Are they 2012 or 2013 models?

I think Big Al from Oz and myself would find it hard to imagine what these would be used for. Dump Truck? Non-Diesel MDT's do not exist here. I guess looking at the Triton Engine, it would have to have very low gearing to make the modest power of the engine work.

Good move for Ford. They are moving into the market vacated when GM stopped building the 8.1L Topkick and Kodiak. I think both Freightliner and International will soon also offer gasoline engine options in their medium duty trucks. I will be interesting to see how much longer Ford stays in the class 6 and 7 medium duty market.

have you heard anything more on the topkicks coming back to production. my company has around 6000 trucks and we use to use the topkicks with propane conversions on them. this might work for a replacement

THIS IS WHERE THE OLD RANGER BUYERS ARE GOING !!! THE F-650 !!! LOL !!

Good move for Ford. They are moving into the market vacated when GM stopped building the 8.1L Topkick and Kodiak. I think both Freightliner and International will soon also offer gasoline engine options in their medium duty trucks. I will be interesting to see how much longer Ford stays in the class 6 and 7 medium duty market.

FORD=TRUCKS!! Chevy? Not so much.

@RobertRyan - You're looking at my replacements to my current diesel mediums. I know a few companies that are hanging on to their high mileage 8.1 GM mediums while they've long since traded off their diesel mediums from the same era. They're somebody else's problem now.

I would've kept my 7.5 gas F-450, but I needed more GVWR. I miss that truck and it was the most reliable truck I've owned.

I'll never own another diesel unless it's class 7 or 8. There's just absolutely no reason to.

@DenverMike. Petrol MDT trucks disappeared in the 1950's, can safely say no-one here is regretting that. I would have to know the work environment you work in to get an idea why Petrol trucks are an option.

If a truck make less than 12,000 miles per year that`s a better choice than a diesel engine cheaper on maintenance but a little bit more on gas.

Very nice move Ford

ah yes... this will be fun to drive to the office and park at shopping malls.

I wonder what this engine would run like with a turbo or superchrg on it? and the cold weather operation would be much betterthan any diesel I know of, 8K can buy a lot of gas, not to mention all the serv. savings to go along with the gas engine, all they have to worry about is the plugs! I have seen these trucks with the V-10 in them, and they have plenty of power, are very smooth, and quiet!

There is a typo. It says 6r410 is the transmission. It should say 6r140.

bobsled80@ I think there was some talk bout GM getting back into med duty trucks. One reason they left no money bail out, and they wanted their 4500s and 5500s smaller puckup truck sized like ford and rams trucks.

Like Robert Ryan I couldn't imagine a truck without a diesel. This really explains how good your C.A.F.E. and EPA regulations are.

@DenverMike
In UD trucks (Nissan) the diesels are already at Euro VI standard in Australia. This is harsher than your current emission standards, roughly what you guys will have in 2016.

They are achieving 16% power improvement and significant gains in fuel economy, this is along with Hino (Toyota) diesel engines.

All I can say is man when the NA market comes down to earth it will hit you guys harder than the rest of us.

@DenverMike
Have you considered FWD Control trucks? Especially if you are moving that much weight around diesel would be better.

If the NA market can't produce a truck you need have a look at some Euro or Asian medium duties. They would be a lot more economical to operate.

@Robert Ryan - I've owned a local and long distance towing company that I started 23 years ago when I was 21. My area is hilly. My 1st trucks were diesel and I don't regret that either.

Diesels were simple, too dumb to break, easy to diagnose and fix when the did, and diesel fuel was cheaper that reg unleaded.

I got my gas F-450 in 2001 only because it was an unbelievable deal. Because I thought like you, I wasn't expecting much. As it turns out, it put all my past and current diesels to shame.

I gave diesels another chance when I traded that tired and beat to death F-450 and another diesel on 2 new F-550s late in 2006. I considered V10s, but they were scares. That was my worst mistake ever.

What experience do you have with gas trucks at an industrial level? As a fleet owner?

@DenverMike
Something like these.

http://www.udtrucks.com.au/truck/serie/mk/

I bet U-haul is going to be buying a lot of these for 24' and 26' box truck rentals. I know they used to only buy gas engine Topkicks/Kodiaks, that way they wouldn't have to worry about stupid people putting gasoline in a diesel truck.

Ford never offered their V10 in their medium duty trucks while GM was in the market and offered the 8.1. That is because the V10 could never measure up against the 8.1. They were actually going to phase it out but changed their minds when GM decided to quit producing the big block. I have driven many class A motorhomes with the Ford V10 and it is a gutless motor to say the least. Ford better offer real low rearends to give the motor some guts.

@Big Al from Oz - Import medium duty trucks are cheaper, but harder to get parts for. Down time is a killer. They make do with smaller diesels that work harder.

Total overstatement of the 8.1. The 8.1 doesn't feel substantially different from the Ford 5.4 in my honest opinion. Heck the EcoBoost would kill the 8.1 if the 8.1 weren't already dead.

@Greg

I don't know what versions they used in the motorhomes you drove, but in our chassis cabs the 3v V10 beats the pants off the old 8.1L.

I do find it interesting to see gas engines making a comeback in medium duty trucks. These trucks on natural gas or propane would work great for urban work. Municipalities with short hauls would love these kinds of trucks. Fleet trucks usually get beat up pretty hard so a gasser makes sense. You need a much longer amortization period with a diesel truck.

I don't see gassers like this woking in many remote areas where I live. You'd need a separate fuel supply just for these trucks. Many run diesel pickups because they know all of the heavy machinery is diesel so fuel supply isn't usually a problem. One fellow I know who is a bridge building supervisor/job bidder was saying that was a big issue for him. He'd usually have to pack spare fuel for some remote areas but with diesel pickups he would just "borrow" fuel from his company machines.

I think its a fitting engine for flatbed tow rigs and van box trucks that need to haul anything particularly heavy. The CNG might go well with California state trucks too. You can pretty much guarantee everyone else will bring out their own gasser options.

I see a very good market for gas powered MD trucks. There are many users of these vehicles, including small/medium sized cities, local users, small dump truck haulers etc. that dont put many miles on their vehicles per year. These guys will benefit greatly from the lower cost gas engine.

From the '70s to early '00s diesels became popular in this segment due to the lower cost fuel, better fuel economy, simple yet durable design and of course the weight moving benefits of diesels. For most users buying a diesel MD was a no-brainer

However, now diesel fuel generally costs 40-70 cents/gallon more than a gallon of gasoline. Diesel engines are more costly and complicated due to emissions regs and the want/need for more power. They also don't have the smae fuel econ. advantage they has 20 years ago.

Although I'm sure that most buyers who need these vehicles to go long distances at full GVWR or to go over mountainous areas will still get the diesel. I can see mant benefits of gas engines for a good sized chunk of the MD market in the near future

I never saw a Ford V-10 that could pull as had as a GM 8.1L. The 3 valve V-10 comes close, but you really have to get the r.p.m.'s up to get anything out of them. Check the rear end gears in those V-10 trucks and motorhomes. As for the Ford 5.4L, you've got to be kidding. The 3 valves are comparable to a GM 5.3L, but that is it.

GODIST MOTORS (GM) IS getting back in to the HD market.... Within the next two years .

@Denvermike.
"What experience do you have with gas trucks at an industrial level? As a fleet owner?"

Not me, but I bought up the issue of Petrol powered trucks in the US .to a fellow who runs a UD Cabover (HDT)a Freightliner(HDT) and a Isuzu (MDT). He said "What???" People do not look at Petrol unless you are talking about Utes. To state again, no Petrol engined MDT Trucks since the 1950's. Not just Australia, NZ , South Africa and everywhere else run Diesel MDT's. Conventional and Petrol(gas) trucks are the preserve of NA
"

I was an as- for getting rid of that truck , wich was an 8.1 with the allison trans. wich was mor fun to drive then MY motocycle, quad & waverunner all put together. WHAT A BEAST !!!!

Yup, F series pick up truck, add it to the other 150-950 pick ups fords uses to pad it sales numbers of half ton pick ups.

MADE IN MEXICO!!!! HAHAHAHA Would you Ford fanboi's like a bowl of refried beans with that? ANOTHER FORD LOSS.

I'm open to the option of a medium gasser. To be honest the big test for me would be to compare the gas and diesel MPG for trucks configured in the same manner ( dumps, rollbacks, box trucks)
The last F650 I had with a Cummins struggled to get 10mpg. If Ford can produce a V10 that gets an honest 8- 9 mpg then that would be a no brainer choice for me to go towards gas.

I also wonder if offering the gas 650/750 may open the market more where more Ford dealers would want to start stocking, selling, or servicing these medium trucks.

With a International really stepping into the smaller market with the TerraStar pickups and chassis and now Ford offering this V10 it looks like the medium duty market may start to get interesting after seemingly years of neglect.

Hope Ford has improved their V10s (pretty sure they have by now)... I remember when they came out in the late 90s. I worked at Ryder Truck when they started putting them in the E350 15-footer moving vans. They replaced the 460 V8s they'd been using since forever. They made less power, a lot less torque, and got worse mileage.

@Robert Ryan - So yeah, we've established there's a huge misconception about the viability of gas mediums. I was pretty ignorant myself until I owned one. I wasn't looking to buy one, but it fell into my hands.

In the past, you would've been right, (we all would've been right), but as diesels have devolved, thanks to emissions and fuel formulas, gas engines have evolved.

Compare all the costs of gas vs. diesel engines (purchase, maintenance, repairs, down time, fuel premium, additives and urea) and it's a no brainer. It's a slam dunk for gas engines.

Changing the mindset of truckers could take a generation or two. If gas mediums aren't available in a particular area, it'll take even longer.

l've done the side by side comparo and don' t care what Africa, OZ, NZ and the EU does. If I'm crazy, do you really think Ford is offering their V10 in F-650s just for me???

Makes sense. Here in BC, BC Hydro switched from diesels to v10s in all of their fleet trucks nearly 10 years ago. They calculated that the higher fuel costs were more than offset by lower maintenance and less downtime-for-maintenance than the diesels.

@Michigan Bob - Guess where your Silverado crew cab was hecho. Yep, Silao Mexico.

How quickly we forget. In the 80s, most medium duty trucks were gas powered. And that was when gas engines really were low on power. Remember all those millions of school buses...you got...gas! Everything went to diesel because of popularity and the fact that todays diesels have a lot more power. Europe, Australia and elsewhere need their trucks for work, economical work and make do with smaller diesel engines. North Americans can't wrap their heads around that mindset and wnat monster engines in work trucks. Nice but not necessary. Gas works out to plenty sufficient and more economical in the long run for a lot (not all) applications.

Having a choice is what its all about. If you don't like it...don't buy it!

There are a few people here that seem to be hyperventilating over Ford offering a gasser medium duty truck. Keep in mind, the V10 is being added as an additional, lower initial cost choice, not a replacement for any diesels. The F-650 will still be offered with the 6.7 Cummins. This just gives buyers another way to get the right truck for their application within their budget.

@ MJ:

And Hino launched the 198 too.

"...the V10 is being added as an additional, lower initial cost choice... This just gives buyers another way to get the right truck for their application within their budget.

@Luke in CO - When did diesel engines become a luxury? It used to be that you opted for the diesel engine precisely because you were on a tight budget. What fleet owner isn't? Or doesn't need to keep daily, monthly and yearly fleet expenses to a minimum.

Today it's the high end cars that offer diesel engines. You can't get the TDI in the Jetta unless you get a sunroof, nav and leather to go along with it.

@Devner Mike,

I aggree, diesel motos have become a luxaury item. My mom had an 04 jetta TDI with the basic interior, when my brother totaled it she hot the passat but VW made her het a higher trim level, she was just happy they still offered in in manual. Look at the cost of a loaded gas f250 lariat crew 4x4 the cost is the same for diesel xl f250 with vinal seats and hand crank windows.

@Big Al and Robert Ryan, you all keeps saying when we get global trucks our market will change, however i dont think so. if you look at Fords the Global ranger costs you as much as a Loaded supper duty and more than a fully loaded Raptor, i thought if i got stationed overseas it would be cool to get but the price for the one i want i could buy a raptor and save 10k these vehicles would also be taxed on thier importation into the contry as well.

YEs the EPA killed deisels and they are not cost effective to own or maintain any more, maybe innt he futrue they will be again but the inital payout is so high and with fuel more expensive than gas and the Fuel economy no longer there why buy a deisel truck?

@DenverMike
Since forever. In this country, diesel has pretty much always commanded a price premium over gas engines. The market supports paying more for a diesel engine, and obviously manufacturers take advantage of that. By offering a gas engine at a lower price, Ford is just conducting another round of price discrimination.

@Luke in CO - The initial cost of diesel engines has always been higher, but they more than made up for it every step of the way. That's no longer true.

You only get a bit more torque, but power to beat the other trucks to the next light is a luxury.

@DenverMike
Which is exactly why the V10 is available on the F-650; it's power output is comparable to the lower-tuned 6.7 diesel at a lower price. I agree with you that technological advancements have narrowed the gap between gas and diesel engines, but only to a point. Most commercial buyers are still going to demand the torque, efficiency, and lifespan advantages that diesel provides in their applications.

@Bill B . "Trucks for work" here can have seriously very large engines 8-10 litre diesels for a MDT. Pickups have 3 Litre Diesel

I don't know what happened to the original post.

@Carrolloski
A Ford Ranger will never replace a medium duty truck or the work of a HD. Rangers could replace 1/2 ton pickups. Both your our mid-size ute and your 1/2 ton pickups are use for more or less the same types of work.

The Ford Transit and Iveco Sprinter etc do have small diesels of about the same size as our mid-sizes and they are used do the same work as a F-250 size pickup.

Once you leave this area we have what we call light duty trucks with about 5 litres diesels and can come in many configurations ie dual cab, 4x4 or a single cab with up to a 16 foot tray. They normally can carry up to 2 500kg or 5 500lbs.

A medium duty truck can carry up to 20 000lbs or so normally and have diesel from 7 litres and up, like the UD link I sent DenverMike.

Don't confuse a mid-size ute with a medium duty truck.

@Carrolloski
The prices we pay for vehicles will not be the same as what you pay. We pay more because of our income differences and market size.

As wages are higher the costs of providing goods and services increases proportionally in Australia. Its like comparing prices in the US to Mexico. Al countries have differing prices.

My dual cab BT50 with all of the bells and whistles cost me $46 000 (10% is also tax) before on roads and accessories. This is the top of the line 4x4. So I figure we pay about 25-30% more (including tax) for a similar vehicle, but our wages are substantially higher.

@Big Al from Oz Although some the top end of the Mediums can have a 18 tonne payload and a GCVWR of 93,000lbs., Like the Isuzu FX series with its 9.8 Litre Diesel.
http://www.isuzu.com.au/truck-range/fx-series.aspx

The Cab Chassis versions of the Transit, Sprinter and Iveco replace a F250, having payloads from 6000lb to 9000lb.

I have been told GM will be back in the medium duty commercial market sometime after 2014.

@Luke in CO - Fuel economy is a big consideration, but it's savings is far outweighed by a diesel engine's upfront costs, high maintenance costs (which must be performed religiously on modern diesels), outrageous repair costs and of course higher fuel prices. That plus fuel additives/conditioners and exhaust urea.

Most fleet buyers think that diesel engines are a far better deal overall, but just aren't doing the math.

Historically, diesel engines have lasted longer than gas engines, but diesel fuel also had much more lubricity years ago. Today, gas engines are far exceeding the typical 100K mile overhaul of past generations.

OK, when it does come time to rebuild your diesel, you know your spending around $15K, right? Don't even think about converting it to gas!