A new optional powertrain will be offered by Ford Motor Co. for its 2017 model F-150 pickup truck line: a second-generation 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost engine matched to a new 10-speed automatic transmission.
Ford said this is the first volume-production 10-speed automatic available to consumers from any automaker and is designed to deliver improved acceleration and performance compared to six-speed automatic gearboxes.
Raj Nair, Ford’s executive vice president for product development and chief technical officer, added that more than 20 patents are approved or pending for this new powertrain combination.
The second generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 will offer 30 lb.-ft. more peak torque compared with the previous model, the OEM said, for up to 450 lb.-ft. of total torque.
Ford added that an all-new dual-direct and port fuel-injection system, featuring two injectors per cylinder, is featured on the new EcoBoost, along two newly-redesigned turbochargers as well.
The OEM noted that its new 10-speed transmission features three overdrive gears and a wider ratio span for lower-numerical rear-axle ratios to help improve fuel efficiency at highway speeds while maintaining towing capability.
Ford added that the 10-speed transmission uses advanced materials and alloys to save weight and it is also the first Ford gearbox not to feature cast-iron components.
An integrated torque converter/turbine clutch also helps shave more than two pounds of weight for the new 10-speed design, the OEM noted, while also reducing the packaging footprint.
Ford pointed out other key features of this new powertrain, which will make its debut on 2017 F-150 models when they go on sale this fall:
- Hollow camshafts within an all-new roller-finger follower valvetrain help save up to four pounds of weight from the new 3.5-liter EcoBoost.
- The valvetrain also features more durable intake and exhaust valves, and hydraulic valve-lash adjusters that optimize engine durability over the life of the truck.
- The twin turbos on the EcoBoost are now connected to electrically activated wastegates, enhancing operating efficiency. Turbo turbine wheels are lighter, too; made out of high-temperature super alloy Mar-M-247 that also improves responsiveness.
- Auto Start-Stop will be a standard feature, specially tuned for truck customers, shutting off the engine when the vehicle is at a stop except when towing or in four-wheel-drive mode.
- An integrated electric pump works with the standard Auto Start-Stop system for seamless restarts and improved driving efficiency.
- All-new real-time-adaptive shift-scheduling algorithms were developed for the new 10-speed gearbox, monitoring more than a dozen powertrain- and driver-control signals to ensure the right gear at the right time for an engaging driving experience, including in sport mode.