2018 Ford F-150
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Ford F-150
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Year:2018
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A mild refresh & big powertrain updates bring the F-150 into 2018
Ford has reworked the F-150 for 2018 with cosmetic updates, new active safety systems, and some healthy powertrain upgrades. A new front fascia and modifications to the taillights and tailgate constitute the exterior changes, along with new wheel choices. Adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keep assist are now present, too. But the biggest changes happen under the hood.
Ford has upgraded nearly every engine option. The base 3.5-liter V-6 has been replaced with a new 3.3-liter V-6 with more power and better efficiency. Both the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6 and 5.0-liter V-8 have been improved with more power. Ford’s 10-speed automatic now comes standard on all but the base V-6. Best of all, an all-new 3.0-liter Power Stroke V-6 turbodiesel joins the lineup. The 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 carries over unchanged, though it received a huge update for the 2017 model year. The same is true for the 2017 F-150 Raptor’s High-Output 3.5-liter EcoBoost. The F-150 is Ford’s biggest seller and highest profit-maker, so it’s completely understandable why Ford pays it so much attention. The current F-150 debuted for the 2015 model year, so it’s not really old. In fact, it still remains the newest full-size, half-ton pickup among the Big Three – beating the Chevy Silverado by a year and the Ram 1500 by six. Only the 2017 Nissan Titan is newer.
Update 08/09/2017: EPA estimates for the 2018 F-150’s fuel economy have been released. Efficiency improves for the base V-6, the 2.7-liter EcoBoost, and the V-8. Towing and Payload stats are also announced.
Continue reading for details on the 2018 Ford F-150.
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2019 Ford F-150 SC 650HP by Roush Performance
Roush Performance is pulling out all the stops with its new tuning package for the Ford F-150. The program comes with upgrades and modifications to the F-150’s exterior, interior, engine, and suspension. It’s as extensive a kit as you can find for the Blue Oval’s popular hauler. It doesn’t come cheap, though. The price of turning the Ford F-150 into the Roush F-150 SC adds up to $22,999, and that doesn’t include the price of the base F-150 unit.
Ford Takes the Fun Out of Off-Roading with Trail Control for the 2019 Ford Raptor
Off-roading can be a lot of fun - from exploring the great outdoors, to finding the right line through a challenging bit of terrain, to extracting every ounce of capability from your vehicle, it’s just the right activity to get away from it all. Now, Ford hopes to make it more accessible with its new Trail Control system for the 2019 F-150 Raptor, which the company likens to “cruise control for off-road driving.” Color us skeptical.
Continue reading for the full story.
Fast and Furious Star Dwayne Johnson AKA The Rock Gifts His Stunt Double a Jacked-Up F-150
We all know how generous and humble Dwayne Johnson is, and here’s another instance to prove the same. The owner of the ‘People’s Elbow’ gifted a handsome, jacked-up Ford F-150 to his stunt double and cousin, Tanoai Reed. The two have been working together for the last 17 years, starting with Dwayne’s The Scorpion King in 2002.
2019 Ford F-150 Limited Gets Plonked With Raptor’s Engine
Engine sharing is not a new concept in the industry, and the 2019 Ford F-150 is the latest to benefit from this. The ‘Limited’ trim of the F-150, expected to hit the roads later this year, gets a bigger engine from the Raptor. There’s a lot more to the eye than just the engine adaption, but will this affect the Raptor’s sales in any way?
Wallpaper of the Day: 2018 Ford F-150
The F-150 just went through a thorough, mid-cycle update to help keep it relevant in a constantly changing market, and that’s good news as it came with a revitalized look and a little extra power for certain engines as well. When properly equipped, it can tow as much as 13,200 pounds while the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6 will manage to pull 26 mph on the higher (the 3.5-liter gets 25 mpg.) The point is, the F-150 is a true, all-American pickup that deserves some time on display here at TopSpeed headquarters. And, we’ve hand picked a few of our favorite wallpapers to share with you. Check them out and feel free to download one or two for yourself.
11 Years and Counting: A History Of All The One-Off Fords That Have Been Auctioned Off By The EAA
Over the past ten years, Ford has been heavily involved in the Experimental Aircraft Association’s annual EAA AirVenture event in Wisconsin. The Blue Oval is responsible for creating custom aviation-themed vehicles, all of which are auctioned off every year to benefit youth aviation programs. All told, Ford has created 11 custom-themed vehicles, including the new Eagle Squadron Ford Mustang GT that will be auctioned off at this year’s event. In this space, we’re going to look back at a decade’s worth of custom-built Fords that have been created for the EAA.
Ford F-150 Raptor Goes High Tech For Enhanced Off-Road Worthiness
First hitting the scene in 2009, the Ford F-150 Raptor is essentially a big, bad, burly variant of the ever-popular F-150 pickup truck, offering off-road enthusiasts all the trimmings for tackling Mother Nature’s trickiest terrain. Upgrades include a more aggressive exterior, a taller ride height, and a monster motor under the hood, and now, Ford is improving the package even further with fresh high-tech suspension bits.
Continue reading for the full story.
Ford raised the bar yet again when it moved the Raptor name over to the new F-150 design. Along with the new design came that lightweight aluminum bodywork, and a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6. That engine, as fate would have it, raised a lot of concern over power output. That concern was short-lived, however, once Ford announced that it delivers some 450 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque when drinking on some 93 octane. That’s a hell of a lot more than the outgoing 6.2-liter V-8 at 411 horsepower and 434 pound-feet. Ford even went so far as to strengthen the Raptor’s frame – it cut back on the weight reduction, naturally, but it’s still 500 pounds lighter than the outgoing model. Throw in thinks like Fox Racing shocks, BFGoodrich All-Terrain K02 Tires, and a whole host of other off-road goodies and you’ve got yourself an off-road demon. Even if you don’t have one in your driveway, you can have it on your desktop, so check out our awesome selection of wallpapers.
Comparison: Is the GMC Sierra AT4 a Solid Alternative to the Ford F-150 Raptor?
GMC just launched a new-generation GMC Sierra that redefines the luxury pickup truck segment through its imposing looks, premium interior, and segment-first carbon-fiber bed. But General Motors also used the new Sierra to introduce a new model line for GMC vehicles. It’s called the AT4 and adds extra features inside and out and a lift kit. With the Sierra more capable in off-road terrain in this setup, truck enthusiasts can’t help but wonder whether the AT4 is a good proposition for the mighty Ford F-150 Raptor. To answer this question, I’m going to have a closer look at both trucks in the comparison below.
Tuscany Brings Two Modified Ford F-150s to 2018 Chicago Auto Show
Ford didn’t limit itself to regular production vehicles at the 2018 Chicago Auto Show. Rather, it invited Tuscany to participate in the fun. Tuscany is an independent aftermarket coachbuilder that contracts with Ford to upgrade trucks with special packages and performance modifications before selling them at Ford dealerships and covered under Ford’s new-vehicle warranty.
Well, Tuscany brought two Shelby-branded trucks to the show – both of which are lifted 4WD modes, but with very different personalities.
Continue reading for more on the trucks.
Flex Those Muscles: Ford F-150 is the Favorite Vehicle Among Members of the U.S. Military
36 straight years. That’s how long the Ford F-150 has sat atop the best-selling truck list in the U.S. The F-150’s timeless popularity is unquestioned to the point that it’s not surprising to hear that the truck has also been named the best-selling vehicle among members of the U.S. military. A study conducted by the United Services Automobile Association’s car buying service revealed the status of the F-150 among all branches of the U.S. military in 2017. It’s the latest accolade given to a model that also earned the 2018 Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Award for the fourth year in a row.
Ford Posts Weak Profits, Aluminum Costs Partially To Blame
Ford F-150 Power Stroke Turbodiesel Finally Debuts for 2018
Ford has finally pulled the wraps off its long-awaited 3.0-liter Power Stroke V-6 turbodiesel for the 2018 F-150. The engine will compete directly with the Ram 1500’s 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V-6 and General Motors’ upcoming light-duty turbodiesel anticipated for the all-new 2019 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra.The addition of the Power Stroke to the F-150 lineup means six engines to choose from.
The 3.0-liter Power Stroke V-6 makes an impressive 250 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of torque, with torque peaking at just 1,750 rpm. The engine comes mated to Ford’s 10-speed automatic with a unique calibration for diesel use. With the right truck configuration, Ford says the Power Stroke will tow 11,400 pounds and haul 2,020 pounds in the bed. That’s a full 2,190 pounds more than the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel is able to tow, and 420 pounds more than the Ram can haul. Naturally, Ford is also looking to beat Ram at fuel economy, too. Ford is shooting for 30 mpg on the highway – beating the Ram by one mpg. Only the EPA’s testing will validate Ford’s engineering.
Continue reading for more information on the 2018 F-150 Power Stroke.
2018 Ford F-150 VelociRaptor 6x6 by Hennessey Performance
How do you make a Ford F-150 Raptor any more awesome? Hennessey Performance has a great answer – stick an extra axle under an elongated cargo bed then add 150 horsepower. Hennessey is no stranger to making outlandish vehicles with insane levels of power. The Texas-based tuner has done several Raptor upgrades before, and naturally, their bread-n-butter is adding more horsepower to stock vehicles. But this marks the first time a 6x6 configuration has been involved.
Mercedes started the 6x6 trend in 2013 with the G63 6x6. Since then, a handful of aftermarket companies have followed those tracks. The idea behind the 6x6 setup is added traction, better payload and towing capacities, and shear badassery. One look at the G63 6x6 or the Hennessey VelociRaptor 6x6 confirms that. Hennessey can’t confirm how well the VelociRaptor 6x6 handles in the dirt, however. The first example already has customer money on the hood. It’s also the same truck Hennessey took to the 2017 SEMA show. With SEMA over, Hennessey had only a few days to ship the truck to its owner in Florida.
Want to know more? Keep reading for details on the VelociRaptor 6x6.
Ford And Roush Giving 2018 F-150 V-8 a Supercharged Punch
Remember the Ford F-150 RTR Muscle Truck from the 2017 SEMA show? Well, Ford Performance and Roush Performance are paring yet again to bring the Muscle Truck’s muscle to customers nationwide. Ford will offer a Roush supercharger kit for the 2018 F-150’s 5.0-liter V-8. The roots-style blower will be installed at Ford dealerships by ASE-certified Ford technicians and come with a Ford-backed warranty.
Don’t think the F-150’s V-8 is no dud from the factory. Rather, the 2018 update brought ten more horsepower and 13 more pound-feet of torque for a total of 395 and 400, respectively. Adding the supercharger is said to bring levels to 640 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque! That’s impressive. Other modifications would include a re-flash of the ECU, a new high-flow intake, and likely an exhaust system. Naturally, with this being a dealer add-on part, anybody willing to pony up the cash can get the extra power – regardless of what trim or cab configuration their 2018 F-150 has. Imagine a single cab, short bed F-150 with 640 horsepower. Oh, wait… one Ford dealership already has.
Ford has not released pricing for the Roush Performance supercharger kit or the shop fees for installation. We do know the blower will become available sometime in early 2018.
Click Mechanic Renders 7 Utterly Bizarre Car Mashups
Halloween may have come and gone, but it’s never too late to explore the weird, the bizarre, and the downright frightening things that go bump in the night. If you’ve got the nerve, then we challenge you to look through these utterly profane vehicle renderings, courtesy of the good folks from Click Mechanic. Truth be told, no one is safe from the following strange creations – hybrids, muscle cars, imports, supercars, trucks, and even tractors get tossed into the blender with these seven unholy car mashups.
Call it madness, call it lunacy, call it outlandish… truth be told, we simply can’t look away! Hell, we’d actually argue that some of these creations are a bit, well, awesome (no, seriously). Either way, this is what happens when you give rendering artists free reign to mix and match from across the automotive spectrum. Naturally, we wanna know – which is these shocking mashups stands out the most to you? Let us know in the comments!
Continue reading to see 7 Utterly Bizarre Car Mashups.
This Ford F-150 By CJ Pony Parts Is the Ultimate Rock Climber
The 2017 SEMA Show was packed with modified pickup trucks, but none was as spectacular as this EcoBoost-powered rock climber built by CJ Pony Parts. The aftermarket parts supplier has been a constant presence in Las Vegas in recent years, showcasing a restomod 1965 Ford Mustang built with TMI Products, a custom Focus ST with Ford, and a beefed up Mustang EcoBoost with Ford Performance. In 2017, CJ Pony Parts chose to stay away from the car performance realm and opted to create a stunning off-road-equipped F-150 pickup truck.
Already a solid truck thanks to its aluminum body, leading technology, and fuel-efficient engines, the F-150 is now able to tackle the Moab Easter Jeep Safari alongside the most hardcore Jeep Wranglers out there. CJ Pony Parts says that its goal with this build was to create something "that not only looked tough but can back up that look with massive off-road capability," it seems that the result matches the description. Exterior upgrades are numerous, starting with Lund fender flares, custom two-tone paint with orange graphics, and a rear differential cover. There’s also a T-Rex grille; Rigid Radiance LED lights, Rock Slider side steps, and new Stealth Fighter and Honey Badger bumpers front and rear. The truck also features an Oracle Lighting ColorShift LED underbody lighting kit.
The list of accessories continues inside with a Raptor steering wheel with orange stitching, Ford Performance door sill plates, custom headrests with CJ Pony Parts logo, and orange accents on the dashboard, door panels, center console, and floor mats. But the really important upgrades were operated under the skin.
Continue reading to learn more about the Ford F-150 By CJ Pony Parts.
2017 Ford F-150 RTR Muscle Truck
The 2017 SEMA Show is here, and as it happens every year, Ford brought a handful of modified F-150 pickup trucks to Las Vegas. Among them, there’s a beefed-up version created by the folks over at RTR Vehicles. Known mostly for tuning Ford Mustangs and for providing Vaughn Gittin Jr. with vehicles for the Formula Drift series, RTR used its experience in creating race-ready pony cars to put together a performance-oriented F-150.
RTR used a Lariat SuperCrew model as a base for this souped-up truck and add some of the features seen on its Gittin-prepped Mustang, most notably the D-shaped LED lights in the grille. Of course, the F-150 got a few unique touches as well. But, unlike the Mustang RTR, there’s no improvement in terms of horsepower and torque, although the truck now sports a wide range of chassis upgrades. So while it’s not as quick as the Raptor, it’s definitely more capable on the unbeaten path than a standard F-150.
Continue reading to learn more about the Ford F-150 RTR Muscle Truck.
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Hagerty Has These 2017-2018MY Cars On Track To Be Future Collectibles
2017 has been quite the year for the automotive industry. We’ve seen hypercars make their debuts. We’ve seen incredible advancements and electrification and autonomous driving technology. Heck, we’ve even seen deceased brands come back to life - shout out to TVR! - with a vengeance. One of the best parts of all these releases is that at some point, some of them will inevitably skip the depreciation curve and become collectible cars. The trick is figuring out which ones will be able to navigate down that road, and if you’re trying to do that, there’s no better source of authority in matters pertaining to the collector car market than Hagerty.
It’s safe to say that when the insurance company talks, all of our ears perk up. If it says that one of today’s models is on the inside track to be a future classic, there’s a good chance that it could turn into one. Ok, so enough small talk. Hagerty’s has already released its picks of 2017-2018 models that are trending on the right path. It’s not a guarantee that these cars will earn collectible status in the future, but having Hagerty’s stamp of approval goes a long way in shaping the opinions of car collectors all over the world.
Continue after the jump to read the full story.
The 2018 F-150 Earns Big With IIHS Safety Ratings – Except For One Thing
The Ford F-150’s skin might be made from recycled beer cans, but the full-size pickup scored very well in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s barrage of testing. Since it debuted in 2015, the current F-150 has scored a “Good” in all crash tests. But, things aren’t all rainbows and butterflies for the half-ton pickup. The 2018 F-150 is too short-sighted to earn the IIHS’ Top Safety Pick+. The reason: it can’t see well in the dark.
The IIHS rates the F-150’s headlights as “Poor” in all five of its tests.
Both the base halogen headlights in the lower-trimmed F-150 and the LED headlights in the more expensive models scored a “Poor” in visibility testing. The halogen lights’ low and high beams fall short in straightaway visibility on the left and right sides of the road. The low beams only give 149 feet of visibility on the right, and 89 feet on the left and the high beams only shine 412 feet and 317, respectively. In curves, the headlights perform even worse, providing an average of only 102 feet of visibility with the low beams and 148 feet with the high beams in the four different curve tests done by the IIHS.
Jumping up to the LED headlights don’t help the situation, though they perform a tab bit better. The low beams shine 323 feet on the right and 168 feet on the left, while the high beams shine 544 feet on the right and 428 feet on the left. In turns, the LED low beams illuminate an average of 135 feet ahead, and the high beams shine an average of 163 feet ahead. The unfortunate trade-off for the better performance is excessive glare for oncoming traffic with the low beams. They exceed the IIHS’ glare threshold between 94.8 and 187.9 percent. That’s not good.
There’s more to this story below.
Don’t Fall Out! Ford F-150’s Doors Can Fly Open
Ford is issuing a safety recall for roughly 1.3 million F-150 and Super Duties from 2015 to 2017 over concerns the door latch can become inoperable, which could lead to the door not opening, or worse, the door flying open while driving. Ford says two mechanical problems can lead to the condition. One, the latch could become frozen and two, the cable running from the inside handle to the latch can become kinked. In either scenario, serious safety problems arise.
Basically, it boils down to the door not latching or unlatching when it shouldn’t. That’s bad, especially if somebody needed to enter or exit quickly, say in an emergency. What’s worse, Ford says the door could appear closed, yet the latch be unsecured. That could lead the door to fling open while taking a turn. Forget to put a seatbelt on, and somebody is leaving the truck in a bad way.
Thankfully, Ford says it has no reports of injuries stemming from this problem but is replacing door latches on a select number of aluminum-bodied F-Series trucks. These include the current-generation F-150 built from March 2014 up through the new 2017 Super Duty built in 2016. The full list of recalled trucks is below. The recall covers 1,101,107 F-Series trucks in the U.S., 222.408 in Canada, and 21,090 in Mexico for a total of 1,344,605.
Ford’s solution to the problem is installing a “water shield” over the door latches to prevent water from getting inside. Ford didn’t specify whether the latches freeze due to rust or if actual ice was accumulating in colder weather. Regardless, Ford dealership technicians will inspect the parts and repair them if necessary.
Continue reading for more information.
Columbus Day Special – 5 SUVs And Trucks To Help You Destroy A Civilization
Welp, it’s Columbus Day, and while your grade school textbook probably filled you in on the basics (he sailed across the Atlantic ocean blue in 1492 to “discover” the “New World,” etc.), there were also a few, uhm, less-than-pleasant outcomes to his journeys around the Americas – namely slavery, genocide, widespread disease, and generally tyrannical behavior. So then, in recognition of this, we’ve compiled a list of SUVs and trucks that a modern Columbus might use in exploration and/or the destruction of a civilization.
The criteria are pretty straightforward – it’s gotta be capable, with the sort of off-roader chops that won’t leave the would-be conqueror stranded in a tough spot. It’s also gotta be practical, with enough space in back to haul away all those shiny stolen riches. Ideally, it would also be absurdly destructive to the surrounding environment, just so everyone else knows the score. So yeah, we’re getting a little morbid with this one, but hey, it’s Columbus – what did you expect?
Continue reading for our list of 5 SUVs And Trucks To Help You Destroy A Civilization.
4WD Systems Are More Complex Than You Think
The Ford F-150 Raptor is the undisputed king of off-roading pickups – at least in the full-size segment. And now with the Raptor having entered its second generation for 2017, Ford upped the ante with whiz-bang tech that makes this Baja blaster even more capable in nearly every driving condition. Much of that tech centers on the Raptor’s 4WD system. But rather than some dogleg shifter protruding from the floor, the Raptor’s transfer case is multi-talented. It can be both 4WD and AWD, not to mention having modes for RWD and neutral. Hang on to your thinking caps, kids.
In order to make the Raptor a true all-terrain monster – meaning good on-road performance and good off-road performance no matter the type of terrain – Ford developed a special transfer case that intelligently distributes power to where it’s needed. There are four main modes, all of which are electronically controlled via both the dash-mounted knob and the Raptor’s drive modes. While the Raptor is the only vehicle that currently employs this exact system, other vehicles have had similar drivetrain setups with automatic 4WD. General Motors debuted its Autotrac system in the late 1990s. It could operate in RWD, 4WD, or a 4WD Auto mode. Likewise, the Toyota 4Runner offers a full-time 4WD system with a similar operation, minus a RWD mode. Technically speaking, this means the 4Runners has a full-time 4WD system rather than a part-time 4WD system. Land Rovers are perhaps the best-known SUV for having a full-time 4WD system. All come standard with a computer-controlled full-time system that diverts power to whatever wheels have traction. Many models go a step further by adding a 4WD Low range, which uses different gears within the transfer case to multiply torque that’s sent to the wheels. 4WD Low is best for low-speed crawling or pulling a heavy load at low speeds over a short distance, like recovering a stuck vehicle or pulling a tree off a trail.
But how’s the 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor’s 4WD system work? Glad you asked; Keep reading for more – and that informative video from Engineering Explained.
Expecting Greatness From The Ford F-150’s Upcoming Turbodiesel V-6
Ford made big waves in the half-ton pickup segment when it announced the 2018 F-150 would be available with a V-6 turbodiesel. Details about the new 3.0-liter have been scarce, with Ford only divulging it was designed, engineered, and tested in-house and that it will wear the Power Stroke name. Fortunately for us, Ford’s corporate ties to Jaguar Land Rover give telling clues about the new Power Stroke.
See, Jaguar Land Rover’s 3.0-liter V-6 Td6 turbodiesel is actually a Ford engine – a byproduct of Ford’s past ownership of both Jaguar and Land Rover. The engine is even found in Peugeot and Citroën cars, too, as part of the Lion engine series. Introduced in the U.S. for the 2016 model year, the 3.0 Td6 plays a staring role in Land Rover’s new Discovery, the Range Rover, and Range Rover Sport. To show off the Td6’s abilities, Land Rover recently hitched a diesel Discovery to a 121-ton road train in Australia. The 328-foot-long semi truck included seven trailers – three more than what’s typically legal to tow across the open roads of the Outback. The Discovery’s turbodiesel and full-time 4WD system seemingly had no problem moving the 242,000-pound behemoth 10 miles across a flat stretch of closed highway. That’s an impressive feat given the engine’s output of 254 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque. While Ford hasn’t disclosed its 3.0-liter Power Stroke’s specs, we can bet big money it won’t make less power than its Land Rover twin. So what does that mean for the mid-2018 F-150? Keep reading to see what we think.
Continue reading for more information.
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Ford Won’t Revive the F-150 Lightning But This Dealership Did
Truck fans will instantly recognize the Lightning name – it belongs to Ford and its two generations of performance-minded F-150s from back in the 1990s and early 2000s. These were short-bed, single-cab trucks with lowered suspensions and big V-8s under their hoods. Sadly, Ford dropped the F-150 Lightning in 2004 and has since kept its SVT team busy with the F-150 Raptor. That’s left the street performance pickup niche rather cold, with only the 2014 F-150 Tremor showing any signs of hope.
But like in the late 1960s, a dealership has launched its own performance upgrade for the current Ford F-150.
Pioneer Ford in Bremen, Georgia put together an “F-150 Lightning Tribute” that turns a single-cab, short-bed F-150 into a 650-horsepower monster with a side exhaust, 22-inch wheels with street rubber, and a Roush supercharger bolted to that 5.0-liter Coyote V-8. Yep, it’s got the right number of cylinders and none of that EcoBoost stuff under the hood. It doesn’t get any more American than this!
Keep reading for more on the Pioneer Ford F-150 Lightning Tribute.
2018 Ford F-150
Ford has reworked the F-150 for 2018 with cosmetic updates, new active safety systems, and some healthy powertrain upgrades. A new front fascia and modifications to the taillights and tailgate constitute the exterior changes, along with new wheel choices. Adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keep assist are now present, too. But the biggest changes happen under the hood.
Ford has upgraded nearly every engine option. The base 3.5-liter V-6 has been replaced with a new 3.3-liter V-6 with more power and better efficiency. Both the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6 and 5.0-liter V-8 have been improved with more power. Ford’s 10-speed automatic now comes standard on all but the base V-6. Best of all, an all-new 3.0-liter Power Stroke V-6 turbodiesel joins the lineup. The 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 carries over unchanged, though it received a huge update for the 2017 model year. The same is true for the 2017 F-150 Raptor’s High-Output 3.5-liter EcoBoost. The F-150 is Ford’s biggest seller and highest profit-maker, so it’s completely understandable why Ford pays it so much attention. The current F-150 debuted for the 2015 model year, so it’s not really old. In fact, it still remains the newest full-size, half-ton pickup among the Big Three – beating the Chevy Silverado by a year and the Ram 1500 by six. Only the 2017 Nissan Titan is newer.
Update 08/09/2017: EPA estimates for the 2018 F-150’s fuel economy have been released. Efficiency improves for the base V-6, the 2.7-liter EcoBoost, and the V-8. Towing and Payload stats are also announced.
Continue reading for details on the 2018 Ford F-150.
2018 Ford F-22 F-150 Raptor
Ford Performance created a one-off F-150 Raptor styled after the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor fighter jet for a charity auction benefiting kids’ interest and participation in flying. Called the Gathering of Eagles, the annual event is hosted by the Experimental Aircraft Association. This year, the auction raised $300,000 thanks to Ford’s donation of the “F-22 Raptor.” The truck obviously takes its name and styling cues from America’s premier fighter, going so far as to incorporate the jet’s silhouette into its grille and side mirrors. But that just scratches the surface of what Ford did to this 2018 F-150 Raptor Crew Cab.
The Raptor boasts a Whipple intercooler and other performance upgrades on its high-output, 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6, giving it an impressive 545 horsepower and 660 pound-feet of torque – a healthy improvement over its stock 450 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of twist. The bodywork received carbon fiber fender flairs, custom LED lighting, power-deploying running boards, an aggressive wheel and tire package, and that silver-over-black paint job. These, combined with other upgrades, helped the truck garner a $300,000 winning bid, beating out last year’s winning bid of $295,000 for a P-51D Mustang-themed 2017 Ford Shelby GT350 called Ole Yeller. Making the winning bid more special – it was from Gary Ackerman of Gaudin Ford in Las Vegas. Ackerman serves as Honorary Commander and Ambassador for the U.S. Air Force’s F-22 Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.
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Ford Builds First Truck 100 Years Ago Today
Ford is celebrating 100 years of making pickups today. It was July 27, 1917 that Ford introduced the Model TT pickup. It was based on the hugely popular Model T, but came with a stronger frame built to carry 2,000 pounds in its cargo bed. A meager 209 examples were built that year. Now, a century later, Ford’s F-Series pickups continue the legacy build by Henry Ford with trucks ranging from the half-ton F-150 to the commercial medium-duty F-750 Super Duty. Nearly a million examples sold in 2017, each costing a bit more than the Model TT’s price of $600.
Henry Ford designed the Model TT to accommodate aftermarket beds, allowing the truck to cater to an endless number of industries. Yet, the Model TT used the Model T’s cab and engine, helping cut costs while streamlining Ford’s genius of an assembly line production. Remember, it was Mr. Ford who started producing vehicles on an assembly line with the Model T just nine years prior. Amazingly, this concept hasn’t changed. Ford trucks continue to share parts, like the cab section between the F-150 and the updated-for-2017 Super Duty. Between 1917 and 2017, Ford has built dozens of generations and variations of its pickups, including more unique examples like the car-based Ranchero and the compact Ranger. A more comprehensive list is down below.
Continue reading for more information.
2018 Ford F-150 Police Responder
Ford is broadening its already-wide lineup of Special Service Vehicles with a pursuit-rated version of the F-150 pickup. It’s called the F-150 Police Responder, and this F-150 comes standard with the SuperCrew cab and 5.5-foot bed, powered by the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 that’s backed by Ford’s new 10-speed automatic transmission and two-speed transfer case. The F-150 Police Responder is designed for both street- and off-road patrolling duty, making it attractive to agencies in rural environments and Federal outfits like the Border Patrol and Department of Natural Resources.
Specialized equipment exclusive to the F-150 Police Responder includes a police-calibrated speedometer, an engine hour and idle-hour meters, a 240-amp alternator for powering onboard police equipment, and “police-calibrated” brakes with upgraded calipers and pads. (Elwood Blues would be proud.) The cabin also boasts improvements, too. The front bucket seats are wrapped in heavy-duty cloth with thin bolsters designed to better accommodate bulky duty belts. Anti-stab plates are fitted within the seats, protecting against knife attacks from behind. Also, the center seat is deleted, leaving the area open for adding aftermarket police consoles. Suspects and perps are relegated to a vinyl bench seat and the entire cab floor is lined with the black vinyl common in base-model trucks – both designed for easy clean-up. Lastly, the Police Responder comes standard with the FX4 package, meaning it has underbody skid plates, upgraded shocks, and all-terrain tires mounted on 18-inch alloy wheels. As equipped, the F-150 Police Responder can tow 7,000 pounds on its Class IV receiver hitch. Expect to see Ford’s latest police vehicle in your rearview mirror by the beginning of 2018.
Continue reading for more on the Ford F-150 Police Responder.
Ford Builds F-22 Raptor-Themed F-150 Raptor for Charity Auction
Ford has built a one-off, 2017 F-150 Raptor with an aeronautical theme for a charity auction for the Experimental Aircraft Association’s annual Gathering of Eagles fundraiser. The truck is dubbed the “F-22 Raptor” in an obvious hat-tip to the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor stealth tactical fighter jet. The F-150 sports several modifications, including a grille with the F22’s silhouette, off-road lights, a custom graphics package, a larger wheel and tire setup, and modifications to the EcoBoost engine giving it 545 horsepower.
Ford design manager, Melvin Betancourt, headed the build with backing from the Ford Performance Team, meaning this isn’t some aftermarket hack job. “This F-150 Raptor is a new look at Ford’s tradition of building unique vehicles in support of EAA’s youth aviation programs,” Betancourt says. “We know this truck will create an unmatched buzz around this year’s Gathering of Eagles auction.” Last year, Ford built a Shelby GT350 Mustang called Ole Yeller to pay homage to the P-51D Mustang fighter from WWII. That car raised $295,000. This year’s F-150 F-22 Raptor goes under the gavel on Thursday, July 27 at the EAA’s AirVenture aircraft show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. All proceeds will help inspire and educate youth about flying.
Continue reading for info on the F-150 F-22 Raptor.
Six of America’s Baddest Muscle Machines
Cue the band, Mr. Copland; today is Independence Day! It’s the day American celebrates her declaration of independence from Britain amid the bloody Revolutionary War, which lasted from 1775 to 1783. Now some 234 years after the battle’s end, America can celebrate something else, too – the laundry list of high-horsepower vehicles that out-class nearly everything on the world’s roads. These cars, trucks, and SUVs represent the best-of-the-best, the most lust-worthy iron ever to transport humans.
These vehicles hail from American brand rich with history. We’ve included only late-model vehicles that represent the peak of their segment, and each will easily outgun nearly anything from outside our borders. Brands like Chevrolet, Ford, and Dodge are not only a cornerstone in the automotive industry, they are icons to the American way of life and our never-ending pursuit of happiness. So stand by for 4,295 horsepower of American Freedom!
Continue reading for TopSpeed’s list.
The 10 Most-American cars Built in 2017
Each year, the American University’s Kogod School of Business conducts a survey of the automotive industry. The D.C.-based school maps out the most American-made vehicles, regardless of their brand. Seven key criteria are used in determining the rankings, but it comes down to the percentage of American and Canadian parts used and location of the vehicles’ assembly, research and development, and corporate headquarters.
Though Kogod’s inclusive survey ranks every vehicle sold in the U.S., we’re focusing on the top 10. Much of the list hasn’t changed over 2016, but there are a few additions and missing models. An update in scoring for 2017 allows half-points for automakers (FCA, in particular) that have headquarters in multiple countries. As such, the Jeep Wrangler joins the list, despite the vehicle itself not changing. For a full explanation of the points system, check out Kogod’s website. To skip to the Top 10 most American vehicles, keep reading here on TopSpeed.com
Continue reading for the Top 10 Most American Built Vehicles.
Ford Announces Power Specs for 2018 F-150, Expedition
Ford has announced horsepower and torque figures for its refreshed 2018 F-150 pickup and the all-new 2018 Expedition. Both vehicles have undergone major updates, including new styling and attractive technology features. But the biggest news resides under the hoods. The F-150 receives a new base V-6 engine that makes more power than the outgoing engine. Updates to the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6 and 5.0-liter V-8 include more power and Ford’s new 10-speed automatic transmission. Platinum trimmed Expeditions take the cake with a higher-output 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 with 400 horsepower!
The F-150’s new base V-6 now displaces 3.3 liters. Despite it being slightly smaller than the outgoing 3.5-liter V-6, the new engine features direct fuel injection and other advancements that give eight more horsepower and 12 more pound-feet of torque to the naturally aspirated engine. The result is 290 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque. Big torque improvements for the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6 mean it now makes 400 pound-feet – 25 more than last year. Horsepower remains at 325. Ford hasn’t forgotten about the venerable 5.0-liter V-8, either. It’s now fed through direct and port fuel injection, while the cylinder get an anti-friction coating. Power is up 10 horses to 395 and torque increases by 13 pound-feet to 400, matching the 2.7-liter EcoBoost.
Continue reading for power charts
Look Out Perps! Ford Launches Police-Prepped 2018 F-150 & Expedition
Ford is updating its lineup of Special Service Vehicles to include the updated 2018 F-150 and all-new 2018 Expedition. The pair joins the Taurus-based Police Interceptor Sedan and Explorer-based Police Interceptor Utility. Altogether, the foursome provides the widest vehicle array designed for police and government use by any one automaker.
The F-150 and Expedition SSV are fitted with special equipment designed to accommodate aftermarket upfiting with warning lights, communication radios, and laptop stands. The XL trim level brings heavy-duty rubber flooring and vinyl seats for easy clean up. Even the front 40/20/40-split bench is replaced by a 40/blank/40-split bench to accommodate center command consoles – all to make the F-150 and Expedition ready for duty. Furthermore, the gear shifters are column-mounted for more free space down low.
Ford is limiting the drivetrain choices for the F-150, allowing only the revamped 5.0-liter V-8 and the new, second-generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6. Both are connected to the new 10-speed automatic transmission. The Expedition is solely powered by the EcoBoost engine and 10-speed automatic. A 3.73 ratio and limited slip are standard in the Expedition’s rear differential. A high-output 240-amp alternator provides more power than the standard unit, making enough juice to power the bevy of equipment often found in police vehicles.
Police departments and other government agencies can order their vehicles with either RWD or 4WD. The F-150 is available in both SuperCab and SuperCrew configurations, while the Expedition only comes in its standard length.
“While our Police Interceptor Utility remains the best-selling law enforcement vehicle in the country by a large margin, some agencies need to haul five people with higher equipment-carrying capacity, or off-road capabilities are required,” said Stephen Tyler, Ford police brand marketing manager. “That’s where the F-150 SSV and Expedition SSV come in.”
The F-150 and Expedition SSVs are not pursuit-rated, so don’t expect to see one involved in a high-speed chase, though both the V-8 and EcoBoost should have no trouble hitting triple-digit speeds. The SSV packages should become available in the latter parts of 2017.
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The 2018 Ford F-150 Will Have Night Vision!
Ford has developed a new nighttime pedestrian detection system and will introduce it on the 2018 F-150 pickup, along with the 2018 Mustang and European-spec 2018 Fiesta. The system is designed to help drivers better detect people walking along the roadside in low-light conditions. Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the European Road Safety Observatory show that pedestrians are far likelier to be hit at night. While it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand why, Ford is taking logical steps to help reduce the problem.
The system works by processing information from the bumper-mounted radar system and the windshield-mounted camera. That info is digitally compared against an onboard database of “pedestrian shapes.” Should the system detect what it believes is a person, an audible tone and visual warning light alerts the driver to danger. Should the driver not take action and the system detect an imminent impact, it will autonomously activate the brakes.
The Nighttime Pedestrian Detection System will be an available option for 2018, though it will likely become standard on high trim levels soon after. In the years to come, expect to see such technology incorporated within every vehicle’s autonomous driving system.
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Hennessey Squeezes 600 Horses From EcoBoost V-6 in 2017 VelociRaptor!
Hennessey Performance is carrying on its tradition of building a high-horsepower version of Ford’s F-150 Raptor pickup truck. Along with the engine modifications, the Texas-based performance shop usually adds steel bumpers, aftermarket wheels, and meatier tires to Ford’s already impressive truck. The same is true for the 2017 version. And Hennessey manages to squeeze 600 horsepower from the Raptor’s 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V-6!
Yep, you read that right – this small-displacement V-6 is capable of producing 605 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and an whopping 622 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm. That’s well above the 2017 Raptor’s stock output of 450 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque.
That pushes the Raptor’s 0-to-60 mph time down to 4.2 seconds, while completing the quarter-mile in just 12.9 seconds at 110 mph. That’s insanely fast for a lifted off-road pickup!
Hennessey does this by adding several performance goodies, including a high-flow air induction system, an air-to-air intercooler upgrade, a catback exhaust upgrade, and a recalibration of the EcoBoost’s software. Fine tuning on the dyno and road testing ensure a complete build. What’s more, Hennessey warranties the package for three years or 36,000 miles.
The upgrade is called the Hennessey VelociRaptor 600, indicating its horsepower rating. The company also has a VelociRaptor 500 and VelociRaptor 700 in the works.
Of course, the engine upgrade isn’t the only piece to the multi-part puzzle. Keep reading for the full run-down.
Continue reading to learn more about the Hennessey VelociRaptor 600.
The Last 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor Raises $207K at Auction
There’s no doubt the second-generation Ford F-150 Raptor is a special pickup truck. It has garnered love and attention from folks around the world, all raving about its high-speed off-road antics and Ford’s new high-output 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 with a whopping 450 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque. As the last 2017 model is scheduled to soon roll off the assembly line, executives from Ford planned something special. The truck would be auctioned off and the winnings be donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. The Raptor rolled across the auction block at the 46th Annual Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction.
And boy did the Raptor sell big.
The last 2017 F-150 Raptor commanded an impressive $157,000 on the auction block, but an anonymous donation of $50,000 took the Raptor’s charitable donation to $207,000. All the money will be given tot eh JDRF, which is the leading global organization responsible for researching Type 1 diabetes.
The winning bidder got an extra bonus – the choosing of a unique body color. Sam Pack, the CEO of Sam Pack Five Star Ford in Carrolton, Texas won the bid and will get to choose what whatever color he wants on his 2017 Ford Raptor. See, technically Ford has yet to build the last 2017 model year F-150 Raptor, so Pack’s truck will get a custom treatment right from the factory as it rolls down the line.
There’s no telling what color his truck might be, but we’re betting it will be interesting. For more info on the Ford F-150 Raptor, check out our full review here and our first ride here.
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Ford Launches Performance Racing School for 2017 Raptor Owners
Owners purchasing a brand new 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor now have the chance to learn how to properly use their trucks from the folks to built it. It’s an expanded part of Ford Performance Racing School that will host Raptor owners for a one-day event with both classroom and driving time. This ongoing course is just the latest offered by Ford Performance. It joins the courses for the Mustang GT350 and Focus ST.
Best of all – the program is free!
Of course, there’s always a catch. First and most obvious, you have to purchase a 2017 or newer Ford F-150 Raptor. Second, students are responsible for their travel and hotel expenses. Everything else involving the daylong event is covered, including breakfast, lunch, safety equipment, and Ford-owned Raptor trucks.
The program’s technical name is the Raptor Assault and will take place outside Ford Performance’s Utah Motorsports Campus, just west of Salt Lake City. The facility is home to the Ford Performance Racing School, which is a track-based operation. Participants in the Raptor Assault will even have the option of purchasing a second day – one that focuses on track driving using Mustang GT.
The Raptor Assault’s classroom time will focus on the Raptor’s features, including its six drive modes and capabilities. The driving portion consists of rock crawling, Baja runs, high-speed driving, side-hilling, hill descending, and braking.
Dan McKeever, president of the Ford Performance Racing School, said, “We’re looking forward to the excitement, training and thrills Raptor Assault will deliver to owners of the 2017 truck. The new Raptor is an incredible truck, and our facility is the perfect venue to demonstrate just what it can do off-road. Our instructors can help anyone take their driving expertise to the next level – whether the person is a beginner or an experienced off-roader.”
Participants have options to bring a guest along, as well. Ford has created a separate website for the Raptor driving school, appropriately located at www.RaptorAssault.com. There, Raptor owners can enroll and book a class date.
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Top 3 Changes 2018 Brings to the Ford F-150
The venerable Ford F-150 is undergoing yet another transformation for the 2018 model year. It was just back in 2015 that Ford debuted a completely new F-150 that used an aluminum body, a stronger steel frame, a more car-like interior, and a new 2.7- liter EcoBoost V-6 engine. Now just three model years later, the F-150 again goes under the knife. So what’s different? Plenty – keep reading for the details.
The Powertrain – Ford has replaced or reworked every engine for the 2018 F-150. Well, that is if you include the all-new, second-generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 that debuted for the 2017 model year and carries over into 2018. Starting at the bottom, the old 3.5-liter V-6 is replaced with a more high-tech 3.3-liter V-6. This engine features direct fuel injection for a more precise burn and better efficiency. Ford says the engine should produce the same 282 horsepower and 253 pound-feet of torque as the outgoing 3.5-liter, but offer better fuel economy.
The 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6 now enters its second generation, just like the 3.5-liter EcoBoost in 2017. It now comes with both port and direct fuel injection, reduced internal friction, and “improved robustness.” We’re guessing that last part includes beefed-up internals. Sadly, Ford did not spill the beans on horsepower or torque specs, but we expect it to make more than the first-generation 2.7-liter’s 325 horsepower and 375 pound-feet of torque, plus with better fuel economy. Even less information was provided about the 5.0-liter V-8, but Ford says horsepower and torque will significantly increase.
Of course, the biggest news is the addition of a 3.0-liter turbodiesel V-6. It will bear the Power Stroke name and is expected to offer class-leading horsepower, torque, and highway fuel economy. The Ram EcoDiesel currently has the title of 29 mpg highway. Ford should have no trouble hitting or exceeding 30 mpg. That’s because the Power Stroke will turn Ford’s new 10-speed automatic transmission. In fact, all F-150 engines will use the 10-speed automatic except for the base 3.3-liter, which will use the carry-over six-speed automatic.
Ford also made shockwaves by announcing the F-150 will offer a hybrid powertrain by 2020. No official information was released about the system, likely because the powertrain is still firmly locked in development. We’ll bring you more as we have it.
We’ve got two more categories for the 2018 F-150, so keep reading for more!
F-150 Goes Diesel with its 2018 Facelift!
Ford has finally pulled the covers off its revamped 2018 F-150 pickup. This mid-cycle refresh brings a new set of front grilles, new headlights, new taillights, and upgraded powertrain options, including a 3.0-liter V-6 turbodiesel. Yep, the F-150 is now an oil-burner!
Though Ford was very coy with details regarding the powertrain improvements, it has revealed that all but the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 is getting big improvements for 2018. This includes an all-new 3.3-liter gasoline V-6 that replaces the base 3.5-liter V-6; an updated 2.7-liter EcoBoost and 5.0-liter V-8, and the addition of the 3.0-liter Power Stroke V-6. Don’t think Ford’s premier gasoline engine is getting the shaft – the 3.5-liter EcoBoost entered its second generation in 2017, making it just under a year old.
Ford did not provide horsepower, torque, fuel economy ratings, or pricing for these new engines, but the base 3.3-liter is expected to make the same 282 horsepower and 253 pound-feet of torque as the outgoing 3.5-liter. We expect fuel economy is the main change here. Every engine besides the base 3.3-liter now comes with Ford’s 10-speed automatic transmission. Nothing was mentioned about the previously announced hybrid powertrain, however.
Technology wise, the 2018 F-150 is now available with the segment’s first adaptive cruise control with full stop-and-go functionality and an available Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection. Ford catches up with General Motors by offering 4G LTE with Wi-Fi hotspot for the first time, and there’s also a new, high-end B&O PLAY audio system available. Ford’s SYNC and SYNC 3 now offers FordPass with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The F-150 continues to offer its 360-degree camera system, line-keep assist, and blind-spot monitoring with rear-cross traffic alert. Added to the system from the 2017 Super Duty is Ford’s trailer tow technology, which allows the system to monitor the blind spots of a trailer up to 33 feet in length.
As for aesthetics, the F-150’s new grille is larger and statelier. Several design deviations bring different looks to the various trim levels. The Sport Appearance Package on the Lariat trim, for example, brings that slick monochromatic theme. The interior, on the other hand, does not receive changes for 2018.
We will bring all the details in a full review after the Detroit Auto Show, but for now, continue reading for more information.
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Ford F-150 Going Hybrid by 2020!
Ford today held a press conference at its Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Michigan to announce a sizeable $4.5 billion investment into U.S. manufacturing, the cancelation of its planned assembly plant in Mexico, and the push toward hybrid, electric, and autonomous vehicles. The F-150 leads the truck charge, with Ford saying the half-ton pickup will have an hybrid powertrain by 2020.
Ford further divulged the F-150 will continue being build at the Dearborn truck plant and that its hybrid powertrain will allow it to act as a mobile generator for job sites, while its payload and towing capacity will not be dramatically affected. Ford did not, however, spell out what type of hybrid system it will use. Rumors suggest the system will include an EcoBoost engine with an electric motor positioned between it and the transmission.
In addition to the F-150 Hybrid, Ford announced a fully electric crossover with a promised range of 300 miles. The unnamed vehicle will be built in Flat Rock for the 2020 model year and sell in North America, Europe, and Asia. The range exceeds that of the Tesla Model X’s current 289-mile maximum.
Ford’s new electric push includes a $700-million investment into the Flat Rock Assembly Plant and is expected to add 700 U.S. jobs. The investment is coming from the cancelled $1.8 billion assembly plant in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Most will recognize the proposed assembly plant as the target of president-elect Donald Trump’s condemnation.
While it’s unclear whether Ford’s move was directly in response to Trump, Ford’s announcement did plainly state 3,500 jobs at the Michigan Assembly plant would be safeguarded and two new “iconic products” would soon take the place of the Ford Focus. The Focus will be relocated to an existing assembly plant in Mexico.
Of course, those “iconic products” are all but officially confirmed as the Ranger pickup and Bronco SUV. Hopefully the 2017 North American International Auto Show on January 9 and 10 will bring that official word.
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In Depth: 2017 Ford F-150 Buyer’s Guide
The Ford F-150 has been the best selling pickup for nearly 40 years and has more recently become the best selling vehicle – regardless of model type – in the United States. To say the F-150 is an important and well-loved vehicle would be a dramatic understatement. That’s why we’re looking deep into the F-150’s configuration and options combinations. We aim to inform consumes on what Ford offers with the F-150.
The current F-150 was dramatically reinvented for the 2015 model year an is vastly different from any other pickup on the market. That’s because its body is constructed of lightweight aluminum and it rides on a highly engineered, fully boxed steel frame. It has a pair highly technical, forced-induction engines and it is the first mass-production vehicle to offer a 10-speed automatic transmission.
Of course, the F-150 has some strong competition, namely from General Motors and Ram. GM offers its Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra twins, while Ram has its 1500-series truck. There are others out there, too, including Nissan’s new-for-2017 Titan and Toyota’s aging Tundra. Still, it’s Ford that continues to sell more trucks to more people across the North American continent.
Continue reading for the Buyer’s Guide.
Watch Ken Block Having Fun With The 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor
Ken Block needs no introduction. He’s the pro rally driver turned famed driver of the Gymkhana film series. The 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor needs no introduction either. It’s been written about in these online pages hundreds of times. So what happens when Block meets Raptor on a snowy winter’s day? Fun.
Ford tossed a set of Raptor keys at Block and let him have fun on snow-covered hills in some that resembles Hoth from Star Wars. The Raptor didn’t have any trouble trouncing through the deep powder thanks to its Triple Peak-rated BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires, tall ground clearance, Fox Racing shocks, and six computer-controlled drive modes.
Of course, the Raptor’s main weapon in its arsenal is the 450-horsepower 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6. This twin-turbocharged, all-aluminum, direct-injection engine kicks out a stump-pulling 510 pound-feet of torque. That’s more than enough to launch this full-size truck over any snow bank in this hemisphere.
The 2017 Ford Raptor is finally on sale after more than a year of waiting. Prices start at $48,325 for the SuperCab and $51,310 for the larger SuperCrew model.
Ford Idling F-150, Transit Assembly Plant for One Week
Ford Motor Company is planning to idle F-150 and Transit van production for one week during January at its Kansas City Assembly Plant in Missouri. The time will be used primarily to help reduce Ford’s supply of the trucks and vans as consumer demand wanes. Facility maintenance will also be performed during the down time, scheduled for January 2 through 9.
Production of the F-150 will continue uninterrupted at Ford’s Dearborn Truck Plant.
Ford says it has a 108-day supply of Transit vans, up from an 83-day supply at this time last year. The F-Series pickups currently have an 85-day supply, which is actually down from an 87-day supply last year.
The Kansas City Assembly Plant employs roughly 7,400 workers and runs three shifts around the clock. Employees will be retained for the week-long stint. This marks the second time in four months Ford has idled the Kansas City Plant. Back in October of 2016, the plant, along with four other Ford manufacturing facilities, halted production for a week.
Other automakers are doing the same. General Motors is having to go a step further come 2017. The automaker is planning to idle a number of its small car assembly plants in order to realign its output supply the slowing customer demand for compact and mid-size cars. Come January, GM will begin laying off nearly 3,300 workers as it cuts production shifts in three of its assembly plants in Michigan and Ohio.
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$120,000 Ford F-150 Lariat? Yup! Someone Did It
The Ford F-150 is as ubiquitous as vehicles get in America, making it hard for F-150 owners to stand apart from the crowd. Well, one aftermarket company has been turning Ford’s bread-n-butter profit machine into limited-edition truck with looks not seen elsewhere in the industry. This – the 2016 F-150 Tonka Edition. Oh, and it has a surprise under the hood.
The truck has been worked over by Tuscany, a company known for outlandish body kits and interior upgrades on Ford pickups. This pickup features that familiar yellow paint seen on your childhood toys. Its special bumper, grille, and hood help set it apart, while a mild suspension lift kit and BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires mounted on 18-inch wheels give it an aggressively tall stance.
On top of that, the F-150’s 5.0-liter V-8 is capped with a Shelby performance systems supercharger. According to the dealer listing, the V-8 now makes 700 horsepower. That’s impressive. Of course, the truck comes with 4WD for traction in dirt, sand, and mud. Ford’s six-speed automatic transmission does the shifting.
Tuscany’s relationship with Ford allows customers to special order trucks through the local Ford dealership network, roll the price into financing, and take delivery at the hometown Ford showroom. Pricing for a non-supercharged F-150 Tonka edition hovers around $70,000. Tack on the Shelby performance upgrades, and this sucker is retailing for a whopping $120,000.
Would you pay that kind of cash for a supercharged F-150 that looked like your childhood toy truck? Let us know in the comments.
Ford Conducts Last-Minute Tests on F-150’s 10-Speed Transmission
Ford is conducting additional tests on some models of F-150 equipped with the new 10-speed automatic transmission. The news comes by way of Ford executive Joe Hinrichs, who is the head of Ford’s automotive operations in the Americas. Despite the testing, Hinrichs made clear these trucks would reach dealer lots by the end of 2016.
The news comes from Automotive News who interviewed Hinrichs Monday, December 5th. "We are launching the new Raptor and F-150 with the new 10-speed transmission," Hinrichs told AN. "We continued building but we’re holding (trucks) longer so we could do more testing and make sure everything is right before we release them."
Undoubtedly this is a smart move in today’s climate of near-daily announcement of recalls and publishing of Technical Service Bulletins. Ford has to get the F-150 right as so much of its business rides on the pickup’s success. As for the F-150 Raptor, this off-road beast serves as the company’s halo truck and ambassador to the wealthy. Having issues with the transmission while in customer hands won’t bode well.
Despite their rivalry, Ford co-developed this 10-speed transmission with General Motors. GM’s first application with the gearbox will be the 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Six-speed manual-equipped ZL1s are already in showrooms, but GM has not shipped Camaros with the 10-speed as of early December. The transmissions share physical components, but Ford and GM have ownership of the proprietary software they use for programming. And of course, the Camaro ZL1 will have much different software than the F-150 – even the sport-tuned, 450-horsepower Raptor.
Neither Hinrichs nor Ford has disclosed the number of F-150s being held for testing, though it’s possible every example could. Ford will have plenty of other 2017 F-150 iterations at its dealerships, thankfully. Only the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 and its high-output Raptor version are currently offered with the 10-speed. While we expect the 10-speed’s prevalence to grow, Ford is still using a six-speed automatic in most versions of its F-150.
This story will be updated once Ford begins shipment of 10-speed automatic-equipped F-150s.
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2017 Ford F-150 Raptor Placed Third At Baja 1000 In Stock Full Class Competition
Ford can mark another completed race in its Baja 1000 history book thanks to the 2017 F-150 Raptor. The 49th running of the SCORE Baja 1000 concluded on November 20 after a grueling 854-mile race from Ensenada, Mexico down through the unforgiving deserts in the Baja peninsula and back again. The Raptor team scored a third place victory in the stock full class competition, crossing the finish line with only 52 seconds to spare. The official time was 35:59:08.151.
For those unfamiliar, the Baja 1000 is a race against the clock, navigating the terrain, and to simply finish. The time to beat is 36 hours. Though the Raptor barely squeezed by, it still finished the race. What’s more, the truck when drove some seven hours and another 400 miles east to Phoenix, Arizona – the home base for the team from Foutz Motorsports.
“That’s why the new Ford F-150 Raptor is bad-ass!” said Greg Foutz, the team leader of Foutz Motorsports. “It’s a race-proven off-road monster that can race off-road an entire weekend, then take you and your friends on a road trip the next day.
Two of the five competitors in the stock full class didn’t finish. Second place with to a Toyota Land Cruiser with a time of 32:28:37.068 and first place with to the legendary Rod Hall and his Hummer H1 with a time of 32:13:58.914.
It’s a good thing the 2017 F-150 Raptor finished the race since Ford has hinged the Raptor’s marketing on the truck’s ability to tacked desert terrain at high speeds. Don’t forget, the Raptor even has a Baja mode performance setting. It would have been hard to patch that public relations image hole.
Anyway, congratulations, Ford and the guys from Foutz Motorsports on the Baja 1000 finish.
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Ford Begins Taking Orders For The F-150 Raptor
Ford has officially opened the ordering books for the 2017 F-150 Raptor. Now hungry buyers can put in their order for the truck, either online or at local Ford dealerships.
Despite the books just now opening, Ford says interest in the Raptor is exceeding all its other performance products, which includes vehicles like the Mustang GT350 and Ford GT. More than 30,000 Raptors have been virtually built on Ford’s Build & Price website in the last 10 days alone, with more than 90,000 hits to the page.
What’s more, dealerships already have a backlog of waiting customers. Team Ford in Las Vegas says it already has roughly 300 customers on a waiting list. And despite being one of the highest volume Raptor dealerships, Owner Steve Olliges says he’s having to turn customers away since he’s over his allocation limit.
“It’s a great problem to have, but it’s tough because there’s so much interest in the product,” Olliges said. “We do everything we can to get our hands on Raptors for our customers, whether that’s referring them to other Ford dealers or making calls to find trucks for them.”
Ford also reports that of all the F-150 Raptors slotted to be build, 65 percent of them are marked as early orders from retail customers. Sadly Ford keeps its production numbers on the down low, so it’s impossible to quantify that percentage.
It’s also interesting to note, Ford says of the 30,000 Raptors built of the Build & Price website, roughly 91 percent are SuperCrew versions. The Luxury Group also has a 90-percent selection rate, while the 77 percent of the builds include the Technology Package. And almost in homage to Henry Ford, Shadow Black is the most commonly selected color.
The Raptor will begin production in November and shipments will likely begin sometime soon after that. We’d bet dealership markups will be common, shooting the Raptor’s base MSRP of $49,520 through the roof. The first-generation Raptor sometimes experienced markups as high as $10,000 over MSRP according to past reports.
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