Long haulers know that there's nothing quite like an oil-burner under the hood. The instant torque and long-legged nature of diesel trucks has endeared itself to heavy-duty buyers for a long time.

But a diesel powertrain has escaped the most popular light-duty pickup in North America.

Until now. The 2018 Ford F-150 Power Stroke diesel is here.

DON'T MISS: Diesel Ford F-150 specs revealed: 250 hp, tows up to 11,400 pounds, on sale in spring

Let's talk turkey. It's new for the F-150, but it's not exactly new for America. The Ford Power Stroke powerplant comes to us by way of the U.K. where it's produced by Ford, but is sold to other manufacturers. The few we already know: Jaguar and Land Rover, where it already appears in SUVs like the Land Rover Discovery.

The so-called "Lion" engine family gets a Power Stroke name in the F-150, just like the diesel-powered big boys in the Super Duty. And like the Super Duty series trucks, Ford engineers gave the F-150 diesel engine a thorough once-over before bringing it to the U.S.

A new crankshaft, turbocharger, bearings, and other upgrades separate the Power Stroke from the Lion engine family elsewhere. In the F-150, the turbodiesel is shifted through Ford's 10-speed automatic to travel longer from each drop of diesel fuel.

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Ford says the diesel will manage up to 30 mpg on the highway, which would be a 20-percent improvement on the F-150's most efficient powertrain on sale right now. The turbodiesel makes 250 hp and 440 lb-ft of torque, but the number that most people will be counting on is 11,400 lb—that's the max towing figure for the 3.0-liter Power Stroke.

The books are open now for ordering the 2018 Ford F-150 Power Stroke, but deliveries begin in the spring.

We can't wait to drive it and tell you what it's like behind the wheel of the first diesel-powered F-150 from Ford.

For more from the 2018 Detroit auto show, head over to our dedicated hub.