Ford’s F-150, the best-selling pickup in the United States for the past 40 consecutive years, still has some “firsts” up its sleeve.
Just three years removed from debuting a high-strength aluminum bodied F-150, Ford announced earlier this week that along with an overhaul of the truck’s design, it will roll out the company’s first diesel-powered engine option for its flagship pickup in 2018.
The 2018 F-150 will make available a Ford designed and engineered 3.0-liter Power Stroke diesel engine paired with its 10-speed automatic transmission.
All new standard engine
The new F-150 will also introduce an all-new, standard direct-injection 3.3-liter V6 engine. The 3.3L V6 is expected to offer the same 282 horsepower and 253 lb.-ft. of torque as the previous model’s standard 3.5L V6.
A second-generation 2.7L EcoBoost engine will feature advanced dual port and direct injection technology and, like the 3.5L EcoBoost, the 2.7L EcoBoost will be paired to the segment-exclusive 10-speed automatic transmission for 2018.
The 5.0L V8 also gets improvements in 2018. The naturally aspirated power plant offers power and torque upgrades and is paired with the 10-speed automatic transmission for the first time.
In addition to the segment-first 10-speed automatic, the Ford F-150 is now the first full-size pickup truck to add automatic start/stop as standard equipment across all models and engines.
Exterior, interior redesigns
Also for next model year, all trim levels – from XL to Limited – get new grilles, headlamps and bumpers that Ford designed to create a visually wider and more planted stance and maximum differentiation between the series.
On the Sport Package-equipped Lariat F-150, the signature twin bars are painted body color for a custom athletic appearance.
A high-strength steel fully boxed ladder frame and high-strength, military-grade, aluminum alloy body save weight and add capability, helping F-150 tow heavier trailers than ever and deliver best-in-class payload ratings.
The 2018 F-150 will also feature six all-new wheel designs, ranging from 17 inches to 22 inches in diameter.
A new sculpted tailgate with deeper accent form and stamped F-150 badging are flanked by new tail lamp designs. For further style differentiation, a tailgate applique adds a horizontal element to King Ranch, Platinum and Limited versions.
F-150 also brings two new seating trim colors – Dark Marsala for F-150 Platinum, while top-of-the-line F-150 Limited offers a Navy Pier environment. New trim offerings including carbon fiber appearance appliques on F-150 XLT Sport and Lariat Sport models, while F-150 King Ranch features new Kingsville Appointed seats.
New technologies
When 2018 models hit the highways, F-150 will feature segment-first and class-exclusive technologies like adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality and Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection.
Adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality allows drivers to set a cruising speed while radar and cameras monitor traffic ahead to maintain a set distance between vehicles – even following a vehicle down to a complete stop.
Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection helps the driver avoid or mitigate collisions with vehicles and pedestrians.
The coming F-150 makes available an embedded 4G LTE modem for a Wi-Fi hot spot, where customers can connect up to 10 mobile devices at one time. New B&O PLAY available audio system takes advantage of high-end speakers, sound and tuning.
These technologies join existing segment-exclusive driver assist and convenience features that include:
- Available SYNC and SYNC 3 with FordPass enables compatibility of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – plus mobility services to help customers move more efficiently.
- Available 360-degree camera technology helps improve driver confidence when parking and can help reduce stress when connecting a trailer – allowing customers to see more so they can focus on specific tasks such as lining up a hitch.
- Available lane-keeping system is designed to help reduce unintentional drifting of the vehicle outside the intended lane.
- Available Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with trailer tow technology is optimized for F-150 to include the length of a trailer up to 33 feet; BLIS uses radar sensors in the tail lamps to monitor areas that may not be visible to the driver.