3.5L EcoBoost 2011 F-150 bests Silverado and RAM trucks with 5+L V8s in performance test

The 2011 Ford F-150 EcoBoost won in a head-to-head powertrain performance exercise while towing a 9,000-pound (4,082 kg) trailer against the Chevy Silverado and Dodge RAM with much larger displacement V8 engines during a demonstration staged by Ford near Davis Dam in Arizona.

The head-to-head contest was the latest phase of the new V6 3.5-liter EcoBoost truck engine’s “Torture Test,” a multipart series of web-based documentaries that began when this randomly selected EcoBoost engine endured the equivalent of 150,000 miles or 10 years’ use on the dynamometer, replicating the duty cycle of the harshest-use customer.

The Davis Dam area has been used by Ford engineers for years to prove out maximum powertrain performance capability in a harsh environment. The combination of high temperatures and a steep grade of an average of 5 percent pushes the engine, transmission, driveline, cooling system, brake system and the truck itself to the extreme.

Each truck towed a 9,000-pound trailer using independent, professional drivers who alternated after each run; three runs were made, and trucks also switched lanes to eliminate any driver or lane variance. Each driver accelerated to full throttle. Trucks were tested in two ways: a 0-60 mph challenge and the 3.5-mile (5.6-km) full-course challenge. The 2011 F-150 EcoBoost has a best-in-class maximum trailer towing rating of 11,300 pounds. Ford said that the 9,000-pound mark was selected to allow a baseline that all competitors could meet.

A data acquisition tool was used to time the event when the vehicle started to move, not when the start signal was given. This eliminates a bias of driver reaction time in the data reported. Eric Kuehn, 2011 F-150 chief engineer, said that they took care to ensure the constancy, accuracy and integrity of the tests, and to have the results verified independently.

Each truck represents high-volume configurations—2011 4×4 crew cabs—with the 9,000-pound load. Basic specifications:

Truck configurations
Brand	Ford F-150 EcoBoost	Chevy Silverado 1500	Ram 1500
Series	XLT	LT	SLT
Engine	3.5L EcoBoost	5.3L V8	5.7L V8
Axle ration	3.73	3.42	3.92

Results for the 0-60 mph test and the full-course test, both with 9,000-pound trailer. Three runs were made for each test:

Head-to-head test results
Test	Manufacturer/Engine	Result
0-60 mph	Ford 3.5L EcoBoost vs. Chevrolet 5.3L V8	Ford faster by 12.6 seconds
0-60 mph	Ford 3.5L EcoBoost vs. Ram 5.7L V8	Ford faster by 11.9 seconds
Full course	Ford 3.5L EcoBoost vs. Chevrolet 5.3L V8	Ford faster by 42.9 seconds
Full course	Ford 3.5L EcoBoost vs. Ram 5.7L V8	Ford faster by 3.2 seconds

Key to EcoBoost’s performance is the large amount of low-end torque produced by the combination of twin turbochargers and direct fuel injection. Up to 90% of the EcoBoost truck engine’s peak, best-in-class torque of 420 lb-ft (569 N·m) is available from 1,700 rpm to 5,000 rpm, all on regular fuel.

EcoBoost engines deliver fuel economy gains of up to 20 percent and reduction of CO2 emissions of up to 15 percent, compared with larger, less-efficient engines. In addition to turbocharging with direct injection, Ford engineers have enhanced EcoBoost’s technology capabilities by adding variable valve timing and precisely controlling all aspects of the engine. Ford has at least 125 patents on its EcoBoost technology.