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Ford had said it would sell a new 4.4L V8 diesel engine for the F-150 pickup truck beginning in 2010. Last spring, dealers were shown that 4.4-liter V-8 diesel said to deliver more power and torque than the F-150's 5.4-liter gasoline V-8 and offer a 20 percent fuel savings.
Now that petrol prices have fallen down to their pre-spike levels and is once again cheaper than diesel, it doesn't make economic sense for Ford to introduce a new diesel engine for the F-150. Thus plans for the oil-burning truck have been delayed. Ford is being hesitant about when the new engine might be introduced, but for now there has been no date pencilled.
Despite Fields' comments that there is no definite date for when the engine will be brought into the F-150, an anonymous source from Ford revealed that the F-150's proposed diesel engine has been delayed until at least 2013. After this point, there is still no certainty it will be offered as an option as there is no business case for the engine if fuel prices remain at their current levels.
The new 4.4L diesel V8 engine under consideration for the F-150 improves significantly on the current petrol engine currently on offer. Initial tests have shown that the smaller diesel engine produces more power and torque than the 5.4L petrol V8, but still cuts fuel consumption and emissions significantly. Despite these qualities, diesel prices are the real barrier for Ford in the engine's introduction and until petrol prices rise or diesel prices fall we likely won't hear much about this engine.
In fact, General Motors and Chrysler LLC also have delayed diesel versions of their light-duty pickups, giving Ford less incentive to introduce the diesel F-150.
With only about $3,000 more than a well-equipped F-150 FX4 model, one can buy a Ford F-150 SVT Raptor in U.S. Ford has revealed pricing for the latest addition to its F-150 pickup truck line, the new 2010 F-150 SVT Raptor, which will start at $38,995. The pumped-up pickup is a purpose-built off-road version of the popular F-150 workhorse and first went on display at last year’s SEMA Auto Show in Las Vegas. 
Utilizing experience gained from competing in the Baja 1000 desert race series, Ford has put together a comprehensive off-road package based around an all-new suspension set-up. The F-150 SVT Raptor comes with 13.4 inches of usable travel in the rear suspension and 11.2 in the front. Engineers changed the axle, added a new upper A arm, new lower A arm, new tie rod, and new half-shaft joints. The vehicle also features a seven inch wider track, electronic locking differential, and a hill descent control system.
In addition to this, the F-150 SVT Raptor also boasts a unique position sensitive damper system that allows its shock to become significantly stiffer as it travels, preventing the truck from bottoming out. The wheels are 17in cast aluminum units shod with 35in tires.
Power comes from the current 5.4L Triton V8 three-valve engine, which delivers 320hp and 390lb-ft of torque. A new open-valve fuel injection strategy improves the air-fuel charge conditions in the combustion chamber, allowing greater spark advance at higher loads and engine speeds. This delivers increased horsepower during towing and higher rpm operations, lower emissions and more efficient use of fuel. A new 6.2L V8 engine will be available after launch.
The F-150 SVT Raptor is built alongside the standard F-150 at Ford's Dearborn tuck plant in Michigan.
