Will the new turbo 6 replace the Hemi?

[habu987]

I'm one of those engine-agnostic consumers. I don't do heavy truck stuff with my truck besides loading up the bed every couple of months and maybe towing a rental camper once a year or so. The lease is up on my truck in 2 years and I'll be looking for the following engine features:

• Good acceleration (for me that's roughly <9 second 0-60)
• Manageable, preferably no, accelerator/turbo lag
• Better fuel economy than I'm getting now
• Enough power for the weight of the truck so it's not hammering the revs to just drive at normal speeds
• No requirement for premium fuel (I'm fine with diesel, just not premium)

As long as Ram has an engine that meets those criteria in 2021, I don't care if it's an I6, V6, V8, V12, V4, or a hamster in a wheel.

 

[StuartV]

I'm one of those engine-agnostic consumers. I don't do heavy truck stuff with my truck besides loading up the bed every couple of months and maybe towing a rental camper once a year or so. The lease is up on my truck in 2 years and I'll be looking for the following engine features:

• Good acceleration (for me that's roughly <9 second 0-60)
• Manageable, preferably no, accelerator/turbo lag
• Better fuel economy than I'm getting now
• Enough power for the weight of the truck so it's not hammering the revs to just drive at normal speeds
• No requirement for premium fuel (I'm fine with diesel, just not premium)

As long as Ram has an engine that meets those criteria in 2021, I don't care if it's an I6, V6, V8, V12, V4, or a hamster in a wheel.

Agreed. I would add that it needs to have better drivability, too. Meaning, for example, if I steadily push the gas pedal, I don't want it to take 1/2 a second and require 25% of the pedal travel before the truck suddenly downshifts 2 gears and takes off (like my current truck does). I want to be able to cruise at staedy speed on the highway, tip into the throttle a bit, and get some decent acceleration - and without having to downshift.

I am a fan of turbo technology, in general. What I am not a fan of is this trend to replace a big V8 naturally-aspirated motor with a tiny turbo motor that puts out about the same peak HP. I want to see something in between. A motor that is maybe a little smaller, with a mild turbo setup (i.e. runs on 87 pump gas and makes modest boost, not huge boost), that give MORE peak HP, a lot more torque, and still better fuel economy.

It's do-able. The only reason I can come up with for why truck makers aren't offering it is that they are afraid they'll **** off the loyalists. I could see having some fear that the loyalists won't buy a turbo-6. But, if the manufacturer offered a turbo-6 that beat the snot of their NA V8, the loyalists might not want to buy the V8, either.

Ford almost gets there now with the Raptor and now offering the 3.5 EB HO in the F150 Limited. But, it's still not quite there. I think they need to give that motor some more displacement, more torque, maybe an electric-assisted turbo, and better fuel economy.

If the EcoDiesel does not turn out to be any better (practically-speaking) than the previous gen, and FCA doesn't offer something significantly better than the current 5.7, my next truck might actually be an F150 Limited, with that HO EB motor. I am presuming that the F150 interior will have upped its game by the time my next purchase comes around. Like I said before, I'm much more interested in performance than sound.

 

[silver64]

That is true but remember that the “free market” isn’t always free. The government, state or federal, will come in and tax the hell out of something if they a.) want to raise revenue, b.) want to punish you or c.) both a and b. That’s why California has some pretty expensive gas.

So depending on who is in power and what agenda they want to push, ie climate change/green new deal, there might be a “sin tax”. BUT if others have their say (and control) we will continue to drill shale, run pipelines, and pump black gold until it’s 5 cents a gallon (if your state government doesn’t slam you).

Its not cheap in PA where we have the highest gas tax in the USA. What I hate is politicians seeing low prices as an opportunity to screw the people they are supposed to be representing. I do not know a single person in this state that agrees with or would endorse the high gas tax or said oh yeah higher prices.

 

[ChadT]

Very well written...could not agree more

I had a feeling I wasn't totally alone! I think many of us have similar thoughts that when layed out like that, basically read identically.

New Ford 7.3-Liter "Godzilla" Gasoline V-8 Coming for Super Duty Lineup

The new engine will be rated at up to 430 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque.

www.caranddriver.com

Yuup.
If it truly was "the best at all things" for longevity and simplicity while doing truck stuff, it would be in the vehicle class where that's priority number one.
Period.

Some of us are old enough to remember when the end of the V8 was predicted. The Ford Probe was supposed to be the new Mustang --4 cylinder, no less. That didn't come to pass.

I remember when Diesels were the future. Everyone scrambled to shove one under the hood. I remember a Lincoln Continental with a 6 cylinder Diesel. Ford Tempo Diesel. And who can ever forget those horrid Olds Diesels that turned everyone off Diesels for decades?

Instead of the end of the gasoline V8 and the dawn of the Diesel era, we started seeing gasoline V10s. Twenty years ago nobody would have believed there would be 6.4L V8s in passenger cars in the year 2019, let alone the horsepower numbers.

When the Raptor came out with no V8 option, and the GT, it was the same. Some had claimed the V8 dead again.
By daring to suggest that the big V8 has a place in the discussion, you'll hear the "Hey it's not 1970 Grandpa" strawmen come out.
Fast forward to 2020. A Ram Rebel TRX with hellcat engine? And suddenly there's talk of a V8 option.
Oh and the "superduty ecoboost" is, SURPRISE! a 7.3L Simple V8!

With that said, choice is awesome. I think they should offer an i6 turbo, as there is a class of buyer interested in the ecoboost style of engine.
I would love to see if it took off organically without being pushed or subsidized via other option prices - even if it's not for me.
Which it certainly is not.
Though I do have a feeling due to the torquey natures of inline engines, it should be a monster. I won't buy it, but I'd respect it.
And it will likely sound better than the ecoboost too, particularly if the displacement is slightly larger.

Being honest to the point of being mean? The Raptor sounds horrible. Absolutely horrible.
Neat machine! But not on my "lottery list". Powerwagon for that kind of coin, not a second of hesitation on that either.
And I've never heard an exhaust setup that "fixes" the sound. It's truly inexcusably bad for a ~$75,000+ truck, and to have sound piped in?
Just adds insult to injury. A "lifestyle truck", basically a play thing with that price tag, shouldn't sound like a kid with a honda and an exhaust leak.
If I'm paying a ton for a truck that's an "Experience" to drive, I do not want serious compromises to that driving experience.
Having a honda exhaust note absolutely kills it for me personally.

Turbos can be cool, look at the hellcats!
The Subaru rally cars? They're right at home in that application.
A small displacement turbo in my fullsize truck? No thank you.
A 4.5L V8 with a turbo? I'd certainly think about it. I really would.

 

[heydre]

You can tell the infrastructure is gradually morphing towards smaller when you drive your truck inside those ever shrinking lanes on freeways and or back up with a six point turn to get out of your parking spot.