The new F-150 has been restyled to give it an aggressive stance and a contemporary
aero look. The front end bears little resemblance to previous noses, although the oval
Ford logo immediately identifies the truck. The grille opening is changed, the
headlights have a new shape, and the lower bumper has been redesigned. Note here that
the F-150 comes in so many permutations that what is said about a design specific on
one may have little to do with another. The tail features new-look taillights that
are inset and wrap around.
Overall, the truck has surprisingly rounded lines. Ford says that vehicle ruggedness
traditionally had been characterized by angular forms. But all those sharp edges
played havoc with aerodynamics, which meant lower fuel economy and more wind noise. So
Ford's designers went for a look that was more aero, but still conveyed
ruggedness.They came up with a form that, the designers feel, uses rounded, muscular
shapes that say tough without being hard edged.
Part of achieving a successful design, according to Ford research, is in knowing who
buys your truck and what they buy. And why they buy it. Ford knows F-150 owners very
well indeed, and has broken them down into major groups.
Know anybody who fits one of these categories? The first buyer is the Adventuresome
Youth, just out of high school, who needs a truck for work and/or play. He buys a
Regular Cab Flareside XL and represents one sale in 10. Next is the Youth in
Transition, who is married, with a mortgage, under 30. He needs a truck with simple
amenities, so he buys a Styleside Regular Cab XL like our test truck. Also one in 10
sales. Next is Established and Stable with kids in school and wife back to work. He
buys a higher-series XLT, maybe a SuperCab. Three of 10 sales, so an important
customer. When this guy ages, he enters Free-Spirited Senior land, and he goes for the
top of the line XLT or Lariat and maybe SuperCab. He's good for another three in 10
sales. The other sales go to fleet and commercial buyers.
One of the most noticeable design features on extended-cab models is a third door on
the passenger side. When Ford was doing its marketing homework in preparation for the
new truck, time and time again the researchers heard owners of extended cab trucks
plead for -more room behind the seats, and easier access.+ Which is precisely what
they'll get in the new truck with the new passenger-side third door option.
Like all pickups, the new F-150 is available in a variety of shapes and sizes. There
is a short and long wheelbase Styleside Regular Cab, a short and a long Styleside
SuperCab, a short Flareside regular cab and short Flareside SuperCab. The Flaresides
have aerodynamic lower moldings, a side step and other cosmetic features.
The standard engine for the new truck is a new 4.2-liter V6 that produces a hefty 205
hp at 4400 rpm, which is a considerable advantage over the competing standard engines.
Chevrolet's C/K has 180 hp, the Dodge Ram has 170 hp.
The Ford V6 also produces 255 lb.-ft. of torque, with 92 percent of that available at
1500 rpm. That means low-end acceleration and more trailer-towing capacity.
Platinum-tipped spark plugs mean 100,000 miles between tuneups.
Naturally, the F-150 offers V8 power. A 4.6-liter with 210 hp is available now, with a
more powerful 5.4-liter V8 due this fall. the smaller V8's advantage over the standard
six is more torque: 290 lb.-ft. vs. 255.
All engines come with a 5-speed manual standard, with a 4-speed
electronically-controlled automatic optional. All models are available with 4-wheel
drive.
After decades of Twin I-Beam, the F-150 finally has a new front suspension, which Ford
describes as upper short and long arm (SLA). On 4x2 trucks, the SLA suspension uses
coil springs that react against a forged upper arm and a cast spindle, with control
arms bolted to the frame. At the rear is a solid axle with a leaf spring on top of the
axle.
The 4x4 truck uses a torsion bar front suspension with cast lower arms. There is an
optional off-road package. The rear suspension is the solid axle/leaf spring used on
the 4x2.
The interior of the F-150 is far more car-like than before, surprisingly so, in light
of the truck's rugged (Ford would never say macho) image. The basic instrument cluster
contains gauges for the important functions, but no tachometer. The usual controls are
to the right in a soft-cornered rectangle. The radio has a real on/off knob, but tunes
with a rocker switch.
Organic shapes abound-door handle, glove box handle, ashtray door, vents. Not your
standard truck fare, but Ford feels its traditional buyers will like the looks inside
and out, and also feels the new look will attract more of those buyers who want a
pickup for non-work driving.
The regular cab has more head room and more seat travel. The standard seat is a
3-person bench with a 40/60 split bench standard on some models. There is increased
storage area behind the seat and more clearance for the optional reclining seats.
The SuperCab has more rear-seat leg room than the previous F-150. A split bench rear
seat is available. The lower cushion of the rear seat can be folded into a flat floor.
Nice touches include extra-large cupholders, a second power point on the instrument
panel for laptop computers and the like, an optional driver's side secondary visor
shade, a glove box handle oriented toward the driver, adjustable D-rings for greater
ease of shoulder belt adjustment, two large coat hooks and a passenger grab handle.
F-150 models are available in Standard, XL, XLT and Lariat interiors. The XL interior
is standard on the Flareside.
Forget everything you know about the way pickups ride and drive when it comes to
experiencing the F-150. Never has a full-size pickup been so refined. Ford has taken
the "truckiness" out and given it a car-like feel in this respect, just as the
designers did with the interior.
The ride is smooth and motion free. What happened to the constant state of bounce?
Gone. In its place, a compliant ride that soaks up road irregularities. For anyone
with a lot of truck time, it's almost spooky the way it goes down the road. It's also
quiet in there. The new rounded shape did its job in that department--no wind noise.
Typically, a pickup's box and frame are designed separately, then bolted together.
This time around, the two systems were designed to work together. The result is an
absence of squeaks and rattles, even on rough terrain. The truck has a solid feel that
has nothing to do with ruggedness. This one is built to endure.
Both engines are strong, with the increased torque of the V8 obvious in a back-to-back
comparison. But without that comparison, no one would likely sell the V6 short. Both
are smooth, with the V8 a bit quieter.
The most remarkable thing about these engines is how much power--particularly the kind
of power we call torque--Ford has been able to extract from relatively small
displacements. Both engines are based on Ford's highly successful 4.6-liter modular
V8, used in several passenger cars. For truck use, the 4.6 induction system was
retuned for stronger low-end performance. Overhead cam engines aren't part of American truck tradition, but we don't think anyone will have any trouble adapting to this one.