2011 Ford F-150 - Very first Drive
What would you say if we told you the very best engine alternative accessible for the 2011 Ford F-150 is really a V6? You’d almost certainly believe we were nuts, right? Well, think it. Ford is revamping the F-150’s entire engine lineup for 2011, adding, amongst other people, a twin-turbocharged three.5-liter EcoBoost V6. It bests the two offered V8s for fuel economy even though delivering as a lot or a lot more power and towing capacity. In reality, the EcoBoost is even much better than Ram’s five.7-liter HEMI V8 and Chevy’s 5.3-liter V8. You just know it’s a strange new world when the most beneficial engine in the full-size pickup segment is often a V6.
Model Lineup
The 2011 Ford F-150 comes in standard cab, SuperCab and SuperCrew body styles, with bed lengths of five.five, 6.five and 8 feet. The SuperCab has rear access doors that open from the front, and also the SuperCrew has four typical doors.
Ford delivers a trim level for every taste, progressing from XL to STX, XLT, FX2/FX4, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum, Lariat Limited, Harley-Davidson and SVT Raptor. The XL is Spartan, with vinyl floor covering and vinyl upholstery, manual windows and locks on the typical cab and SuperCab body styles, and steel wheels. The STX adds a CD player, cruise control, power locks, cloth upholstery and alloy wheels. The XLT adds floor mats, carpeting and fog lights. The FX2/FX4 trims have off-road styling, while the Lariat gets a towing package, Ford’s new Productivity Screen, dual-zone automatic climate control, power-adjustable pedals, leather upholstery, power front seats, Sirius satellite radio, the Ford Sync entertainment and communications system, a power sliding rear window and 18-inch wheels. The King Ranch, Platinum and Lariat Limited models offer various flavors of luxury, adding special exterior looks and a lot of amenities. The SVT Raptor is a true off-roader, with a wider body, an all-new suspension with increased travel and racing shocks, and quite a few other off-road and performance features.
Standard safety features consist of dual front airbags, front side airbags, curtain side airbags, anti-lock brakes, traction control, electronic stability control along with a tire-pressure monitor. Rear park assist and a rear-view camera are optional.
Under the Hood
As we said above, the F-150’s engine lineup is all new. The base engine is really a three.7-liter V6 that produces 302 horsepower and 278 lb-ft of torque. It is standard on XL, STX and XLT. Ford’s new five.0-liter V8 is regular on FX2/FX4, Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum, and offered as an alternative on the XL, STX and XLT. This is the identical engine introduced inside the Mustang, where it makes 412 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque. In the F-150, it produces 360 horsepower and 380 lb-ft of torque. Regular inside the top 3 trims - Lariat Limited, Harley-Davidson and Raptor - and optional within the Lariat is Ford’s 6.2-liter V8, which churns out 411 horsepower and 434 lb-ft of torque.
The EcoBoost twin-turbocharged three.5-liter V6 will commence shipping in early 2011 as an alternative. Very first introduced in the Ford Taurus SHO in a front-wheel-drive configuration, it makes 365 horsepower and 360 lb-ft of torque; inside the F-150 it cranks out the exact same horsepower but a whopping 420 lb-ft of torque. The extra power can be attributed to revised laptop or computer controls, more boost pressure along with a beefier transmission that can handle the additional twist. That transmission, which is regular across the lineup, can be a 6-speed automatic with manual shift capability.
EPA fuel-economy numbers are not yet offered, but Ford says fuel economy will enhance by as a lot as 20 percent. The three.5-liter EcoBoost engine need to also get greater mileage than the five.0-liter and 6.2-liter V8s.
Maximum towing payload numbers boost by engine. The 3.7-liter V6 can tow up to 6,100 pounds. The 5.0-liter V8 can tow 10,000 pounds and haul up to 3,060 pounds of payload. The 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 can pull an impressive 11,300 pounds and carry the identical payload as the five.0. The 6.2-liter V8 may also tow 11,300 pounds.
Ford’s base 4-wheel drive is a part-time system that need to not be engaged on dry pavement. A full-time all-wheel-drive program is obtainable for upper-level trims.
Inner Space
Amongst full-size pickups, only the Ram 1500 compares to the F-150 in terms of interior refinement. Whilst you’ll find far more plastic surfaces than we like, they are sturdy and well-assembled. We’d like padded surfaces on the door tops, though. Visibility is great, as well as the F-150 is amongst the quieter pickups on the road.
The lineup starts with base trims produced for work, with vinyl floors and upholstery. Cloth and carpeting make an appearance a couple of levels up the food chain, and a number of luxurious models have leather upholstery along with a host of offered amenities. Among those functions are the Ford Sync entertainment and communications program, rear DVD entertainment, upgraded audio, Ford Work Solutions and, new for 2011, a Productivity Screen. Ford Work Solutions can assist contractors inventory and protect their tools and track truck fleets.
Introduced on the F-Series Super Duty pickups last year, the Productivity Screen is useful for off-roaders and buyers who tow. It uses a 4.2-inch screen in the gauge cluster to show trip computer and fuel-economy info. It may also control vehicle settings and display data about the physical state of the vehicle, which includes pitch, steering and roll angles, and 4-wheel-drive power distribution.
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