There is no update yet on the arrival date for the 2017 Ford F-150, but news of the pickup is getting a lot of buzz amid rumors that it will get a 10-speed automatic transmission.
It was originally announced that only the Ford F-150 Raptor will get the new 10-speed gearbox, though it was later confirmed that all Ford F-150 trucks with a 3.5-Liter EcoBoost V6 engine will get the transmission.
This is huge news since the Ford F-150 will be the first vehicle in the U.S. to have more than nine speeds. More speeds mean enhanced performance and fuel economy.
This is also a huge milestone for the Ford brand because this is the first 10-speed transmission to be made using aluminum and other light weight materials instead of the more common cast iron. This reduces overall weight, thus reducing the engine’s effort to turn the wheels.
The higher speed transmissions – eight-speeds and up – are all overdrive units, which allow the engine to run at a lower RPM when driving at highway speeds. The lower speed transmissions, such as those found in the 2016 Ford F-150 with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine, aren’t without perks of their own, however, and offer better acceleration.
To create hype and discussions, the Ford company has released photos of the pickup’s 10-speed gauge cluster and shift inidcator.
The new transmission aside, the 2017 Ford F-150 will also have an all-new Sport mode for improved driving dynamics.
To check out the latest Ford trucks near Sacramento, be sure to visit Folsom Lake Ford. We carry the latest pickup models that also include the bigger cousin of the Ford F-150, the 2016 Ford F-350.
