It seems that Ford's latest Le Mans win has really stirred up a performance obsession at Ford's HQ and that no car, no matter how big or small, is safe from getting a huge injection of engineering innovation or simple out-and-out power.
The latest to benefit is the F-150 pickup - the company's most popular vehicle in the US and one that's just as much a calling card as a hot hatchback, a European specification Mustang, or a return to the supercar market with the Ford GT.
For 2017 it is getting a second-generation twin-turbo 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6 engine that will send 375hp to the wheels and 637Nm of torque - that's 10hp and 68Nm more than the current model.
"The 2017 Ford F-150 now delivers the best torque in the segment," said Raj Nair, Ford executive vice president, Product Development, and chief technical officer.
And it's a segment that includes diesel engine and V8-powered competitors and that's what makes the innovation so impressive.
However, Ford isn't stopping with a power boost, that new-generation is being mated with a 10-speed automatic transmission. "[It is] a transformative 10-speed automatic that improves nearly every aspect of F-150 performance," said Nair.
Since opting for EcoBoost technology in its F-150 range rather than the usual V8, Ford has had to go to great lengths to highlight that losing two cylinders was not going to diminish performance even though the new engines are much more environmentally friendly than their predecessors.
It's also why the new Ford GT supercar has gone with six rather than eight cylinders to show that it's a serious alternative, even when the cars the GT is competing with have eight, 10 or 12 cylinders.
However, what the GT can't claim but the humble pickup can is that it is the first mass-produced consumer vehicle in history to come with a 10-speed automatic gearbox as standard. Even the latest super hot Mercedes sedans and coupés have to make do with a nine-speed transmission.
The 2017 Ford F-150 will go on sale this fall.
