Ford Pickups to Be Equipped with Massive V8 Engines

The truck wars continue to heat up and automakers are not showing signs of slowing down as they keep churning out upgrades for their respective models. And Ford, home to America’s bestselling vehicle, just announced it is adding one of the world’s biggest V8 engines to its pickups.

Beginning this fall, Ford’s Super Duty pickups and other commercial vehicles (ambulances and utility bucket trucks) will be equipped with a massive 7.3-liter gasoline-powered V8.

And while big trucks that fall within the Class 2 to Class 7 range are usually powered by diesel engines, Ford doesn’t see anything wrong with giving its customers a gasoline option particularly on the F-250, 350, and 450 Super Duty trucks.

“Diesels are incredibly important for those trucks, but many customers don’t need their full towing capacity,” said Stephanie Brinley, senior analyst at IHS Markit. “Those customers can get everything they need at a lower cost with a gasoline engine.”

Having gasoline guzzling trucks part of the lineup also works for the consumers considering that fleet vehicles are only kept for an average of three to four years. This means the longevity and high-mileage durability of diesel engines, which are more expensive than their gasoline counterparts, are not being fully maximized.

Ford’s upcoming V8 engine makes 430 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque in Super Duty pickups, while the commercial trucks show slightly lower numbers. It was built in Windsor, Ontario where the company reportedly tested hundreds of preproduction versions before coming up with the final product.

Its 7.3-liter capacity is also a huge jump from the current 6.2-liter engine that makes 385 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque. The 6.2-liter powertrain, however, will remain as the base engine for the F 250 and 350 truck variants.