<http://schema.org/articleBody>
" Game changers can be tough to spot, but in the 2011 Ford F-150 a pivotal technology in pickup truck history is easy to identify: the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine.   Designed to continue the F-150&amp;#039;s run as America&amp;#039;s best-selling pickup well past its current 33-year run, the EcoBoost V-6 is a quantum leap in combining power and fuel economy. It&amp;#039;s a must-have for Ford in the face of ever-tightening federal fuel economy requirements, and it will soon be a must-have for hundreds of thousands of F-150 buyers.   Rated at 365 bhp at 5000 rpm and 420 lb.-ft. of torque at 2500 rpm in F-150 trim while burning 87 octane fuel, the 3.5 EcoBoost V-6 has the instant snort to spin the tires at the drop of the throttle, outrun V-8s and tows up to 11,300 lb. of trailer, yet it delivers better than compact pickup truck fuel economy in the mid-20 mpg range. We easily achieved 25 mpg in a casual fuel economy test during Ford&amp;#039;s press event, not even bothering to turn off the air conditioning. That&amp;#039;s an unprecedented combination of power and economy.   Backing up the 3.5 EcoBoost in Ford&amp;#039;s quest to put six cylinders in half of all 2011 F-150 sales is the entry-level 3.7-liter V-6. A smooth operator with 4-cam variable cam timing, the base six whirrs out an adequate 278 lb.-ft. of torque at 4000 rpm and breaks the 300 hp mark with 302 bhp at 6500 rpm. It&amp;#039;s a smart choice for runabout duty, yet can still tow 5500 to 6100 lb. depending on rear axle gearing.   Of course there&amp;#039;s something for V-8 lovers in Ford&amp;#039;s all-new F-150 powertrain lineup. The all-alloy dohc 4-valve 5.0-liter V-8 just introduced in the Mustang is now the big-volume F-150 V-8. Wearing revised intake camshafts and cast-iron exhaust manifolds, the 5.0 delivers 360 bhp at 5500 rpm and 380 lb.-ft. of torque at 4250 rpm. For an even larger traditional V-8 experience, Ford is offering the 6.2-liter sohc 2-valve V-8 in a handful of up-market F-150 models. It busts out 411 bhp at 5500 rpm and 434 lb.-ft. of torque at 4500 rpm.   All engines are backed by a 6-speed automatic. There is no manual transmission although Ford&amp;#039;s SelectShift allows full manual control plus the ability to block any combination of gears while allowing automatic shifting among the remaining ratios.   Handling is improved with standard electrically assisted rack-and-pinion power steering. It is easily adjusted by Ford to deliver variable assist from parking lot to highway; it&amp;#039;s also tuned noticeably by model. The V-6 trucks offer refreshingly light steering while the Harley Davidson and other 6.2-liter V-8 trucks take more manly efforts.   Interior improvements and model introductions round out the 2011 F-150 changes. A new instrument cluster with an enlarged information center delivers trip information and logs trailer mileage among other duties; Ford&amp;#039;s well-regarded Sync and Work Solutions applications are also available. Other detail improvements are an integrated key and fob, remote starting, a 110-volt outlet at the rear of the center console (faces the rear seats), optional telescoping steering column and HD radio. Off-road packages now include skid plates, better shock absorbers, a locking differential and the availability of 7-lug wheels.   All existing F-150 models return, plus new Lariat Limited and an XLT Custom models make their debut. Pricing starts at $22,415 for a standard cab 3.7-liter 4x2 and rises $1000 for the 5.0-liter V-8, another $750 for the EcoBoost 3.5-liter V-6 and about that again for the 6.2-liter V-8. A heart-of-the-market 4-door 4x2 XLT with EcoBoost should tariff around $35,000; a Harley Davidson 4x4 4-door brings $51,140. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/first-drives/reviews/a16349/2011-ford-f-150/>