Road Test Review: 2011 Ford F-150 FX2 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6, Part 1

By Mike Levine and Mark Williams

Watching Ford torture-test its all-new 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 in the lab, on the job and in the Baja 1000, we get it. This six appears to be as tough and capable as an eight, but durability and power are only part of an engine’s story.

What’s it like to live with the EcoBoost? We set out to find the answer during a 2,100-mile trip around the Western U.S.

For our road test, we asked Ford to provide two identical 2011 F-150 EcoBoost trucks that can tow a heavy trailer. Twin Flame Red FX2 SuperCrews were delivered with 3.55 rear axles, two-wheel drive and maximum tow ratings of 9,800 pounds. The trucks were well-broken in, with both having around 7,000 miles on their odometers.

Why duplicate trucks? So we could test performance and fuel economy with an unloaded EcoBoost F-150 and one pulling 9,000 pounds simultaneously in the same driving conditions.

EcoBoost is a gamble for Ford, but with tougher fuel economy regulations just around the corner, it’s the direction other manufacturers are headed, too. The EcoBoost is Ford’s top-of-the-line engine for the F-150. It’s positioned as the high-volume choice above the premium 6.2-liter V-8 even though that engine option costs $1,245 more and is moderately more powerful.

EcoBoost combines gasoline direct injection and twin turbos to shrink engine displacement for improved fuel economy while delivering tons of low-end boost-assisted power. The dual overhead cam 3.5 mill is rated at 365 horsepower and 420 pounds-feet of torque. In high-end configurations with the Max Trailer Tow Package, it can tow up to 11,300 pounds, the same as the single overhead cam 6.2.

Read the full article here:  http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2011/04/road-test-review-2011-ford-f-150-fx2-35-liter-ecoboost-v-6-part-1.html

Source:  PickupTrucks.com

Ford Flex EcoBoost Engine Video Preview

Rumormill: Ford Focus Coupe concept with EcoBoost 2.0L

It sounds like the new Ford Focus lineup is poised to get a little sexier. AutoExpress is reporting that the Blue Oval intends to release a concept coupe version of the newly reworked hatch. Designed to replace the old three-door model elsewhere on the globe, the low-slung ride will take cues from both the Focus ST and ever lust worthy old-school European Capri. The new design is supposedly set to take the stage at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show, meaning that if it makes its way to production, there’s a good chance that American buyers will be able to pick one up.
Details are scarce at the moment, but one unnamed insider says that the design is both lower and wider than the Focus that we’ve seen so far. Otherwise, AutoExpress is speculating that the vehicle will use FoMoCo’s powerful 2.0-liter Ecoboost four-cylinder engine with 247 horsepower. If that’s true, the car should see 0-60 mph runs in the six-second range. Sounds good to us.

With the 2011 Detroit Auto Show right around the corner, we’ll find out soon exactly what Ford has planned for compact fighter.

Followup: Ford F-150 EcoBoost finishes Baja 1000 in 38 hours!

When it comes to the Baja 1000, simply crossing the finish line is reason enough to bust out the champagne. Ford has announced that its 2011 F-150 Ecoboost race truck has managed to cover the entire 1,061 mile course in 38 hours and 20 minutes. According to FoMoCo, the truck put up with some of the most grueling terrain on the planet – racing through temperatures below freezing and above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. More impressively, as you may recall, this particular 3.5-liter V6 engine entered the cross-country rally with the equivalent of 10 years of abuse on the clock. The very same lump went through extensive endurance testing at the Cleveland Engine Plant before being bolted into an F-150 that was used as a log skidder in Oregon.

EcoBoost Torture Test: NASCAR Challenge

Ford Police Interceptor quickest in LA Sheriff’s Department testing

The battle for law enforcement domination rages on. A gaggle of would-be police cruisers showed up at the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department for public testing recently, and of all the competitors, the Taurus-based Ford Police Interceptor with its twin-turbocharged, direct-injected 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine managed to turn the quickest lap time of the bunch by beating out the V8-powered forces from Dodge and Chevrolet. It also ran from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 5.8 seconds. Ford isn’t saying exactly which other cars were on hand for abuse, but we can probably guess they were the Caprice and Charger.

The new 3.7-liter V6-powered Police Interceptor Utility, which is based on upcoming 2011 Ford Explorer, also managed to turn a lap time that was a full two seconds quicker than the new law enforcement Chevrolet Tahoe. Both vehicles were laden with a 400-pound cargo box at the time.

LA 2010: Focus Race Car Concept is the future of Ford racing

Ford has pulled the wraps off what it claims is a hint at its future global race car. The Ford Focus race car concept takes the standard 2012 Ford Focus hatchback and preps it nicely for full race duty. This includes gutting the interior, fitting a FIA-approved roll cage, strapping on AST performance coilovers with adjustable dampers and beefing up the sway bars, brakes, wheels and tires.

What’s not beefed up is the turbocharged 2.0-liter EcoBoost inline four-cylinder engine, which is used in the hot-hatch Focus ST where it produces 247 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque. Keeping the driver comfortable and in check are a Recaro racing seat, Ford Racing six-point harness and fire-suppression system.

EcoBoost F-150 Baja Truck: Engine Swap

After months of hard work, the 2011 Ford F-150 EcoBoost “hero engine” has been installed in a race truck to take on the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 desert endurance race this month. This same engine first endured 150,000 harsh user miles on the dynamometer, then was dropped into a new 2011 Ford F-150 to work as a log skidder in Oregon, tow a maximum trailer load at high speeds around a NASCAR track and beat the competition in a towing exercise at Davis Dam.

SEMA 2010: Ford Taurus SHOx

Rick Bottom Designs was given the keys to a 2011 Ford Taurus SHO and the custom car builder decided it wanted to hear more from the Blue Oval sedan. The 365-horsepower EcoBoost V6 has been bumped up by a Hahn Racecraft Stage 1 upgrade package, meaning this SHO is now putting out 465 hp. Re-christened as the SHOx, further modifications include a performance exhaust system, cold air intake kit, large Baer brakes hidden behind 22-inch Axiom forged wheels and a custom body kit.

Video: Drag racing Ford’s V6-powered F-150s

Ford has created an exciting lineup of engines for the 2011 F-150. From the 6.2-liter V8 and Coyote 5.0 down to the 3.7-liter V6 and turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost, it’s pretty much impossible to make a bad choice. Our friends at PickupTrucks.com currently have the keys to both of the V6 models, and they are putting them through the paces for their Work Truck Shootout. That story isn’t quite ready yet, but in the meantime, Editor Mike Levine decided to run them down the strip at Michigan’s Milan Dragway.

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