03-27-06:
The Detroit News is reporting that the once dead big-block engine program at Ford known internally as “Hurricane” has been revived. Reportedly, Mark Fields, Ford’s division president placed the high-performance 6.2 liter engine program back on the boards about three months ago. In late 2004, news that the engine program was underway fueled a lot of interest. The engine was undergoing work both inside Ford and at outside consultants like Roush. Then news came in 2005 that Ford had killed the program due to cost cutting and concerns that fuel prices would soften demand for a larger more powerful engine. The primary platform for the new 6.2 liter engine is the truck segment to compete with Chrysler’s Hemi engines that belt out as much as 425hp and a new crop of GM 6.1 liter engines that produce over 400hp. While Ford has the Triton V-10, it is not competitive with the power that the competition’s new V8’s are offering customers. Jim Hall, an analyst with Auto Pacific was quoted in the Detroit News, “It was a dumb program to kill,” He is right. It may have been a short-sighted knee-jerk reaction that made sense in the moment, but as the Hemi’s and Vortec’s from across town are filling garages two years later, hindsight is 20/20. The Detroit news article goes on to report that the Cleveland engine casting plant has been given orders to build the new 6.2-liter engine block, with production to start next year. It is said that work at the Rouge Complex where the F-150 trucks are assembled, has begun to accommodate a new engine option which may make its debut in the 2008 model year. What is not widely known at this time is whether or not the engine is slated for the Mustang in particular, though it has been reported that Ford has plans to “use the engine in other platforms”. That said, it makes sense to offer a large displacement engine that would be less expensive to produce and perhaps lighter in weight than the current small displacement supercharged power plants that the high-end Mustangs use. Also what is not fully understood at this time is whether or not the engines will be a part of the “modular” engine family or something entirely new. It has been reported that displacement on demand or DOD, is not likely a part of this program, that multi-valve heads are. Updates as they come… |
