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ONE-TICKET BOOK REVIEW Ford F-150 Special Service Vehicle Every upshift meant something. Te 6-speed is excellent. For the rural and open spaces kind of law enforcement where pickups are com- monly used, a 97 mph top speed limiter really seems too low. We hit the limiter on every single overtake during routine traffic enforcement and urgent calls for service / emergency responses. A speed limiter closer to 115 mph would be better for rural and interstate police use, and still something less than "pursuit." All that said, Ford is quite clear about the police use of the F-150 in all of their literature. "F-150 may not be used as…as a pursuit vehicle (no excessive speed)." About half the time, we drove the Super- Crew like a weighmaster – interstate driv- ing, extensive idling, and 700 pounds in the bed. Tis weight duplicates four commer- cial scales and a typical cargo box of gear. About half the time we drove it in suburban areas, and hauled very little. During our two weeks with the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 in the Su- perCrew 4x4 we averaged between 16.0 and 16.6 mpg, depending on the tasks. To put this in perspective, we tested a 4.6L V8 SuperCrew under similar driving conditions and enforcement scenarios and averaged 13.7 mpg. Ford's goal for their NextGen F-150 was a 20 percent improve- ment in fuel economy doing the same tasks. S The F-150 SSV has auxiliary coolers for everything. The SSV is a no-charge option that makes for the ultimate work truck. We saw an actual 19 percent improvement – a real-world, apples-to-apples, 2.5 mpg increase. And that was from an engine with much, much better acceleration and tow / haul capability than the 4.6L V8. Bottom Line? Two engines are available in the F-150 SSV. Tey produce the same horsepower but are very different powertrains. Compared to the F-150 SSV ENGINE AVAILABILITY 3.5L EcoBoost V6 .........365 hp ........... 429 lb-ft 5.0L Ti-VCT V8 .............360 hp ........... 380 lb-ft 4X4 SUPERCREW ACCELERATION (Zero to 60 mph) 3.5L EcoBoost V6 .........6.8 seconds 5.0L Ti-VCT V8 .............7.4 seconds 4X4 EPA FUEL ECONOMY 3.5L EcoBoost V6 .........15 City ..........21 Highway 5.0L Ti-VCT V8 .............14 City ..........19 Highway 5.0L V8, the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 is the better choice at any of the extremes of use. Tat is, the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 makes the most sense the more the truck is: 1) used for the heaviest tow / haul loads; 2) the more the truck is driven with no or very light loads; 3) the more the truck idles; or 4) the more quick acceleration is needed. On the other hand, the 5.0L V8 is the better choice for more average or moderate use of any kind. Performance is not free. When the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 works like a V8, it gets the same fuel economy as a V8. We see this in the Taurus SHO-based Police Interceptor Sedan. However, when the 3.5L EcoBoost is worked less – like when hauling minimal weight, towing lighter loads, and when idling – it gets close to the same fuel econ- omy as the F-150 with the 3.7L V6. Engine performance and economy aside, the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 is not E85-compatible, FlexFuel-rated. Tat may be an issue for some government fleets and may have police fleet managers selecting the 5.0L FFV V8 for the new F-150 SSV. For more information on the EcoBoost durability, see www.hendon- pub.com, then Resources, and then Article Archives. Search for Raptor Lite. Based on our experience with both engines, and Ford's durability testing, either engine will serve well. Post your comments on this story by visiting www.pfmmag.com 18 Police Fleet Manager Jul-Aug 2012