Ford F-150 to gain a diesel option

For the first time since it went on sale in 1975, Ford Motor Co.'s F-150 pickup will feature a diesel engine.

The midcycle freshening includes a new 3.0-liter Power Stroke diesel option available in 2018, along with other engine improvements, seven new front grilles, six new wheel styles, updated lights and interior tweaks.

The 2018 pickup was to have been unveiled on Sunday, Jan. 8, a day before the 2017 Detroit auto show.

"We're continually innovating for our customers," said Todd Eckert, the F-150 group marketing manager. "It's a leader continuing to lead."

The biggest change, the diesel engine option, is an effort to appeal to truck customers who tow and haul more than usual. The 3.0-liter will be a variant of the Lion diesel engine that Ford builds for use in Land Rover and Jaguar vehicles. It will be produced in England.

Ford did not say on what trim levels diesel will be available, and declined to offer volume projections. Ford offers diesels on its heavy-duty trucks and Transit vans. Different from the Lion engine, they include a 6.7-liter Power Stroke built in Mexico.

Ford also made additions and improvements to its gasoline engine lineup.

The 2018 F-150 will feature a new, entry-level 3.3-liter V-6 with a six-speed transmission. Ford is also updating its 2.7-liter EcoBoost, 3.5-liter EcoBoost and 5.0-liter V-8 engines, and is pairing its 10-speed transmission with all three. Since its release late in 2016, the 10-speed has been available only on the 3.5-liter.

Stop-start technology will come standard on all Ford engines.

"We have a more expanded and capable powertrain," said Peter Dowding, chief engineer for powertrain gasoline systems. "There are some pretty significant changes. ... We're chasing after every piece of fuel economy we can get."

The biggest cosmetic changes come in the F-150's front end. In an effort to differentiate each of its seven trim levels, Ford is introducing seven new grilles, dropping the traditional tribar design.

Many trims will feature a design similar to the Super Duty pickup. Other examples include mesh grilles for trucks with sport appearance packages and body-color grilles for the Lariat Sport trim.

The truck also features updated headlights, which maintain the C-clamp style that debuted on the 2015 F-150. The rear taillights and tailgates are also new.

For the first time in an F-150, Ford will include precollision assist with pedestrian detection and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go technology. Both features have been available on other Ford vehicles.

The 2018 F-150 will be the first Ford to include a B&O Play sound system, and will have a Wi-Fi hot spot, a new feature for a number of 2018 Ford vehicles, the automaker announced last week at the CES technology expo in Las Vegas.

The truck will hit showrooms this fall, but the diesel engines won't go on sale until summer 2018. Ford declined to discuss pricing, although the base 2017 F-150 starts around $26,000, and the highest trim level starts at around $59,000.