Ford is one of few automakers that remains dedicated to building V8 engines for as long as it possibly can, all in a time when such a thing is quickly disappearing – replaced by smaller-displacement, forced-induction powerplants or all-electric ones. However, Ford’s current V8 engine lineup somewhat lacks an identity, as each one has its own specific moniker. That wasn’t always the case, of course, so that begs the question – does Ford need a new V8 engine brand to better align those existing offerings?
Ford hasn’t had a public-facing V8 engine brand since the Triton, which covered the 4.6L, 5.4L, and 6.8L (V10) powerplants of a previous era. Currently, the production Ford V8 engine lineup consists of the 5.0L V8 Coyote, 6.8L V8 “Mini Godzilla,” 7.3L V8 Godzilla, and 5.2L V8 (formerly known as the Predator in the last-gen GT500). Those engines are utilized in a variety of vehicles including the Ford F-150, Ford Super Duty, and Ford Mustang, and a Predator successor is reportedly in the works for a forthcoming pony car variant, which will reportedly be called Legend.
Ford’s decision to come up with different names for each of these V8 engines is something of a strange one, as there’s no common brand here to tie these things together, which was previously the case. What makes this grouping even more odd is that Ford’s other powerplants share the EcoBoost name, and there are a lot of them – a group of three-, four, and six-cylinder turbocharged engines offered across the globe in many applications.
Branding like that makes engines a bit more easy to market, so it would certainly make sense if Ford wanted to come up with a new name utilized across its existing – and future – V8 engine lineup. Whether or not The Blue Oval will ultimately decide to do so, well, that remains to be seen, but in the meantime, we’re curious to hear what our readers think about this possibility. So be sure and tell us if you think a Ford V8 engine brand is needed – or completely unnecessary – by voting in the poll below!
Comments
No they don’t need another brand at some point it just becomes filler!
What Ford needs is a twin turbo V-8.
Absolutely not! When you have a good foundation, do mot let some idiotic young engineer, sink the ship!
Have driven ford v8s 4 70÷ years. They never quit if taken care of. 85 mustang 5.0 died in. Accident with 459000 original miles. Burned no oil. Never buy drive anything else
I thought Ford was going to out source engines and transmission. Maybe Ford will buy the GM L87 6.2 and put it in the F150 and Mustang
Why can’t they just drop the OHC crap and make a high output variants of the Godzilla engine? They don’t need all of this OHC crap for V8s. V8s are for workhorses and hotrods, and neither needs complexity. That 7.3 is so capable, and they just keep it so tame. Screw all that Coyote Jaguar V8 crap. Everyone knows Jaguar paid for the development of that engine before Ford dumped them in 2009…
You are exactly 100 percent right! I’ve wanted Ford for years to continue building large displacement OHV pushrod V-8’s like they used to in the old days. OHC engines are too complicated .
Maybe give the pushrod V8 engines a name but unlike the OHC stuff as individuals. Hard to go wrong with Coyote but I don’t like Legend, though.
Never heard anyone call any 4.6 a “triton”
I don’t think so but if they did, maybe do a modern 289 that’s affordable. Maybe call it the “Wolverine” since it’s a smaller performance motor.
I would like to see a simple pushrod I6 or small V8 offering.
Why won’t Ford admit they have a problem with the 5.0 Cam follower noise?
Go back to the old 5.0 pushrod engine. I have a 5.0 that sounds like a diesel. The ticking noise is getting worse! Ford says it’s not a problem! Get it fixed!
V8 – no. BUT Ford needs to bring back a medium sized vehicle back like the Ford Taurus (V6) and the Ford Edge (V6). What is out there is the ‘belly-button’ car – the Escape. Then the bigger, family vehicle – the Explorer. I would like to see the Taurus come back! Please.
In Australia we have the Barra. Legend!
They kinda do, two V8 families. The Coyote and its Predator/Voodoo offshoots can still be considered part of (or at least an evolution of) the Modular family. Triton wasn’t its own family, it was the truck version of the Modular. The mini-Godzilla and Godzilla are then their own, separate family.
It’s not really a big deal, Coyote is nominally part of the Modular family and the name itself like “Road Runner”, “Voodoo”, “Predator”, and the forth coming “Legendary” are project names, but fans like them and they help differentiate the different 5.0 variants. Same with the 7.3 and the “Godzilla”, “Megazilla”, and “Mini Godzilla” names.
Besides, I don’t know if suddenly branding the engines would make much of a difference since “Coyote” and “Godzilla” are already established. When somebody says “5.0 Coyote V8” or “7.3 Godzilla V8” people know what they are talking about.
Please come down to earth FORD. Going to have this 5.0 forever? Grow a pair and think outside the box. Look how long the 4.6 was around.
Ford should develope the Godzilla pushrod V-8 like GM has developed it’s small block pushrod V-8’s. Put a 6 to 7 liter pushrod V-8 in Mustangs and F150’s. Dump OHC V-8’s in the trash bin and put some real low end torque in the lineup! Man up, Ford!
I Whould like Ford to wake up and older V8 blocks so we can build up at home, like in the good old days. We made great HP with just two valves per cylinder, and no problematic cam adjuster. Everything could be changed out in just a few hours. No water pump in middle of motor, shit cake special spark ignites, or timing cassette. FORD at one time made great motors and transmissions, here in America. Sadly they turned to Euro woke class crap. Don’t believe me, just look at the worst tv adds of any auto maker. Ford doesn’t need a high paid panty waste to keep from going belly up; they need to hire old school mechanics to drag them out of the quicksand. Name change isn’t going to help.