Ford F150 Will Soon Have a 10 Speed Automatic Transmission
Ford Motor Company and General Motors announced a while back that they were working together to develop a set of 9-speed and 10-speed automatic transmissions. The result of that joint effort should be a 9-speed automatic transmission for a handful of front wheel drive vehicles from both automakers along with a 10-speed automatic transmission that will be fitted into the next generation F150 and likely future GM half ton trucks as well.
10 Speeds Should Make the F150 the Most Efficient Full Size Truck
When the 2015 Ford F150 arrives later this year, the 2.7L EcoBoost V6 should make the new half ton Ford the most efficient ever. However, it will still be hard for this new, smaller EcoBoost to beat the fuel economy of the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel in terms of fuel economy. Part of the Ram’s strong fuel economy game is their new 8-speed automatic transmission that is being used in almost every rear wheel drive vehicle in the Chrysler Group lineup.
The Ford F150 with the 2.7L EcoBoost should be the most efficient gas powered half ton truck on the market with the current 6-speed automatic transmission, but rolling out a 10-speed gearbox could help put more than one F150 engine towards the top of the half ton truck fuel economy war. Right now, the 2.7L EcoBoost will compete with the EcoDiesel in fuel economy but those who opt for the 2.7L EcoDiesel will be compromising some capability. On the other hand, adding the 10-speed automatic transmission to the 3.5L EcoBoost should afford F150 drivers incredible fuel economy and abilities that it will put it towards the top of the segment.
2015 Ford F150 Galleries:
A closer look at the trimlines of the 2015 Ford F150
The 2015 Ford F150 at the 2014 NAIAS
Word on the street suggests that the 10-speed equipped Ford F150 will arrive in late 2015 as a 2016 model, so it should be 14-16 months before the F150 makes a real run at being the most fuel friendly half ton truck on the market.
How About a 10-Speed for the Super Duty
While it seems all but a sure thing that the new Ford F150 will have a 10-speed automatic transmission, we are left to wonder what the Motor Company has planned for the hard working Super Duty trucks. While it is unlikely that the same 10-speed automatic transmission in the F150 will be used in the F250 and F350, I would expect that the company will work up something to help improve the fuel economy of their biggest non-commercial grade pickups. Even if Ford “only” goes with something like an 8-speed automatic for the future Super Duty, it should go a long way in helping to make those larger, harder working trucks to get better fuel economy without making any compromises in capability. At the same time, there has to be a significant amount of money tied up in developing the new 10-speed automatic transmission – even with the partnership with GM – so I would be shocked if there wasn’t some version of this new rear wheel drive/four wheel drive transmission slated to power at least the gasoline powered Super Duty pickups.
Source: Automotive News
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