Details, plans for Ford's new 4.4-liter diesel emerge
April 21, 2008
By Andrew Strieber
Ford's recent meeting with dealers in Las Vegas has provided a wealth of information about upcoming Blue Oval products, including a long-rumored new F-150 Raptor SVT pickup good for (at least) 380-horsepower. Now word of another major product under development has surfaced as well: at the meeting dealers were shown Ford's new turbodiesel engine, which the automaker plans to feature in a variety of vehicles.
The 4.4-liter turbo V-8, closely related to the 3.6-liter turbodiesel installed in European Jaguars and Land Rovers, is being designed in-house to be built at the automaker's Chihuahua, Mexico engine plant. Dealers were presented with a comparison between the new engine and the current 5.4-liter V-8 found in many of Ford's larger vehicles, with the diesel achieving nine percent more horsepower, 15 percent more lb-ft. of torque, and 20 percent better fuel economy, respectively. The automaker says 0 to 60 times in the two engines will be about the same. In addition, Ford is developing a urea injection system along the lines of Mercedes' Bluetec diesels to keep the new 4.4-liter running clean.
The new diesel will appear in many of the expected places such as the F-150, Super Duty, and E-Series large vans. However the automaker is also planning to install it in the Expedition and Navigator, giving large SUV-buyers the option to enjoy significant fuel savings without any loss in power or the added complexity of a hybrid system. Hopefully this new engine is only the beginning, and Ford will offer other oil-burners across its lineup in the future. After all, if Navigator shoppers can be sold on the benefits of a diesel, who's to say Fusion and Edge buyers won't be as well?
