any pickup that can tow 12,000 lbs; performs at 375/470 peak rated performance at only 4391 curb weight; mpg rated at 17/21-19 in this max tow configuration and lower gearing which would add only a few hundred dollars to that above-listed price. Compare this to other 1/2-tons at the same capability level and FE and price, and this dedicated towing work truck is the absolute champ. Even the 5/8 ton Titan falls to this 1/2-ton choice from Ford for max towing and almost certainly, fuel economy; and the price difference is laughable.

If you look deeper, Ford is amazing compared to the competition with regards to choice and value afforded customers. I don't see this extending to the diesel, however, when it comes out, and is probably one of the main reasons Ford has waited so long to offer one. The diesel alternative is just such an economic dilemma right now for the any manufacturer trying to offer one in the market, and although I'd love to own a diesel myself, it would have to be in a different world than the one I live in where regulations didn't force such unreliable, limited, and expensive products; but back in this real world where these choices include very complex and expensive and unreliable NOx and soot reducers; and availabilities are being backward packaged in the market (3.0 V6s in the heaviest configurations and highest trims when they belong in the smallest configurations and least appointed trucks where they make most sense). I'll be staying with gas power for the foreseeable future.

Lets start out by comparing the domestics to the Asian-owned brands. The latter basically offers no or little choice; one or two engines; usually all gas guzzlers and high priced versions for higher-end customers. That's where they want to compete. Toyota and Nissan, at least in the 1/2-ton segment basically offer only highly-capable power trains, in higher trim levels, in luxurious trims, which leave little choice for those looking for higher mpg or cheaper alternatives for fleet customers or the empty nester who just wants a runaround truck to haul this or that occasionally and as a daily commuter. This person wants only to pay for a quality product with seating for two or three; a reliable, fuel efficient, safe truck that's not too weasely on torque, and needs and wants maybe only power glass and cruise control to pamper his/her ride. The fact that the eastern-owned brands don't get too involved with fleet sales offerings is a big part of why they have this so-called resale value advantage and so-called quality advantage, but that's not based on anything real, although it does create a perception of superiority. Nissan does plan on offering regular cabs and a V6 engine, although I'm not sure if those are available yet; but it does look like they are wanting to get in on the low-end segment of the market game and pickup more market share at the expense of margin.

Now for the last, but least; the General. The problem with them is not their products, but how they limit their best performers and capabilities to their customers. It looks like they have choice at first glance until one tries to start build and pricing a truck. I think it has something to do with limiting their gas guzzlers to a select few via high prices and limited choices, so as to stay in line with CAFE standards. They treat the 6.2 V8 more exclusively than even Ram's Ecodiesel. They want to offer them, but yet not sell too many of them. Yes; they have a real winner that compares very well with the 3.5 Ecoboost at least with respect to an outright towing capable 1/2-ton pickup. The 6.2 V8 is still the hp king and has really good peak torque; gets great reviews for towing up to near 12,000 lbs, and although it's empty-bed fuel economy is not that great (due to the fact that it's a large displacement engine that has to use quite a bit of fuel just to run; loaded or unloaded) when it's under considerable load, it fares very well with respect to FE, according to TFL, with the 3.5 EB. But herein lies their problem...The cheapest 6.2 V8 one can acquire from a Chevy or GMC dealer is...wait for it...$43,242. Not only does a would-be customer have to choose a crew cab (which may be a deal breaker for some who don't want a crew cab), but they must also choose LTZ trim as standard equipment just to get that power train. There are, therefore, very few 6.2 V8 powered Chevy/GMC pickups on the road. By contrast, there are very many 3.5 EB F150s.

Let's review that again...As a would-be Ford F150 customer, you can get a $30,320 truck with the 3.5Liter Ecoboost or you can get one that is heavily adorned for over $60K in every conceivable configuration except for the very smallest (std cab, 6.5' bed); or many, many configurations and trims in between. GM offers a comparable power train that's naturally aspired, but is limited to one cab configuration and a couple of bed lengths and a couple of drives and starting at nearly the highest trim level. If you're in that upper market shopping, then you've got a choice in choosing that brand; but if not, and you're not brand loyal, you'll be choosing Ford. If you are brand loyal, and you must have a bow tie or a generic made Chevy, then you're probably pretty p*ssed off at your preferred brand right now if you like that 6.2 V8.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ford4thot
And yet you can just go buy a Ram R/T... A nicely appointed regular cab truck designed to go fast.
 
I commented on that article: I think the 2.7L EB is a better SVT alternative for the simple fact that is known to be the quickest off the line (at least to 60 mph), which may be more closely matched by the 5.0 with respect to the 2018 versions due to the fact that the new 5.0 gains power to weight on the 2.7 versus the 2017 models (the engineers made the 5.0 lighter as the base truck gains only 1 pound compared to the 2.7 which gains 18 lbs with the 10-speed and other changes applied to each); but the 2.7 will still likely be the quickest and most explosive of the two when they are each hammered down, as the 5.0 will need to build some RPM to really go. Also, the author makes a point about affordable price, and a would-be customer can knock off around one grand choosing the 2.7 over the 5.0. One last point, a would-be customer would more likely find a 2WD, std cab with sport trim on dealer lots with the 2.7 versus the 5.0 and overall performance difference would be negligible. I have a feeling of what the author is thinking in this write up. The previous SVT was a 5.4 V8; it had that V8 rumble, but I think the author is misreading the average would-be customer for a street-only sport truck. I think this customer would look favorably on a turbo-charged, not-so-in-your-face muscle truck. This is not necessarily the rugged redneckish would-be market truck, although it could be configured each way for each consumer preference, but I don't think it's not necessarily correct to think most who would want this truck want a V8 Mustang engine; we're talking about younger generation mostly. They're not going to value the "sound" as much as Gen-X. They'll want it to be quick; look quick; and be reasonably priced.

Good point on the quote above. I noticed that too when I was looking to see how cheap a truck Ford will let a customer have with their most expensive and advanced engine. Cheapest 2018 Ford F150 with the 3.5 EB, 2WD, XL, Std Cab, long bed is $30,320 including destination and a current $1250 manufacturer incentive. That is one heck of a deal for any pickup that can tow 12,000 lbs; performs at 375/470 peak rated performance at only 4391 curb weight; mpg rated at 17/21-19 in this max tow configuration and lower gearing which would add only a few hundred dollars to that above-listed price. Compare this to other 1/2-tons at the same capability level and FE and price, and this dedicated towing work truck is the absolute champ. Even the 5/8 ton Titan falls to this 1/2-ton choice from Ford for max towing and almost certainly, fuel economy; and the price difference is laughable.

If you look deeper, Ford is amazing compared to the competition with regards to choice and value afforded customers. I don't see this extending to the diesel, however, when it comes out, and is probably one of the main reasons Ford has waited so long to offer one. The diesel alternative is just such an economic dilemma right now for the any manufacturer trying to offer one in the market, and although I'd love to own a diesel myself, it would have to be in a different world than the one I live in where regulations didn't force such unreliable, limited, and expensive products; but back in this real world where these choices include very complex and expensive and unreliable NOx and soot reducers; and availabilities are being backward packaged in the market (3.0 V6s in the heaviest configurations and highest trims when they belong in the smallest configurations and least appointed trucks where they make most sense). I'll be staying with gas power for the foreseeable future.

Lets start out by comparing the domestics to the Asian-owned brands. The latter basically offers no or little choice; one or two engines; usually all gas guzzlers and high priced versions for higher-end customers. That's where they want to compete. Toyota and Nissan, at least in the 1/2-ton segment basically offer only highly-capable power trains, in higher trim levels, in luxurious trims, which leave little choice for those looking for higher mpg or cheaper alternatives for fleet customers or the empty nester who just wants a runaround truck to haul this or that occasionally and as a daily commuter. This person wants only to pay for a quality product with seating for two or three; a reliable, fuel efficient, safe truck that's not too weasely on torque, and needs and wants maybe only power glass and cruise control to pamper his/her ride. The fact that the eastern-owned brands don't get too involved with fleet sales offerings is a big part of why they have this so-called resale value advantage and so-called quality advantage, but that's not based on anything real, although it does create a perception of superiority. Nissan does plan on offering regular cabs and a V6 engine, although I'm not sure if those are available yet; but it does look like they are wanting to get in on the low-end segment of the market game and pickup more market share at the expense of margin.

Now for the last, but least; the General. The problem with them is not their products, but how they limit their best performers and capabilities to their customers. It looks like they have choice at first glance until one tries to start build and pricing a truck. I think it has something to do with limiting their gas guzzlers to a select few via high prices and limited choices, so as to stay in line with CAFE standards. They treat the 6.2 V8 more exclusively than even Ram's Ecodiesel. They want to offer them, but yet not sell too many of them. Yes; they have a real winner that compares very well with the 3.5 Ecoboost at least with respect to an outright towing capable 1/2-ton pickup. The 6.2 V8 is still the hp king and has really good peak torque; gets great reviews for towing up to near 12,000 lbs, and although it's empty-bed fuel economy is not that great (due to the fact that it's a large displacement engine that has to use quite a bit of fuel just to run; loaded or unloaded) when it's under considerable load, it fares very well with respect to FE, according to TFL, with the 3.5 EB. But herein lies their problem...The cheapest 6.2 V8 one can acquire from a Chevy or GMC dealer is...wait for it...$43,242. Not only does a would-be customer have to choose a crew cab (which may be a deal breaker for some who don't want a crew cab), but they must also choose LTZ trim as standard equipment just to get that power train. There are, therefore, very few 6.2 V8 powered Chevy/GMC pickups on the road. By contrast, there are very many 3.5 EB F150s.

Let's review that again...As a would-be Ford F150 customer, you can get a $30,320 truck with the 3.5Liter Ecoboost or you can get one that is heavily adorned for over $60K in every conceivable configuration except for the very smallest (std cab, 6.5' bed); or many, many configurations and trims in between. GM offers a comparable power train that's naturally aspired, but is limited to one cab configuration and a couple of bed lengths and a couple of drives and starting at nearly the highest trim level. If you're in that upper market shopping, then you've got a choice in choosing that brand; but if not, and you're not brand loyal, you'll be choosing Ford. If you are brand loyal, and you must have a bow tie or a generic made Chevy, then you're probably pretty p*ssed off at your preferred brand right now if you like that 6.2 V8.
Amen! I love the 6.2 in my Camaro. I would love to get a 6.2 in the Trail Boss but no dice, it sucks.
 
1 - 6 of 6 Posts
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top