Photo: original image by autoevolution
Ford may have had you thinking it has put all its eggs into the new Mustang basket, but the Blue Oval has much bigger plans for 2015. Plans that also include the thirteenth-generation F-150. We were eager to put the truck to work ever since the first aluminum rumors surfaced and now we have a full story for you.
The F-150 didn’t end up becoming the best-selling truck in the US for the last 37 years and the best-selling vehicle in the country for 32 years by resting on its laurels. This new one has plenty of aces up its full-size pickup sleeve.
This has reduced the unsprung mass, one of the reasons for which the lightweight body-high strength steel frame combination brings a surprisingly pleasant ride. Interestingly enough, the Ford can achieve that without even turning to technologies such as GM’s Magnetic Ride Control or Ram’s coil-spring air suspension.
In fact, the entire Noise Vibration and Harshness area has been seriously tweaked. Thus, a run at highway speeds exceeds your expectations in terms of smoothness.
In fact, the story is far from over - the Blue Oval is set to give us a bouquet of special models, such as a new Raptor, as you’ll be able to read in our 2015 Ford F-150 review.
Smooth operator
The aluminum body didn’t just allow the engineers to shed some 700 lbs (318 kg) compared to the 2014 model. The kurb weight savings mean that all the sub-systems could be made lighter, with the car still delivering the expected performance. For instance, the suspension components are also on the positive side of the scale.This has reduced the unsprung mass, one of the reasons for which the lightweight body-high strength steel frame combination brings a surprisingly pleasant ride. Interestingly enough, the Ford can achieve that without even turning to technologies such as GM’s Magnetic Ride Control or Ram’s coil-spring air suspension.
In fact, the entire Noise Vibration and Harshness area has been seriously tweaked. Thus, a run at highway speeds exceeds your expectations in terms of smoothness.
Is the 2.7-liter V6 up to the job?
The engines have also been downsized and, to answer an important question the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 can handle the job. The Blue Oval hasn’t given us the official fuel efficiency figures yet, but our on-board computer has something to tell you. Its combined driving figure sat at 19.2 mpg (12.25 l/100 km). As for the larger, 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, this returned 18 mpg (13 l/100 km) on the combined cycle.We didn’t say it’s perfect
Perhaps the greatest gripe we have with the 2015 F-150 concerns its pricing. The workhorse is set to hit the market by the end of the year, ranging from $15,420, which brings you the F-150 XL, to $50,960, which is the price you have to pay for the F-150 Platinum. No, we haven’t finished the financial side of the story yet, as we must also mention the King Ranch version, which delivers all the amenities you could wish for, providing you find $61,275 lying around the house.In fact, the story is far from over - the Blue Oval is set to give us a bouquet of special models, such as a new Raptor, as you’ll be able to read in our 2015 Ford F-150 review.
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