Along the same lines...interesting read on Edmunds about this new Ecoboost in the F150 for 2011:
http://bit.ly/dcAYz1
Six Is the New Eight
Between these impressive efforts sits the new marquee engine that Ford considers the "volume" top-level choice. But it's no V8. No, this is the EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 we've been hearing about, and it's for real.
Like the Ford Flex/SHO EcoBoost engine, it displaces 3.5 liters, has direct fuel injection and is pressurized by two turbochargers. But in turning it 90 degrees, from front-drive sidewinder to a rear-drive north-south orientation, most major pieces had to be redesigned. The basic architecture is the same — bore centers, deck height, 60-degree vee angle — but the block, heads, valve covers, intake manifold and other big chunks are all-new.
And there are specific performance-oriented differences. The Flex/SHO EcoBoost has intake-only variable valve timing, but this trucked-out version can vary exhaust valve timing, too. Its twin turbochargers are made by Borg-Warner instead of Honeywell and boost pressure has been raised from 10 to 13 psi. A large air-to-air intercooler sits behind a gaping slit in the chrome bumper, with the front license-plate bracket moved off to the driver side.
What kind of output does all this new hardware generate? Try 365 hp at 5,000 rpm. Peak torque is up there — 420 lb-ft at 2,500 revs, with 90 percent of that available from 1,700-5,000 rpm. Meanwhile, the same 3.5 liters of Flex EcoBoost makes 355 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque on premium fuel. Displacement aside, please don't confuse these two motors.