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What people need to realize when they're wondering why Ford wouldn't deliver these engines with engine calibrations for maximum efficiency and power in the first place is one single word... Emissions.
Maximum engine efficiency and power DOES NOT usually result in the best/lowest emissions. It also doesn't go hand in hand with the best gas mileage.
In other words, Ford absolutely knows how to tune for maximum efficiency and power and of course could deliver any vehicle with those calibrations. It wouldn't pass emissions laws though. What does an engine calibrator or "tuner" do to make an engine more efficient and make more power? In the most basic and simplest terms, he would advance ignition timing to the maximum that either the engine or fuel could use. And for max power he would add fuel, for max efficiency he would run leaner than stoich at cruise speeds/loads. Pretty much all exhaust byproducts go high at a max power mixture. NOx goes through the roof with advanced ignition timing or super lean mixtures. HC goes high with overly lean or rich mixtures.
So yes, Ford knows how to make the V10 run WAAAAAYYYYY better and actually get BETTER gas mileage. They can't though, especially in California. So they deliver an engine that has clean tailpipe emissions, but is pretty far from optimum efficiency and power. And I'm not even talking about "unsafe" or "running an engine at the ragged edge" aftermarket tunes, which of course exist. An efficiently, properly tuned engine making max power in no way has to be less dependable or have a shorter lifespan than a factory tuned one. The contrary is more common, many things that OEM calibrators have to do for emissions HURTS dependability and engine lifespan.
On the fuel mileage subject, these Ford ECM's in the V10's are pretty primitive and aftermarket tuners don't have a whole lot to work with in them. But one thing they do have is the ability to change commanded lambda in closed loop. In layman's terms, it means you can decide exactly what you want the fuel mixtures to be, in open AND in closed loop. That's a big deal. It means you can run in what's called "lean cruise", something that's legal in other countries but is illegal in the US in engine calibrations. The GTO is a good example, in Australia you can drive down the freeway in your LS1 Holden Monaro in lean cruise mode, which means the fuel mixtures are leaner than stoich, which is 14.7 for straight gas, 14.1 for E10 fuel. US GTO's, with the same engines with the same ECM cannot be calibrated to enable the lean cruise. Why? EMISSIONS. So does GM know how to calibrate an LS1 to get better freeway mileage? Of course, but the laws won't let them.
On the Ford V10 specifically, I know what I'M doing in my ECM, but I actually haven't seen a 5 Star tune to see if they're enabling or tuning for lean cruise. IF they were, I guaranty you an aftermarket tune would net better gas mileage at freeway cruise than stock.
Make sense or too much gobbly-gook? lol.
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