Ford Testing Diesel F-150 Pickup?

Internet videos of a camouflaged F-150 suggest Ford Motor Co. is preparing to offer a diesel engine in the popular pickup truck.

In the videos, spy photographers follow the prototype F-150 on the streets of Oakwood, Mich., and capture what sounds like the rumble of a diesel engine. Media reports speculate that a diesel-powered F-150 could bow as early as next year as part of a mid-cycle makeover.

Ford currently offers a range of 6- and 8-cylinder gasoline engines in the industry’s best-selling model. Last month, CEO Mark Fields confirmed Ford is planning to launch a hybrid-version of the F-150 by the end of the decade. At the time, company officials noted a hybrid model would pay for itself faster than a diesel in the fullsize pickup.

But rumors have persisted about a diesel F-150, possibly using Jaguar Land Rover’s 3.0-liter V-6 that makes 254 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque. Such a model would compete against the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel and Nissan Titan XD outfitted with a Cummins V-8 oil-burner.