Ford to Offer 6.8-Liter V10 in F-650 and F-750 Chassis Cab Models

[AutoGuide.com]

Despite GM having exited the medium duty market, Ford isn't resting on its laurels. It's F-650 and F-750 chassis cabs, which are primarily used for towing and commercial grade hauling work are receiving a few updates. One of the most significant is the adoption of the 6.8-liter V-10 found in the lighter Super Duty trucks (F-250-F-550) for the 2012 model year. According to Len Deluca, Director of Ford's Commercial Truck Sales and Marketing, the addition of the V-10 will be "welcome news to many business and municipalities," while providing a wider range of powertrain options and solutions than Ram, Navistar, Isuzu and Hino (to name a few) currently offer in the Class 6 and 7 truck market.

For use in the medium duty Ford trucks, the V10 will be rated at 362 horsepower at 4750 rpm and 457 ft-lbs of torque at 3250. This enables gross vehicle weight ratings on these trucks to range from 20,000 up to a substantial 30,000 lbs, making them highly suitable for a range of different uses, from flatbed recovery vehicles to Fire Department use and short haul delivery runs. Teamed with the V10 is a version of Ford's six-speed automatic TorqShift transmission, which features a powdered metal carrier in the planetary gearset for extra strength and increased torque capacity (some 735 ft-lbs), plus dual overdrive gears to aid fuel economy and a Live Drive Power Take Off (PTO) than can power such features as snow plows, salt spreaders and dump bodies directly off the crankshaft while the engine is running, no matter what speed the vehicle is traveling.

Alongside the V10/six-speed combo, Ford announced that it will be also offering an alternative fuels prep package for the 2012 Medium Duty trucks, following on from the smaller Super Duty rigs. This version of the V10 will incorporate hardened valves and seats for better wear resistance from gaseous fuels like Compressed Natural and Liquified Petroleum Gas. Ford has announced that the 2012 Class 6 and 7 chassis cabs will go on sale during the fourth quarter of 2011.

More: Ford to Offer 6.8-Liter V10 in F-650 and F-750 Chassis Cab Models on AutoGuide.com

[Deere Diesel Man]

I wished they would have kept the V10 in the 250. I've always wanted to see a v10 F150. And now with the new 6 speed a F150 with a 6 speed auto v10 would be awesome!! The only thing I don't know about this move is I have never heard of anyone in a V10 getting good fuel milage. Now with this kind of weight I would really hate to see it now..

[dereku]

2mpg here we come.

[taylorking]

WHy dont they ditch the V10. Its a slug anyway

[Zytek_Fan]

Most are gonna go for the diesel anyway. Unless they're an idiot.

[elibenson]

Unfortunately all the new van chassis for ambulances only come in V10. I had a chance to try them out a few weeks ago. Brand new Osage van ambulance with a V10. It was *nearly* as good performance wise as my diesels. The 0-40mph was easily as good, but after that, the diesel has an edge. Also, driving into the wind, I couldn't maintain 90mph in high gear (with a 5R110 transmission).

The 2010 E350 V10 that I was driving was rated at 390hp, and 400ish ft-lbs torque, and it was *nearly* as good as a 2010 E-350 6.0l diesel rated at 235hp, 450 ft-lbs. Ford van 6.0l's are rated at 235hp, in case people didn't know..

In the fuel economy category, the 6.0l will give me 14mpg (hand calculated) all day long, pretty much no matter how you drive it. The V10 (based on the lie-o-meter) was getting 13 before I started my "test", and afterward, I ruined the average to the point that it was reading 9.1 .. That was about 15 miles of driving pretty hard. Not much different than I normally drive my 6.0l trucks, except for the top speed run near 90mph, that doesn't really happen very often in the real world in an ambulance.

So in fuel economy, highway driving (when the sales rep was driving it )was probably 11ish mpg, and when I was driving it, it was probably averaging 7 or less, which is why the Lie-o-Meter dropped like a stone..

So, for lack of any thing better, us ambulance companies are either stuck with V10's with their so-so performance and thirst for fuel, or go with a much more expensive truck (f-series) chassis, with a much more expensive box to go on it..

Decent (diesel) van ambulance : $63,000
Decent V-10 van ambulance : $54,000
Decent F-series ambulance : $120,000

Sucks to be us..

[hammett88]

dad gum can you imagine the fuel economy with a full 30,000lbs payload?

[FX4 Fiend]

the 6.8L's a dog that always has trouble around 75k--the headers always go. I've only seen 2 that lasted longer--one went 215k before it blew up, the other 165k. But they are the exception to the rule.

[coolman3030]

Originally Posted by FX4 Fiend

the 6.8L's a dog that always has trouble around 75k--the headers always go. I've only seen 2 that lasted longer--one went 215k before it blew up, the other 165k. But they are the exception to the rule.

old man had a 99 e350 that has 250k and is still going strong never had a tranny flush since new. and oil was changed every 10000 or so it burns about a quart every 4k miles or so. and he aint easy on it.

[cotton]

Ford should just drop the 6.8. The old 460 was a much more reliable and just as fuel efficient motor.