Filed under: Car Buying, Trucks/Pickups, Ford Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Ford F-150 SFE Ford has revealed more details on the 2009 F-150 this morning, and what we know so far is that engineers have gone to great lengths to make the new F-Series half-ton pickup achieve greater fuel economy, and the entire range has received an 8% improvement as a result. The V6 engine option has been dropped for '09, but Ford has paired a six-speed transmission with the truck's top motors to eke out even more mileage. According to Pickuptrucks.com, Ford will continue to offer a legacy two-valve version of the truck's 4.6L V8 paired with a four-speed automatic, which achieves the same 14/19 mpg rating as the outgoing V6-powered model. A new three-valve version of the 4.6L V8 is also available with Ford's new fuel-efficient 6R80 six-speed automatic, and the EPA rates a two-wheel-drive model of this pairing at 15/20. In response to General Motors' recently unveiled fuel-efficient Chevy Silverado XFE and GMC Sierra XFE models, Ford will also be offering the F-150 SFE for 2009. Rated at 15/21 mpg, it matches the GM trucks in fuel economy but bests them in other areas. It can tow 500 lbs. more, doesn't need a tonneau cover and its chin spoiler can stay put when going off road. The F-150 SFE gets that extra highway mpg by using low rolling resistance tires, a 3.15:1 rear axle and other items shared with the F-150 lineup like best-in-class aerodynamics, open valve injection and more aggressive fuel shut-off when decelerating. However, you can only opt for the SFE package on XLT Supercrew models with the 4.6L V8 and 5.5-foot bed. Finally, there's the matter of the Max Towing crown, which Ford claims to keep for 2009 thanks to the '09 F-150's class-leading tow capacity of 11,300 lbs and a hauling capacity of 3,030. No other full-size pickup from Chevy, GMC, Dodge or Toyota even exceeds 11,000 lbs. for 2009. Gallery: 2009 Ford F-150 SFE [Source: Ford, Pickuptrucks.com]Continue reading 2009 Ford F-150 keeps max towing crown, adds fuel-efficient SFE model Permalink | Email this | Comments More...
