Want custom graphics for your F-150? AutoBlog has posted news about Ford’s new custom graphics coming soon to Ford vehicles near you.
The generically-named Ford Custom Graphics are a series of vinyls that can be used to add a little extra something to your blue oval beauty. Ford says the graphics are scratch-resistant and weatherproof, and retain the car’s 3 year, 36,000 mile warranty. They will be sold exclusively through Ford dealers.
And in other news, information was leaked that the 2011 Mustang GT will get a 5.0 engine with 412hp. We suspect you’ll see a 5.0 V8 engine return to the F-150 as well. Expect the 6.2L V8 engine to be available on the Raptor and Super Duty only. More 5.0 info, again, at AutoBlog.
Here’s one of the latest F150 SVT Raptor videos to hit YouTube. It’s the Raptor at Monster Jam in Detroit that was last weekend.
Good PR move for Ford – bringing the Raptor to Monster Jam. But…. you could just hear the disappointment when they didn’t jump the Raptor F150 over junk cars…. oh well, maybe next time. The Raptor is still a sweet truck!
Automotive News has put together an excellent article on Ford’s product strategy. Here’s what’s coming up in regards to Ford trucks. See also: [F150 Raptor] [Ford F100]
Ranger: The small pickup had been scheduled to die, but now Ford is considering extending Ranger output by as much as two years. The automaker had been expected to end Ranger production in fall 2009 when it planned to close its assembly plant in St. Paul, Minn.
What may give the Ranger new life is the relatively high mpg capability stemming from the standard four-cylinder engine and five-speed manual transmission.
Ford may keep making the aging Ranger into the 2011 calendar year. While it’s unlikely that Ford would invest in any significant update in the truck, changes may be made to comply with federal rollover mandates.
Ford eventually could replace the Ranger with a small pickup developed on a new global architecture Ford of Australia is developing, called T6.
F-100: Ford is developing a smaller version of its flagship F-series pickup. The new pickup, code-named P525, could be called F-100; it is scheduled to go into production in mid-2011 for the 2012 model year.
The pickup is based on a lighter version of the F-150 chassis and would share front-end sheet metal with the next-generation Expedition, if that vehicle is produced. The F-100 would be offered in a crew-cab model only.
The trade-off for the lighter frame is reduced capability. The F-100 is aimed at buyers who want a pickup but do not need to tow 10,000-plus pounds or carry 3,000-pound loads.
A performance version of the F-100 that tops 400 hp is a possibility.
F-150: Talk about bad timing. Ford is launching the 2009 re-engineered, restyled F-150 in a terrible market for pickups.The 2008 models stacked up at dealerships as gasoline prices rose.
The inventory overload and drop in demand caused Ford to push back the on-sale date of the 2009 truck by two months and eliminate two shifts of production. The 2009 F-150 now is expected to go on sale in late fall. Ford plans to build more basic work trucks and fewer high-end models.
The 2009 F-150 has an all-V-8 engine strategy. Ford has dropped a base V-6 for now. Executives say a turbocharged V-6, part of Ford’s 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine family, will be added in 2010. The three engines for the 2009 model are a 5.4-liter, three-valve V-8; a 4.6-liter, three-valve V-8; and a 4.6-liter, two-valve V-8. They are paired with a four-speed automatic or a new six-speed automatic transmission.
F-series Super Duty: A freshened Super Duty is expected for the 2011 model year.
Here’s what we do know about a potential SVT truck for 2009. Earlier this morning AutoBlog reported that an SVT rep commented “a new SVT truck is coming … later this fall”. Shortly thereafter PickupTrucks.com reported from a credible source that the truck won’t be called a Lightning. In fact it looks like it’s going to be part of the Harley-Davidson line-up of trucks.
Here’s what we don’t know. We don’t have details but it’s probably safe to say the truck will likely be a version of the supercharged Harley F-150. Expect big custom wheels, a custom instrument cluster, perhaps special stitching in the seats. Production may be limited. We also don’t know whether this will satisfy 01-04 Lightning owners. Will this new SVT truck be a Lightning replacement? We’ll see.
One thing is clear. Ford needs to keep coming up with new models and incentives to get truck sales levels back to where they were not that long ago. Trucks are big business and the F-Series was the top selling vehicle for many years (that is until this year). With rumors of a Raptor F150 and a new Ford F100, this potential new SVT truck might be just what Ford needs to be #1 again.
MotorTrend is reporting that Ford has confirmed plans of building two new pickups smaller than the F-150 (one may be the Ford F-100). With gas prices showing no signs of going down, this is good news from the Blue Oval. As we reported earlier, one of the trucks may be called the F-100.
Here is a quote from the MotorTrend article:
The smaller F-150 is codenamed P525 and may be badged F-100, the name of the F-150’s predecessor from the 1950s. At one point, P525 and the Ranger replacement were competing proposals, but with growing need for higher-fuel-mileage trucks, both projects will become reality in 2010 or 2011. The P525 won’t be offered with V-8 power, but instead will come with four-cylinder and V-6 EcoBoost (gas direct injection and turbocharging) options, the engines’ fuel economy and torque optimized for interim Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards expected to kick in for the 2011 model year.
Personally, I can’t wait to see a smaller EcoBoost truck, especially a potentially turbo 4-cylinder model. I only have need for a light-duty pickup. I suspect many people are in the same boat, they don’t need the V8 power on a daily basis and would like to get better mpg for their daily commute.
The F-100 nameplate has some heritage and I think it would be a good choice for a slightly-smaller-than-F-150 size.
Ford announced yesterday that due to a shift in consumer demand toward more fuel efficient vehicles, they are reducing production of large trucks.
“We are continuing to make great progress on our plan,” said Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally. “We are profitable and growing outside of North America, and our transformation plan in North America is working. The challenge affecting the entire industry is the accelerating shift in consumer demand away from large trucks and SUVs to smaller cars and crossovers – combined with a steep rise in commodity prices and the weak U.S. economy.”
One has to wonder what will be the Ranger’s future… Ford has announced a few years in a row that the Ranger assembly plant in the Twin Cities will be closing but it hasn’t happened yet. Also, on the Ford Fleet site they’ve said the Ranger will be available during the 2009 model year.What do you think? With people turning to more fuel efficient vehicles, would you consider buying a Ranger to get better gas mileage? That’s one way to keep driving a Ford truck while not paying as much at the pump!
If you’re interested in any of the following Ford products, these are some “sister” sites:
Four Wheeler Magazine broke the news about a truck in the works from Ford. It’s a Raptor edition truck which features:
Fox Racing long, reservoir shocks
Fender flares to help fit large tires (possibly 35″)
Unique styling
Boss 6.2L V8 engine (380 – 420 hp) or EcoBoost engine
The big question is…. will it sell? Gas prices are at record levels and show no sign of going down. Truck sales are already down this year so in a year or two will this even be produced? Only time will tell.
As you may be aware, we have a section of the site dedicated to special edition Ford trucks. You can see what’s there now by visiting http://www.fordf150.net/specialeditions/ It’s a great place to dedicate a web page to each special or limited edition truck. Sure, it’s not done yet but we’re adding pages as we find the information. If you know of a truck that should be listed there (perhaps you own one), contact us today and we’ll consider it.
We currently have information on the 1991 & 1992 Nite trucks, the 1998 NASCAR F-150, and others. We’ve just recently added an information page on the 2005 Ford F-150 Lobo Edition.
We’ve also got some more articles coming soon, so stay tuned.
Want custom graphics for your F-150? AutoBlog has posted news about Ford’s new custom graphics coming soon to Ford vehicles near you.
Ranger: The small pickup had been scheduled to die, but now Ford is considering extending Ranger output by as much as two years. The automaker had been expected to end Ranger production in fall 2009 when it planned to close its assembly plant in St. Paul, Minn.
F-150: Talk about bad timing. Ford is launching the 2009 re-engineered, restyled F-150 in a terrible market for pickups.The 2008 models stacked up at dealerships as gasoline prices rose.
The big question is…. will it sell? Gas prices are at record levels and show no sign of going down. Truck sales are already down this year so in a year or two will this even be produced? Only time will tell.
