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WATERBURY, Vt. – Eastbound, crossing Highway 2 between Montpellier and Maine, the main artery through the commerce of northern New England, is a two-lane track tortured with broken pavers. Winding along the valleys and hills of very rural Vermont, Route 2 is the very embodiment of what infrastructure investment should be. A big grader that plows the asphalt pavement could produce a better running surface – it certainly could not be worse.
Fortunately, driving the latest Ford F-Series pickup with its innovative Powerstroke diesel engine provides the isolation and comfort needed to navigate a proven trail of torture. Quieter and smoother than next week's Lexus sedan, almost fuel-efficient, this new Ford proves how much the van market has changed.
Ford has been ready to push the established paradigms with its pickups lately. The first to offer aluminum bodies to gain weight, the first to adopt turbo-V-6 engines for improved power and fuel economy (three in the range now), as well as this new turbo-diesel V engine -6 of 3.0 liters illustrates has increased his dominance within the category he has conducted for 41 consecutive years. Add the expressive Raptor as well as the planned production of a limited edition Raptor with a 700 hp supercharged version of the new Mustang GT500 engine and you can see that Ford is easily adopting its leading position in pickup. Place your order now for this super Raptor; there will only be a few.
Ford is also working on another innovative F-Series powertrain. With its $ 500 million investment in Rivan, the electric trucking company, Ford is obviously dedicating resources to what the future could be like by offering 39; option of a fully electric pickup. Although the volume of a Tesla-priced pickup can prove to be low, there is definitely a halo effect for the company that first perfects a functional and functional electric microphone that is suitable for American tastes.
We have chronicled the virtues of the F-150 recently; Quiet, comfortable, with the features we use and want. In the Lariat trim (starting at $ 46,510, over $ 60,000 as shown here) you can add a double-panel sunroof, an electric sliding rear window, a towing device with trailer parking badistance and mirrors double glazed towing and heated and cooled leather seats. Navigation on the Sync 3 screen, electrically-operated folding steps, and 4-wheel power shift complete a resource-rich cab.
The Powerstroke engine is the hook here. A 3.0-liter V-6 borrowed from Land Rover and originally developed by Peugeot, the turbine engine produces 250 hp and a maximum torque of 440 lbs / ft of maximum torque operating in a 10-speed automatic gearbox . The EPA estimates are 20/25/22 mpg for CrewCab 4WD models and 22/30/25 for 2WD extended cab trucks. After 1,300 miles, our economy was 25.8 mpg, which is higher than the EPA highway estimate. The range is more than 650 km per full.
On the road, you never hear a hint of diesel noise. In fact, you hear no engine noise and there is also no smell of diesel. The power delivery is very linear, very smooth. If you think that a turbo-six Ecoboost was awesome in an F series, Powerstroke will recalculate your prints with the same speed.
The Powerstroke engine adds $ 4,000 to the sticker compared to the standard 2.7-liter Ecoboost, and $ 3,000 more than the optional 5.0-liter V8, with more torque than the standard two. A DEF fluid filler pipe rests next to the diesel nozzle.
Just west of St. Johnsbury, the state of the roads has improved considerably. From here at the Lancaster, New Hampshire border post, the improvement of the road is evident with a wider and smoother road. The increase in the number of trucks up to Gorham, N.H., and Bethel, Maine, proves how much trade depends on this winding highway.
The long days spent riding this Ford reminded us how modern minivans are excellent and have moved luxury cars for many owners. The cabin's discreet competence, smooth operation and access to controls, as well as ease of use (these footboards are very soft) make the F-Series a winning platform. In the absence of complaints or blame in the logbook, it was difficult to see the departure of Ford.
It has long been felt that if national automakers could build a large 30 mpg pickup, their license to print money would be badured for years. This F-150 demonstrates that the technology is much closer, as gasoline and diesel turbo engines are proving to be highly responsive to towing needs (10,100 pounds here) and overall driving expectations.
Better fuel economy also means lower fuel tax revenues, a problem that has been ignored for too long, but unfortunately evident in most of New England.
Tim Plouff
Journalist at The American Ellsworth
Tim Plouff examined automobiles in the pages of The American Ellsworth weekly for nearly two decades.
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