Redesigning the best selling vehicle in the
world
It takes a lot of courage to tinker with
success, especially if you're the
best-selling vehicle in the world. With
nearly 900,000 units sold per year - accounting
for nearly one out of every four vehicle
Ford sells - the F-150 has been the
sales champion for 22 consecutive years.
With the F-150 basically unchanged from
1998 through 2003, competition from the
likes of a refined Chevy Silverado, "big-rig" styled
Dodge Ram, Toyota Tundra and Nissan's
new Titan, has been heating up. What looked
cutting edge for Ford in '98 didn't
set the heart racing six years later. Thankfully,
in 2004, Ford redesigned the F-150.
The Ford F-series comes in a dizzying
variety of cab, bed, engine/transmission,
driveline and body choices. For 2004 Ford
offered regular, SuperCab, Styleside, Flareside
styling and at least three different bed
lengths. Trim levels included XL, STX,
XLT, FX4, Lariat, SVT Lightening and Harley-Davidson
editions.
In 2005 Ford added King Ranch with Custano
leather and dropped the SVT Lightening
and Harley-Davidson editions. For 2006
Ford brought back a limited edition Harley-Davidson
package. Later in 2006 the crew cab can
be equipped with a 6.5-foot cargo bed.
XL is the budget model, XLT the best selling
and King Ranch the most luxurious of over
30 configurations. Grille work and interiors
help to differentiate and identify the
models externally. When introduced for
2004, every F-150 came with four doors.
Two-door models are now available across
the lineup with the exception of the more
luxurious Lariat and King Ranch editions.
The F-150's exterior looks almost
identical to the Expedition, which was
redesigned for 2003. The new F-150 is more
muscular, like they sent the old bar-of-soap
looking model to spend time with a personal
trainer. The hood is more upright, eliminating
the middle-age sag look of the previous
F-150. Remove the 6-inch blue Ford oval
from the tailgate and there is a strong
resemblance to Chevy's Silverado.
The big changes were to the inside. The
premium Lariat is truly first rate and
features close to luxury-sedan offerings.
The dash is strikingly handsome, looks
expensive and carries a familiar look of
the Lincoln navigator, with heavy applications
of real wood trim, brushed nickel-like
accents on the steering wheel, center console,
center-stack and door handles.
The Lariat's standard leather seats
are generous, supportive and exceptionally
comfortable. Of course, interiors will
vary according to model and one shouldn't
expect this level of luxury in the entry-level
XL work truck. Instruments, gauges and
controls are attractive and simple to use.
Overhead, my test Lariat was equipped with
a roof console that included a flip-down
screen with DVD system and satellite radio.
The huge center armrest serves double duty
with cup holders.
There's more room inside, with rear
seat passengers benefiting from an extra
five cubic feet of room. The rear bench
isn't as comfortable as the front
buckets, but the recline angle is much
friendlier than in previous offerings.
F-150 is the first truck to offer power
windows on the swing-out half doors.
One point Ford kept emphasizing during
our testing at Firebird Racetrack was the
improved ride, handling and suspension
built into the new F-150. Competitive truck
offerings from Chevy, Toyota and Dodge
were hand to drive and compare. I thought
the F-150 outperformed them all in rumble
strips, tight cornering, braking and slalomed
traffic-cone maneuvering. But make no mistake,
this is still a truck and you won't
confuse the ride with that of a sedan.
There was plenty of power from the Triton
V-8. Ford didn't offer a V-6 or
a manual transmission until late in the
2004 model year.
Safetywise, four-wheel antilock brakes
are standard along with dual stage depowered
front airbags. For 2006, traction control
can be added to two-wheel drive V-8 equipped
models. I remain disappointed that even
two years after introduction of the new
design, side and head curtain airbags are
neither standard nor optional. Crash testing
from NHTSA nor IIHS has not been completed.
You've got to hand it to Ford. Not
content to sit at the top and wait, they
took it upon themselves to risk a lot to
stay there. A lot of truck-makers want
to knock Ford from their perch. There's
no question the new F-150 is vastly improved
and has the best-looking interior of any
truck offered. The exterior is significantly
better, as is the ride and handling. I
originally questioned if Ford did enough
with the restyle. If you use sales numbers
as a measure of success, you can conclude
that they did.
When it comes to trucks, Ford people buy
Ford, Chevy people buy Chevy and Dodge, Dodge.
The Japanese have been nipping at their heels
with offerings like Toyota Tundra and Sequoia,
Honda Ridgeline and Nissan Titan. From what
I've seen, Ford has every reason to
believe it will remain on top with the F-150
and possibly reach its goal of 1 million
sales. Two years later, I remain impressed
with the F-150.
