Has Ford fallen behind in the pickup truck wars? In a surprising turn of events, Ram looks like it is seeing success with the new 3.0L EcoDiesel V6 engine. GMC has also just announced the soon-available diesel engine coming in the recently reintroduced mid-sized Canyon pickup truck. Fear not Blue Oval fans, the small-displacement diesel battle may be just beginning. Word in the underground is that Ford may be countering this threat by creating a diesel V6 Ford F-150.

It is reported that in the later part of the last decade a Ford F-150 diesel was in the works, but the sky-rocketing cost of diesel fuel put this on hold. It seems, however, that Ford’s medics may be at work reviving this project. According to the auto blog The Truth About Cars rumor has it that R&D at the Blue Oval are developing a 3.0L V6 diesel truck that has been codenamed “Lion” and that this vehicle could be seen prowling the streets of America by 2018.

Our contact at Ford could not confirm this, and told us that it was unlikely considering the continued high cost of diesel fuel and effectiveness of the gasoline EcoBoost engine technology Ford has developed.

If Ford did decide to get into the small-displacement diesel game in the next couple of years, we have a feeling that a diesel contest between the big three (and perhaps Toyota and Nissan) would really be something to watch. It might be akin to the muscle car wars of the 60s, but with fuel-efficient trucks. Would you Ford fans be interested in a light diesel truck? Or would you prefer a V8 Super Duty?