Looks like the only engine/trans they have announced is the 2.3L I-4 EcoBoost with a 10-speed auto. I will wait judgement until I see some road test results and comparisons with V6 competitors. All I can say is I am not surprised but this is not what I was hoping for. On the bright side the EcoBoost engines have been pretty easy to tune for big power increases. I guess we'll see...
I'm surprised with only 1 power choice, but I hit Ford's demographic audience - drive truck to work, not for work; then use it on weekend for hauling/towing - again focused on play over work. For me, the 2.3 Ecoboost was always going to be my #1 choice (I had given up hope of a manual)
Couple things of note:
Steering wheel is an international version: Audio controls are on the left; cruise is on the right - the reverse of where it is on all my other North American Fords; they have also went back to the small buttons on steering wheel like on my wife's '10 Escape. (It's an issue for those of us who can palm a volleyball).
Parking brake beside driver's seat was one of the things I thought they would change from the Global version. 100W AC converter? And I thought the 400W in the F150 was too low.
Don't like the sensors on the front bumper (not well placed for the 'wheeling I do).
You can see rear discs.
Integrated bumper/tow hitch is...interesting.
Internal household discussion has now commenced - 4x2 scab versus 4x4 screw. Lightning blue colour has already been decided. Ability to get all the "features" is probably going to make decision - as back seat of scab probably wouldn't be that comfortable, Lariat screw is probably on leading.
Re: steering wheel controls, I think they've made a decision to standardize them. The 2018 Mustang made a similar switch to the radio controls on the left.
Not sure what to think about the 2.3L EcoBoost.
While Ford has updated all of the gas engines in the 2018 F-150 to a new FI system which combines port injection with direct combustion chamber injection, their Ranger website only states direct injection for the 2.3. That could be a durability issue with potential carbon buildup on the backside of the intake valves. Without port injection there is no raw fuel on that side of the valve to act as a cleaning agent.
I suppose a crankcase oil separator could solve some of that problem since most of the carbon buildup supposedly comes from crankcase blowby being recirculated through the intake manifold.
There have also been issues with head gasket failures on the 2.3 but as far as I know that was only on the Focus RS version of the engine. That was supposedly caused by using the head gasket for the Mustang 2.3 on the Focus engine. While the two engines are very similar they do use a different coolant passage design between adjacent cylinders which requires different head gaskets.
Another theory on the head gasket failures is that because the 2.3 uses an open deck design for the cylinder block there could be some movement of the cylinder walls during high boost conditions. "Open deck" refers to the fact that the water jacket around the cylinders is open at the top where it meets the cylinder head.
The fact that most head gasket failures have been on the Focus RS engine and both engines use the same "open deck" design makes me think using the wrong head gasket was the real culprit.
Motor Trend says that Ford now sees the potential Ranger buyer as different from the F150 buyer. Hasn't that always been the case? Did that just dawn on Ford? What the hell are they talking about?
I hope those are LED projectors and I hope there are rear discs. The Tacoma still does not have those and IMHO is a rear deal breaker for me. I can understand my 05 not having them but in this day and age it is a must for me.
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