Ford is goingbig and betting on the future of a massive petrol V8.

In a global automotive supply chain where engines are getting smaller and vehicles electrifying, Ford has shown it has no fear of being contrarian,very contrarian…

The American brand’s bakkie business is a crucial aspect of its profitability and to keep customers happy, Ford is now going to build an enormous naturally aspirated V8 engine.

This new petrol engine has been engineered specifically for heavy-hauling duty in Ford’s F-Series bakkies. It makes relatively modest power for its capacity and will be available in 2 grades, with the more powerful version curiously destined for Ford’s smaller F-250 and F-350 bakkies, and the less potent V8 doing duty in the huge F-450 and F-550 bakkies.

Displacing 7.3-litres, Ford’s new V8 is the largest newmass production petrol engine revealed in a very long time. It features oversized main bearings, sitting on a forged steel crankshaft, and special piston cooling jets to keep combustion temperatures lower when hauling heavy loads. Like many large capacity American V8 engines, it does not feature overhead camshafts but instead secures valve actuation by a pushrod system.

The lower output version peaks at 261 kW and 645 Nm, whilst a more potent grade of the 7.3-litre petrol V8 is good for 320 kW ad 644 Nm. And yes, it is curious that the lower power engine makes a smidge more torque, but those are the figures that Ford has confirmed.

Proving the adaptability of Ford’s 10-speed automatic, which does duty in the local Ranger, Everest and Mustang product lines, the 7.3-litre V8 will be available with this transmission – which should make towing heavy rigs, an absolute breeze.

Although Ford’s new 7.3-litreV8 makes very little power for its displacement, the marketing impetus is exceptional engine longevity – especially for those bakkie owners who work their vehicles hard by towing massive loads.

If you have not done so yet, give our Ford Ranger Raptor video a watch, it's awesome!

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