Images courtesy Ford
The best-selling truck in the world has just gotten better. Today Ford is taking the wraps off its next-generation F-150 light duty pickup boasting it will be tougher, smarter and more capable than any before it. The 2015 F-150 is being unveiled at the North American International Auto Show with aspirations of setting the standard for the future of trucks.
The 2015 Ford F-150 will shed some 700 pounds from previous generation pickups utilizing an all-new high strength steel frame, aluminum-alloy body and will offer a new 2.7-liter EcoBoost twin-turbocharged V-6 engine, one of four engines available in the new truck. Others include a 3.5-liter V-6, 3.5-liter turbocharged EcoBoost and 5.0-liter V-8. Engineers boast the new 2.7-liter EcoBoost will deliver power equivalent to some mid-range V-8s on the market today but no fuel economy figures have been announced.
Some of the new features announced for the truck include 360-degree exterior camera view, integrated loading ramps, BoxLink cargo box storage system, LED head- and taillamps, trailer hitch assist, smart trailer tow mode, remote tailgate lock control, high-wattage power outlets (AC and DC), LED spotlights on outside mirrors, next-generation tailgate step, 8-inch LCD instrument panel screen with updated truck apps, LED lighting embedded in walls of the cargo box, rear under-seat storage in Super and Crew cab models and boxside step available for the short 5.5-foot cargo box.
Some of the segment-first technologies announced for the 2015 F-150 include second-row inflatable safety belts, Curve Control, adaptive cruise control, Lane-Keeping System and Blind Spot Information System with cross-traffic alert.
If styling seems somewhat familiar it is because the 2015 F-150 takes some of its cues from the Atlas Concept Pickup that made the auto show rounds for Ford last year. The new F-Series will arrive late this year.
Stay tuned for further updates as Gear Diary Senior Editor Dan Cohen is at the 2014 North American International Auto Show in Detroit at the Ford press conference. #FordNAIAS