CAFE standards are being raised to 35 mpg by 2020, and automakers are working on several technologies to help achieve the lofty standard. The next 12 years will see lighter, more aerodynamic vehicles, but some of the most interesting solutions will be found under the hood. Electric vehicles, hybrids, and small, turbocharged engines will power many vehicles, and diesel engines are set to once again infiltrate our borders, but on a grander scale.
We talked to Ford Powertrain boss Dan Kapp to better understand why diesel engines are inherently more efficient than petrol engines, and we also discussed how and where Ford will be using diesel going forward. Hit play on the video above to take a look.
At last week's dealer show in Las Vegas, a picture of Ford's upcoming 4.4-liter V8 diesel powerplant was leaked to the Internet... ouch. The new powerplant is hardly a secret (we were reporting the first hints of it in June 2006, and the legal issues surrounding the engine in June 2007), but this is the first time the public has seen a photo of the new diesel in its metallic flesh.
Designed to offer comparable acceleration to the current 5.4-liter gasoline Triton, the new engine should be rated at about 330 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. Fuel economy is expected to be around 20% better than the gas-fed Triton. To meet tough emission standards, a NOx after-treatment called "aqueous urea" will be injected into the hot exhaust stream. While the additive cleans up the tailpipe exhaust, it will also be another fluid the consumer will have to maintain (Ford is promising the "urea tank" will only need replenishing during oil changes). Although it doesn't look very attractive sitting naked on a stand atop the garish hotel carpet, you had better get used to seeing this V8 around town. Ford is saying that after a debut in the F-150 midway through the 2010 model year, we can expect the engine to follow in the Expedition, Navigator, E-Series vans, and F-Series SuperDuty.
As the days go on, the much rumored F-150 Raptor is becoming less wild speculation and more solid reality. Dealers were given a glimpse of the forth-coming truck at the Ford Dealer Show in Las Vegas, and they haven't shied away from spilling the beans regarding what they saw. Ford marketing boss Jim Farley unveiled the Ford-embossed front grille of the baja F-150, then showed video of a juiced-up off-road mule tearing it up in the desert.
Farley also revealed some details about the Raptor's new powerplant, which is believed to be the 6.2L "BOSS" V8. Power was quoted at 380 hp, but both PickupTruck.com and Four Wheeler believe Ford is sand-bagging on the engine's real power quotient, which they feel will be in the ballpark of 420 ponies. We're guessing 420 would be a much more appropriate number considering the size of the engine and rumors that the truck may be formally labeled as an SVT product. Dealers were also shown one of the Raptor's long-travel shocks, which was built by Fox Racing especially for the Raptor and has a full 12 inches of travel.
Ford is reportedly very excited about the Raptor, and execs allegedly went as far as saying that the Blue Oval was going to drive the truck "right up Toyota's ass." Ouch, we hope that's a metaphor. At this time there is no word as to when the Raptor will be available to customers, but since it's being shown to dealers, it likely isn't too far off.
Click above for high-res gallery of Ford F-150 "Raptor" spy shots
The rumored Ford F-150 "Raptor" high-performance off-road truck may be branded an SVT model when and if it reaches dealer showrooms. So says Sean Holman at Four Wheeler Magazine, at least. If true, this would mark the return of the SVT label being used front and center on a vehicle since John Coletti, the legendary head honcho of Ford's in-house tuning arm during its heyday, retired in 2004. Ford's Special Vehicle Team is still alive and well within the Blue Oval, having participated in developing a number of special Mustang models in recent years including the GT500, which features SVT badges all over its exterior and interior but not in its name.
Affixing the letters S-V-T to a truck will bring on inevitable comparisons to the late, great SVT Lightning F-150, which was produced for ten years between 1993 and 2003. While that high-performance truck was meant for on-road shenanigans, the "Raptor" is being developed in the vein of a Baja truck with big tires, bigger ground clearance and a big appetite for jumping things like sand dunes and rows of Foci. Production of the "Raptor" truck itself is just a rumor, however, despite heavily covered prototypes seen idling around Dearborn. The addition of an SVT badge would make the secretly developed desert stormer that much more legitimate in our eyes, even if Ford's in-house tuning program has never proven itself off the beaten path.
If you ever wanted to put an Ford F-150 in your driveway, this summer may be the best time to make your move. As the new 2009 F-150 nears production, Ford is increasing its plant's output of the 2008 F-150 to ensure enough supply remains during July and August when plant production will be transitioning to the all-new model. The last time Ford took such measures was back in 2003, when it sold the F-150 "Heritage" alongside its replacement. Things have changed, however, as there are now only two plants producing the F-150 (compared to four in 2003), and the economy isn't nearly as strong.
There is a fair amount of risk involved during a model change-over for a vehicle with such high sales and production numbers (Ford sold about 414,000 F-150s in 2007). On one hand, Ford needs to keep dealers from drying out during the production slow-down. On the other, the last thing dealers need is a surplus of 2008 models just as the 2009 models arrive. It is a delicate balancing game between supply and demand.
With production ramping, supplies are already up. As of March 1st, Ford had an inventory of 200,000 F-series pickups (a 96-day supply). Last year at this time, it had 176,200. Inventory isn't the only thing on the rise. In a move that will benefit consumers, financial incentives are skyrocketing. Compared to this time last year, incentives are up by $733 to a whopping $4,514 per truck. Nothing sounds sweeter to consumers than high inventory levels combined with substantial incentives -- if you are in the market for a new F-150, this is music to your ears.
click above for more high-res images of the Ford Work Solutions package
Ford is not shy about reminding the world of the enormous number of full-size trucks that it sells every year. A large portion of those trucks get sold to people who use them to earn their living. Contractors, plumbers, electricians, installers, landscapers and more use their trucks and vans as mobile offices, workshops and tool cribs. With the market for this class of vehicles getting increasingly competitive, thanks to new models from Chrysler and entries from Toyota and to a lesser degree Nissan, Ford knows it needs to provide something that appeals to those core commercial customers. In mid-2006, the brand that Henry built talked to its customers and determined that owners would appreciate new features that would make their more productive in new ways. So they worked with partners like Master Lock, DeWalt and Sprint to create a package called Work Solutions that will be available on 2009 F-150 and Super-Duty pickups and E-Series vans. Basically a fully functional in-dash computer with lots of gadgetry built in, the Work Solutions package is a technological tour de force for commercial customers. Read more about it after the jump.
click above for more high-res images of the 2009 Ford F-150
The Ford F-Series has been the top-selling vehicle longer than most of us at Autoblog have been alive, and the Blue Oval designed the new 2009 F-150 to help keep that streak alive. In 2009, several new additions will be made to Ford's best-seller, including an easy access step for the pickup bed, a flat-load back seat, an improved powertrain lineup, and a new frame that features more high-strength steel. The truck experts at PickupTruck.com spent a whole day with F-Series Chief Engineer Matt O'Leary and Design Director Pat Schiavone, and the fruit of their labor is eight videos that detail every square inch of Ford's most important product. We've added a walk-through tour of the interior of the new F-150 Platinum after the jump, and you can click the Read link below to view videos ranging from tow information to design inspiration at PickupTruck.com.
click above for high-res live shots of the 2009 Ford F-150
We already brought you official photography of the newly-revamped 2009 Ford F-150 just after midnight today, but that's hardly enough attention for America's best-selling vehicle. Now that the Blue Oval boys have rolled out the new truck into Cobo Arena - with help from Toby Keith and a cast of characters - we see little reason to think that the F-series won't retain its crown.
Improving the F-150 "truck-ness" are several features, such as the tailgate step that we appreciated so much on larger Super Duty, and new fold-down steps that can be accessed from the side of the truck. Considering how deep the box is on this truck, the steps will definitely come in handy on the ranch or at the grocery store.
Ford's slick Integrated Trailer Brake Controller is now available on a half-ton truck for the first time, and Trailer Sway Control helps keep the vehicle on the road while towing so that hopefully you won't need to experience the effectiveness of Roll Stability Control and side-curtain airbags. Tow and payload ratings are as-yet announced; we expect to hear more by the Chicago Auto Show next month.
click above for more high-res images of the 2009 Ford F-150
The full-size pickup market may be shrinking in sales, but it's more competitive than ever. With the introduction of the 2009 Dodge Ram and this truck, the 2009 Ford F-150, the segment is filled to the brim with modern, next-gen pickups. The best-selling F-150, however, is looking to keep its crown with the introduction of the 2009 model. Like any next-gen truck worth its salt, the '09 F-150 is pretty much better in every way.
Styling is always subjective, and fortunately there are many styles of the new F-150 from which to choose. The XL, STX, FX4, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch and new premium Platinum trims all have their own look to varying degrees. Having seen all the different variations, we actually think the new F-150 gets uglier the more you pay for it. That's probably not what Ford designers intended, but the Platinum model's 20-inch aluminum wheels and bright chrome grille with mesh inserts just don't say "Built Ford Tough" to us. We'll take one of the less expensive models with its black bumpers and Super Duty-inspired three-bar grille instead.
Follow the jump for more on the 2009 Ford F-150, including Ford's official press release. Check out all the pics we have so far (more will be added) in the gallery below.
UPDATE: New pics added to gallery. Check out all 113 high-res photos of the 2009 Ford F-150.
While the big news story surrounding 2007 sales is that Toyota passed Ford as the No. 2 best-selling automaker in the U.S. last year, there were plenty of interesting battles happening between individual models, as well. The truck segment, though shrinking, is still the most competitive in the U.S. market, and 2007 saw the most serious challenge yet to the domestics' market dominance with the introduction of the 2007 Toyota Tundra.
While the F-Series pickup retained its title of Best-Selling Truck for the 31st year in a row (also the Best-Selling Vehicle in the U.S. for the 26th year in a row), its sales fell 13.2% to 690,589. And to think, the F-Series' best-selling year ever was just three years ago in 2004 when it sold 939,511 units. Give the F-Series credit, however, for retaining its No. 1 position despite a brand new Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra on the market. GM's new GMT900 trucks did help the automaker mitigate a similar sales slide, with sales falling only 2.8% to 618,257 for the Silverado and 1.2% to 208,243 for the Sierra in 2007. The Dodge Ram also did well despite the shrinking market, with sales off just 2% at 358,295.
The Toyota Tundra, however, is the story the year...
Follow the jump for more analysis and the raw sales numbers for trucks sold in the U.S. last year.
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