Weekend Roundup: 1/5/18-1/7/18

2018 Ford F-150 Diesel: It is Finally Here

Last year, at 2017’s Detroit Auto Show, Ford announced that they were bringing a Power Stroke-equipped F-150 to the half-ton pickup market. Now, almost a year later, Ford has finalized the design and announced the 2018 Diesel F-150.

In every way besides the engine, the 2018 Ford F-150 equipped with a diesel engine is exactly the same as its gasoline-fueled siblings. As the F-150 has consistently been the best-selling vehicle in the United States, this was probably a good choice on Ford’s part.

For the past year it was unknown what diesel engine Ford would select for duty in the F-150; it was long speculated that the Lion turbo-diesel 3.0L V6 they developed jointly with PSA Peugeot Citroën would be selected. It turns out this was not a bad guess, as the unit is being rebranded as an EcoBoost and slotted into the truck, with some choice upgrades from Ford’s 6.7 Power Stroke diesel team.

These upgrades come in the form of fitting the 3.0L V6 with the forged crankshaft borrowed from the 2.7L EcoBoost gasoline engine, complemented by purpose-designed main and rod bearings. Along with a 29,000 PSI capable common-rail injection system and a variable-geometry turbocharger, the iron-block diesel with aluminum heads makes 250hp and 440lb-ft of torque.

Seeing as the only other half-ton diesel truck is the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel and it makes 240hp and 420lb-ft of torque, it is probably safe to assume that not only did Ford have that number tattooed on their engineer’s fingers, this release sees the diesel numbers war familiar with larger trucks making its way into the half-ton market.

Rated to tow 11,400 pounds and carry 2020 pounds in the bed, these numbers place the F-150 near the top of the pyramid for payloads. Topping the Ram EcoDiesel’s numbers yet falling behind a handful of 3.5L EcoBoost V6-equipped F-150’s equipped with very specific axle ratios and towing packages, the Diesel F-150 is competitive as a workhorse.

Ford has equipped the new diesel with their 10-speed automatic, with the hope of hitting 30mpg on the highway unencumbered. While prices have been not been publically finalized, expect the diesel to be the most expensive engine, at $4000 over the 2.7L EcoBoost V6, $2400 over the 3.5L EcoBoost V6, and $3000 more than the 5.0L V8.

Available in essentially every configuration and trim, the order books for the diesel F-150 open in mid-January, with deliveries beginning in the spring.

Bentley to Debut Plug-In Hybrid Bentayga in March

Economy is not a concern when shopping for a luxury Bentley SUV with a base price that starts north of $200,000. Despite this, per reports from Automotive News, Bentley is set to release a plug-in hybrid variant of their Bentayga SUV at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

Details are extremely limited, but the more frugal Bentayga buyers will likely receive an SUV equipped with Porsche’s Panamera E-Hybrid setup. Consisting of a 326hp 2.9L twin-turbo V6 paired with a 134hp electric motor, the system makes a total of 456hp in current trim. The Panamera E-Hybrid can drive up to 30 miles on electricity alone.

Look for the hybrid Bentley Bentayga midway through 2018, aimed primarily at markets with taxes based on engine displacement.