Ford F-150 EcoBoost Training for Baja 1000

Only a few days are left until the F-150 EcoBoost truck from Ford meets its ultimate challenge. Regardless of the countless hours of testing, the so called torture test and whatever other similar trials of the engine come to mind, the EcoBoost will be worthy of the “hero” name Ford slapped onto it only if it performs well in the Tecate Score Baja 1000 endurance race.

The truck which will race in the event will be using a production version engine, randomly selected off the assembly line of the Cleveland Engine Plant. The unit is currently being installed into the truck and is getting ready to take a challenge which has a nasty habit of making most of the participants abandon the race.

The fact that the engine is a production version means that what you see in the Baja 1000 race is what you'll get next year, when the model hits the market. For now, all we know is the engine uses several technologies which will help it keep the yet unannounced consumption figure to a minimum.

Performance wise, the EcoBoost develops 365 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 420 lb.-ft. of torque at 2,500 rpm (a figure which is, according to Ford, best-in-class), with up to 90 percent of the peak torque available from 1,700 rpm to 5,000 rpm.

“The 2011 Ford F-150 EcoBoost has performed flawlessly during all of these extreme tests,” said Eric Kuehn, 2011 Ford F-150 chief engineer. “We fully expect the EcoBoost to pass this latest challenge with flying colors.”

The Baja 1000 kicks off on November 17 and will see the cars and trucks starting in Ensenada and ending the race in La Paz, Mexico.