2009 Ford F-150

2009 Ford F-150

Ford has heavily revised 2009 F-150 pickup truck, which is bigger and bolder than ever.The F-series pickup is far and away the most crucial vehicle in Ford’s lineup, selling hundreds of thousands more units each year than any other Ford vehicle. It has been the bestselling vehicle from any manufacturer for more than two decades.After some cracks Ford comes with a new 150.
The new 2009 F-150 is ready to challenge with the all-new Dodge Ram and last year’s new Chevy Silverado and Toyota Tundra. The 2009 Ford F-150 takes its styling cues from the F-series Super Duty pickup. “We learn from our customers,” says Patrick Schiavone, the F-series chief designer. They’ve told us that “a truck needs to be tough. You cannot make it too tough for me.” So, the new F-150 has a bigger grille, with chrome girders that are similar to those in the Super Duty. The big fender badge, according to Schiavone, “is meant to look like it’s milled from a solid piece of steel.” Grooves in the taillights that also run across the tailgate evoke 1960s and 1970s Ford trucks. The little flip at the top of the tailgate is there both to help aerodynamics and for looks.

New 2009 Ford F-150 indeed looks much bigger, tougher, and more substantial, and it will certainly appeal to those who purchase trucks as a reflection of their perceived masculinity or lack thereof. The Crew Cab model is a whopping six inches longer than before.Ride height is up about an inch, too, in response to dealers, who are asked by many consumers to install lift kits in the current truck. The increased height, length, and squared-off body combine to make the truck appear even bigger and more imposing.
V-8 engines are standard; the current 4.2-liter V-6 will be dropped. There now will be two versions of the 4.6-liter Triton V-8; one with two valves per cylinder, which will still be saddled with a four-speed automatic, and one with three valves per cylinder. Both it and the 5.4-liter V-8 now are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. None of the engines comes close to offering the level of horsepower that’s now available in the 5.7-liter V-8 in the new Toyota Tundra.

All models will be offered with a fold-out tailgate step, the better to climb up into this tall beast. A foldable bed extender made of plastic is more flexible than the tubular aluminum ones. Dual tracks along the top of the tall bedsides maximize tie-down possibilities. There is no cap for the fuel nozzle, a feature that will be introduced across the board for all Ford vehicles in the 2009 model year.
It will be interesting to see if the market will follow Ford down this bigger, tougher road, or whether the decrease in sales of full-size pickup trucks will continue as Americans become resigned to $3-per-gallon gasoline and adjust their transportation choices accordingly. One could argue that the last thing full-size, light-duty pickup trucks should be doing at this juncture is getting bigger, taller, and heavier. How about a right-size pickup that’s lower to the ground and still capable of towing and hauling?