It seems that a new Ford F-150 that was meant to be veiled from public view wasn’t so hidden after all.
Truck enthusiast websites are buzzing about recent photos grabbed by automotive spy photographers SpiedBilde showing a camo-clad, prototype F-150 traveling around Dearborn, Michigan.
Only the truck’s bed is donned in that familiar what-do-you-think-you’re-looking-at black and white vinyl wrap.
What’s got everyone talking, however, is the Venturi exhaust tip in the picture poking out below the rear bumper. That distinct tip and the sound of the engine reported by the guy who shot the photo suggest that Ford is testing a V6 turbo diesel engine.
As autoblog points out, Ram’s 3-liter EcoDiesel may have some serious competition coming.
A lightweight aluminum F-150 paired with a diesel sipping V6 could command a lot more attention with consumers and elsewhere. And this isn’t the first bit of smoke we’ve seen that could point to such a development. Back in early 2014, it was rumored Ford was working on a 3-liter V6 diesel engine for the F-150 codenamed “Lion.”
Autoblog speculates that the engine in this prototype is that very Lion V6, an engine that Jaguar Land Rover, once owned by Ford, is bringing over for new models of its SUVs.
