* Finalist 2009 North American Truck of the Year (with 2009 Ford Flex for Car of the Year)
* Detroit News Truck of the Year
* Motor Trend 2009 Truck of the Year Award™
* 2009 Best Redesigned Vehicle from Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com
* Top honors as “Truck of Texas” as well as “Best Luxury Pickup” for the 2009 F-150 King Ranch from Texas Auto Writers Association
* “Best Overall Half-Ton Pickup” from PickupTrucks.com
* “Automotive Excellence” award in the Workhorse Category from Popular Mechanics
* “Top Safety Pick” from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for its standard safety technology: Safety Canopy side curtain air bags and AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control
* “Residual Value” award from Automotive Leasing Guide (ALG) for retaining the highest percentage of its original price among 2009 full-size light duty pickups at the end of a conventional three-year lease, based on ALG projections
* Motor Trend’s Truck Trend Top 5 Trucks from Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) for 2009 Ford F-150 Heavy Duty DeWalt Contractor Concept
* “Accessory-Friendly Truck” Design Award from SEMA
You missed “Best Truck From a Brand That Rhymes With Board” and “Best Truck Between F-149 and F-151” from the NICKNICK Institute for Highway Awesomeness.
An accessory award from SEMA? Really?
ALG *projection* of residual values?
Remind me again who is going to buy these gas guzzlers by the millions?
Remind me again who is going to buy these gas guzzlers by the millions?
People who need and/or want them.
A positive piece regarding a US automaker?…Who are you and what did you do with TTAC?
LALoser :
It’s karate.
Well, things have not changed for Ford in the last five years. They are strong in trucks and relatively weak in cars.
Nothing ever changes……
People who need and/or want them.
Unfortunately for Ford that is a fraction of the number of people who used to buy them.
Ford makes darn good trucks and has for decades.
Their current lineup of cars is mostly decent as well. Personally I would rather have a Fusion than a Camry and would buy a Taurus over an Avalon.
On my list of cars/trucks to look at this coming year: F-150, FX4 model; G8 GT, or GXP, depends on price. Would love to snag a SRT8 Challenger, but they are past the LT1 Vette price point, does not make sense. Going to buy something for work, let someone else use the current car.
Unfortunately for Ford that is a fraction of the number of people who used to buy them.
So only a small percentage of the F150s sold have been bought by people who needed or wanted them. Are you then saying that the overwhelming majority of F150s were purchased by people who did not even WANT one?
So only a small percentage of the F150s sold have been bought by people who needed or wanted them. Are you then saying that the overwhelming majority of F150s were purchased by people who did not even WANT one?
What people wanted yesterday may not be what they want tomorrow. In the last ten years a large percentage of trucks were bought by (sub)urban redneck wannabes who had no need for a truck. When the fad fades, sales are going down, down down.
Ford’s product turnaround is the best argument for investing in the continued survival of the domestics. Quality and competence has spiked in half a decade, indicating the potential for salvaging GM. Cut out the cancerous, parasitic management and permit the talent already present to flourish.
It’s even tempting to wonder what the folks at Chrysler could accomplish, stripped of the pension protected fecal matter at the top. Pulling together with careers and lives at stake, the next minivan or interpretation of the family sedan could emerge. Bear in mind, that while Chrysler never made top quality vehicles, they did make exceptionally innovative ones, and in the process they made billions and billions.
What people wanted yesterday may not be what they want tomorrow. In the last ten years a large percentage of trucks were bought by (sub)urban redneck wannabes who had no need for a truck. When the fad fades, sales are going down, down down.
True, but I think sales will still be in the millions, so my initial (and smart-ass) response still stands.
Ford currently has some decent products. The Fusion, the Fiesta, the Mustang, the F-Series… and even the Flex are all better-than-decent vehicles. Really, all Ford needs to do is axe Mercury and revive Lincoln, and they’ll be OK, relative to the other automakers.
Really, I couldn’t care less if Chrysler tanked, but I’d be a little upset if Ford went down with them.
Chrysler has very little to redeem itself. Heck… even GM has the ‘Vette, the Malibu and the CTS(OMG)V.
Chrysler has very little to redeem itself.
Jeep, minivans, Dodge trucks, and possibly the LX platform RWD sedans. Get rid of everything else, only sell in the segments where they are competitive. Focus on quality and making money in those segments. Let the big boys be all things to all people.
I call it a “reverse Honda” business model.
dzwax :
December 26th, 2008 at 10:02 am
“Remind me again who is going to buy these gas guzzlers by the millions?”
Qwerty :
December 26th, 2008 at 10:50 am
“Unfortunately for Ford that is a fraction of the number of people who used to buy them.”
You realize the truck market has gotten smaller, it is by no means small.
In fact, the F150 & Silverado trucks have been the number 1 & 2 selling vehicles for the last few months, and the F150 is again the number 1 selling vehicle for the 2008 model year. So yes, Ford is not going to be selling as much as they did a year ago, but the F150 will still outsell every single other car/truck/suv for sale.
The thing is that the sales aren’t going down, down, down but “back”. The U.S. gorged on trucks the last 15 years and totally distorted the market for light pickups. It’s falling back to the norms and Ford will be there with the #1 p/up in the market.
Dimwit;
Excellant point….distorted sales, much like the internet and housing bubbles…due for a market “correction” in Wall Street-ese.
I love the big smile on Mulally’s face; I can just imagine what he’s thinking:
“I had no part whatsoever in the design of this award-winning vehicle, but I’m happy to take credit for it anyway!“
I agree with Dimwit. Wow, that is weird to say. Anyway, for decades light trucks were around a quarter of the automotive market. Then at one point they shot up over 50%. Now we are seeing a regression to the mean, with the final numbers somewhat dependent upon how certain vehicles are classified. The government calls a Honda CR-V a truck. I don’t.
did they have to touch both trucks and embrace like that? really? the picture easily qualifies for stupidest picture ever taken in the history of the world.
I wonder if the truck numbers will start moving up again with gas prices in decline.
I’ve always preferred cars and been mystified by the American truck and SUV love but it took over $4 gas to make it fade, and that makes me think it could easily bounce back.
If so, it seems like Ford is in an excellent position.
D
I guess ugly wins awards.
I don’t under why this way too big, ugly, re-skin with anemic engines is winning anything.
The truck is nothing more than an automotive appliance…from Americas biggest automotive appliance manufacturer.
@P71
No, you’ve got it backwards. It LOOKS like a reskin, but is in fact completely new under the skin. Ford has the unfortunate habit of doing great things to the mechanicals of their trucks but deciding to drape very similar sheetmetal over them. (witness the Expedition, and now the F150)
Looking at an ’08 and an ’09 F150 side by side in person the details of the new design really do stand out. The new grills (especially the chrome ones on the XLT, Lariat, and Platinum) give the truck a lot more presence, and the inegrated tailgate spoiler/chrome bezeled tail lights give make it instantly recognizable from the back (some seem to hate it, but that chrome taillight treatment is one of my favorite current Ford design cues).
As far as under the skin goes the heavily revised frame is stronger, stiffer, and makes use of modern techniques like hydroforming and modern ultra-high strength steel to save weight. The through-welded cross-members have been readjusted to give the back section of SuperCrew models a completely flat load floor. The cabin is much more well isolated from wind, road, and engine noise. The transmissions have gone from 4 speeds to 6 across the board (except for the base 2V V8, which still makes more power with the same fuel efficiency as the outgoing V6). The exhaust system has been recalibrated for less back pressure. Trailer sway control is standard on every truck, as is traction control with roll stability control.
Yes, the heavy duty leaf springs can give it a slightly bumpy ride when the bed is empty, so if you are buying a truck for the smoothest ride with an unladen bed, check out the new ’09 Dodge Ram.
Also, while the engines are not the most powerful on the market, the 5.4 liter with 310-320hp and 365-390lb/ft (depending on regular gas or E85) of torque is by no means anemic, and is more than enough to hustle the truck to 60 in around 8 seconds, as well as to tow over 11,000 lbs. The midrange 3V 4.6 liter with 292hp and 320lb/ft which also gets up to 21 highway mpg feels plenty strong as well. Yes, a Tundra beats it in a drag race, so if you plan to buy a truck for unmodified drag racing, check out a Tundra.
When it comes down to it though, Ford is doing what everyone praises the Japanese companies for doing – taking its core product and continually refining it and making it better in response to what the market wants.
It’s okay for the writer to bash the domestic auto companies but if one responds in it’s defense, your comment will not be published. I don’t expect this comment to get published, either.