Sure, there is no denying that gas prices these days can be a real punch to the groin. And, there is no getting around that a good number of vehicle buyers are making their selection with fuel efficiency in the forefront of their minds. However, this does not mean that every buyer of a new car is a skinny-jeaned tea drinker. No, many vehicle shoppers are still real men and real women, the type of folks who like a bit of comfort around the wedding tackle and a bit of power under the hood of their working vehicle.
So, Ford Motor Co. is going to offer its Ford Expedition as both an 8-cylinder model and a 6-cylinder one. Though not all of the details have been released, the groupthink is that Ford will put its 3.5-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 into the less powerful of the two, and go with something rather similar to the 5.4-liter V-8 that currently powers the Expedition. The thought is that “traditional” buyers still want V8 power, even if a forced-induction six-cylinder provides comparable power. Of course, that extra V8 grunt has some shortcomings, chief among them being an mpg of 14 in the city and 20 on the highway.
Are you willing to trade power in exchange for fuel efficiency? At this particular stage of my life, I am and do. However, this is only a recent outlook for me. What about you?