In an unusual move, it seems that the Ford F150 will be one of the first in line to receive an update. Even though Ford didn’t confirm it just yet, industry experts said that the truck would get a rather large refresh with the 2018 Ford F150. If this is an answer for Ram’s upcoming 1500, it still is unclear. However, we can say for sure that the F150 will become even better than before, and it was not bad to start with.

This should allow Ford to keep their massive edge on the truck market, and it will put GM even further behind them which will become a problem at some point in the near future.

Read about history about Ford Atlas F-150!

Design – New Look & Changes

We can say for sure that Ford is readying a new truck because a few months ago as well as more recently, test mules have started to show around Michigan. At first, these were heavily camouflaged in order to keep the changes hidden. However, in the recent months, the camouflage became thinner, and it seems that, at least on the outside, the upcoming F150 is going to be similar to the ongoing truck. Many inside sources suggested that the F150 would be the third medium size truck to receive diesel.

Even though Ford hasn’t confirmed the rumors, the test mule showcased a while ago most likely had diesel. It sounded like one; it had a larger exhaust pipe than the regular petrol-powered trucks and it also featured the same body modifications as the EcoBoost trucks.

Refined Interior

These rumors also suggested that the upcoming 2018 Ford F150 would receive a better interior. We are also quite positive of this, especially since the Expedition is just around the corner. It would not be all that hard to take the newly designed interior from the crossover and install it in the truck. This would save Ford development funds, and it would give their customers a more premium experience. Things like the infotainment system, the climate control and even most of the buttons should remain the same. The truck will likely receive a set of new auxiliary buttons, wireless charging for devices and likely more USB plugs, all as standard.

Considering the latest spy shots of the test mules, it is safe to assume at this point that its design will not change as much as we first thought. Instead, the new truck might receive a new set of headlights and tail lights as well as likely a new grille. The latter though has yet to be revealed, but we do think that influences from the upcoming Expedition are most definitely going to show.

2018 Ford F150 Engine

Let’s now move to the part that most people are interested in, its engines. The future 2018 Ford F150 is expected to feature not one but two all-new powertrains as well as a few other changes to its running gear. For starters, the truck is expected to receive a diesel engine which will make it a direct competitor for the new Titan xD and the ongoing Ram 1500. There are two possibilities here. Ford could use their 3.2 liters turbocharged inline five diesel which they already brought to the US for the new Transit.

In this particular application, it makes 185 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque which is significantly less than the competition. They could modify the engine to offer more, but this is unlikely at this point. Instead, Ford might use their 3-liter V6 unit here.

This is an engine which many people do not know about mostly because it has been used in Land Rover and Jaguar applications so far. It currently makes 254 horsepower and 440 lb-ft of torque. This is actually better than the competition. However, the engine does not fit the US market emission standards, at least for now. If they plan on offering it on the 2018 Ford F150, then expect it to get some upgrades. For starters, it may offer more torque at lower rpm as well as slightly more power.

The result could be as much as 260 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque which would instantly make it a success. This engine also proved its reliability throughout the years so most problems should be ironed out by now. Like with their other rear wheel drive applications, the new F150 will most likely receive Ford’s ten speed automatic as the standard for all its engines.