There was a time when a V8 was all but standard fare in a full-size pickup truck. If you wanted a smaller engine, such as a V6, then you'd opt for a compact pickup. However, small trucks have become less common and major automakers such as Ford prefer the higher profit margins of full-size trucks. As a part of their efforts to push buyers in this direction, automakers have successfully managed to make turbocharged V6s (Ford) and even a V6 diesel (Ram) mainstream.

Ford's efforts in particular have paid off big time. According to a new report coming from the New York Times, over half of today's F-150s buyers prefer a V6 over a V8. This is the first time in nearly five decades where truck buyers don't see the smaller engine as a downgrade. All told, Ford claims that 57 percent of new F-150s are ordered with one of the available V6s. Specifically, 47 percent of customers prefer the optional 3.5-liter turbocharged V6 with 365 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque, while the other 10 percent opt for the base 3.7-liter V6 with 302 hp and 270 lb-ft.

By comparison, just last year more than half of F-150s buyers went for the 5.0-liter V8. It's quite something in just how fast the turbocharged V6 has increased in popularity. In the near future Ford is predicting that over 70 percent of sales for the all-new 2015 F-150 will include a V6.