Automotive News - January 14, 2008 - (Page 28) 28 • JANUARY 14, 2008 DETROIT AUTO SHOW Ford suspends, reworks F-150 for ’09 to keep it at front of pickup pack Amy Wilson awilson@crain.com The new F-150 features sheet metal changes on every exterior panel. DETROIT — When Ford Motor Co. halted its 2009 F-150 program for two months in 2006, the subsequent changes cost the automaker more money. But with an increased budget, Ford made more changes to its flagship pickup than originally planned. The re-engineered and restyled F-150, which was scheduled to be revealed Sunday at the Detroit auto show, now features sheet metal changes on every exterior panel, said Patrick Schiavone, Ford’s design director of North American trucks. “It wasn’t going to be enough when we saw where the truck market is going — all the competitors and when they’re coming out and their time frames,” Schiavone said. “So we just realigned the program and added a heck of a lot more content to the vehicles.” The updated F-150 goes on sale this fall. Dodge has a re-engineered and restyled Ram scheduled for the 2009 model year. General Motors reengineered and restyled its pickups for the 2008 model year. Toyota redesigned the Tundra for 2008. Higher budget The F-150’s profile is similar to the outgoing version, but the 2009 model boasts styling changes all around. For example, initially Schiavone’s team couldn’t restyle fenders, he said, because the plan “was just a front clip.” The changes are aimed at keeping the F-series family at the top of the full-sized pickup segment, which is crucial to Ford’s profitability. F-series sales in the United States fell 13.2 percent in 2007 to 690,589 vehicles. The entire segment fell 3.0 percent in 2007 to 2.1 million vehicles. While Schiavone acknowledged that Ford increased the F-150’s budget for the changes, he wouldn’t say by what percentage or provide dollar figures. “Obviously, I was thrilled to be able to have more to work with,” he said. To make the F-150 look tougher, Ford borrowed some styling cues from the larger F-series Super Duty pickups. The 2009 model features a new three-bar grille. LIFE CREATES CAR SHOPPERS. WE TURN THEM INTO CAR BUYERS. Offer Kelley Blue Book® Values on your Web site and generate more sales. Technology upgrades Ford also aimed to upgrade the F-150’s capability and efficiency. The 2009 F-150 has a new highstrength, lighter-weight chassis. Its engines will produce more horsepower and deliver better fuel economy, officials say. Towing and payload capacity also is increased, but Ford isn’t sharing details on those gains. Ford stretched the length of the F150 Super Crew cab by 6 inches to provide more rear-seat legroom and cargo space. A new Platinum series is available for 2009. Ford calls it the most luxurious F-150 ever built. New high-displacement V-8 gasoline engines and a new V-8 diesel engine that are being developed at Ford aren’t ready for the 2009 model. The F-150’s V-6 engine is being dropped. That leaves the 2009 F-150 powered by three V-8s already in use at Ford: a 5.4-liter three-valve, a 4.6liter three-valve and a 4.6-liter twovalve. They are combined with either a four-speed or a new six-speed automatic transmission. Ford says fuel economy will improve by a fleet average of 1 mpg. The new diesel and a turbocharged, direct-injection gasoline engine that Ford calls EcoBoost are scheduled to arrive in 2010, Ford says. Ford executives are betting that the upgrades will keep the F-150 on top. “This truck means an awful lot to us,” Schiavone said. “We own it, we love it, we take care of it.”c LeadDriver ™ adds Kelley Blue Book® Values to your dealer Web site. Your customers get instant trade-in values. You get detailed customer information. Since 73% of online car shoppers are more likely to buy from a dealership that offers Kelley Blue Book Values on its site, we suggest you contact us to learn more about LeadDriver and the rest of our Internet marketing solutions and services. You’ll be 100% glad you did. Come see us at NADA booth 6441S. ©2007 Kelley Blue Book Co., Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.800bluebook.com http://www.800bluebook.com
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