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NEW F-150 NAMED 2018 MOTOR TREND
TRUCK OF THE YEAR; FORD FIRST WITH FULL TRUCK LINE BACK-TO-BACK WINS
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New F-150 earns 2018 Motor Trend Truck of the Year
for the fifth time to score back-to-back wins for Ford F-Series on the
heels of the all-new Super Duty capturing top honors for 2017
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F-150 win comes after Motor Trend editors evaluated
2018 F-150 XL, Lariat, Platinum and Raptor trucks against the latest
competitive offerings for design, engineering excellence, safety, value,
efficiency and performance
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Even tougher, even smarter and even more capable new
Ford F-150 features best-in-class fuel economy and towing, class-exclusive
technologies, plus new Built Ford Tough exterior design and freshened
interiors
Los Angeles, Nov. 27, 2017 – Ford, America’s truck
leader for 40 straight years, has bested all competitors to earn 2018
Motor Trend Truck of the Year honors for the new Ford F-150. This is the
fifth win for F-150, and this award follows the all-new Ford Super Duty
capturing the award in 2017.
“Back-to-back wins for F-150 and Super Duty reflect what we’re also seeing
and hearing from customers as we celebrate 40 straight years as America’s
favorite and best-selling trucks,” said Raj Nair, Ford executive vice
president and president, North America. “The Ford Truck team stretched
further than ever to deliver our toughest, most capable and smartest
trucks.”
Click on an image below to enlarge:
“This year’s competition was fierce, but the vote was unanimous,” said Ed
Loh, Motor Trend editor in chief. ”The newly redesigned 2018 F-150
exceeded our expectations in every category – powertrain, performance,
technology and overall execution.”
The Ford F-150 line went up against the latest competitive truck offerings
in a program that combined empirical and real-world testing to find the
truck that best met the award’s key criteria: advancement in design,
engineering excellence, safety, value, efficiency and performance of
intended function. Motor Trend editors put to the test four vehicles from
the Ford pickup lineup: the 2018 F-150 XL with the all-new 3.3-liter V6
engine, F-150 Lariat with the all-new 2.7-liter EcoBoost®, F-150 Platinum
with an enhanced 5.0-liter V8, and the high-performance off-road F-150
Raptor.
Judges cited overall towing capability, advanced technology functionality
and powertrain performance among their favorite F-150 attributes. They
also noted exemplary on- and off-road driving performance, best-in-class
fuel economy and innovative cab design as F-150 strengths.
New features and improvements put F-150 over the top
The 2018 F-150 features a number of design updates and technology
enhancements across its powertrain, driver-assist and connectivity
offerings, making it tougher, smarter and more capable than ever.
Major exterior freshening across the lineup includes new grilles, bumpers,
headlights, tail lamps, tailgate outers, wheels and more. Interior updates
on XLT Sport, XLT Special Edition, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum and
Limited trucks include color and material changes for seats, instrument
panel and console trim. An all-new B&O PLAY™ audio system by HARMAN is
also available.
With an EPA-estimated rating of 20 mpg city, 26 mpg highway and 22 mpg
combined, the second-generation 2.7-liter EcoBoost-equipped F-150 delivers
best-in-class fuel economy. Powered by the 3.5-liter EcoBoost, F-150
offers best-in-class towing capacity of 13,200 pounds.
F-150 shines with clever design, all-new 3.3-liter engine, towing
capability
Design elements such as rear-hinged doors on the SuperCab truck that ease
access to the rear passenger compartment, an available twin-panel power
moonroof, and new technology features like Apple CarPlay and SYNC 3 got
high marks from Motor Trend editors.
“Ford deserves a lot of credit for how the extended cab is designed,” said
one judge. “Unlike its rivals with B-pillars and normal opening doors, the
nearly 180-degree-opening rear doors and flat load floor allow owners to
maximize utility in the back, and make it easier for passengers to get in
and out.”
Praise for the F-150 XL with all-new 3.3-liter V6 engine touched on how
easily the truck can tow trailers weighing 7,700 pounds – the maximum
rating for the base engine.
“The 3.3-liter has zero trouble towing a 5,000-pound trailer,” said one
judge. “Tow/Haul mode keeps the gears low and the engine roaring, with no
shift shock. This powertrain is more than adequate to get F-150 down the
road quickly.”
In terms of the overall lineup, Motor Trend editors were impressed with
the ease and accuracy of features such as Pro Trailer Backup Assist and a
multi-angle 360-degree camera system, as well as F-150’s competent
powertrains. One judge, an admitted towing novice, said the truck’s towing
capabilities are simply “fantastic.”
High series trucks, all-new EcoBoost elicit ‘wows’
Motor Trend editors were as impressed with the power and handling of the
all-new 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 in F-150 Lariat as they were with the
truck’s ride and level of luxury appointments. The chassis smooths out
large road undulations with ease, and steering is “shockingly precise,”
they reported.
“Wow, I thought this was the V8 when I first hopped in,” said one. “Power
delivery is excellent, with no perceivable lag. This 2.7-liter turbo is
all the engine most folks will ever need.”
Judges also tested the F-150 Platinum with 5.0-liter V8 that features
significant upgrades, including advanced dual port and direct-injection
technology and spray-on bore liner technology for reduced weight and
best-in-class payload capacity of 3,270 pounds. The enhanced engine is
paired to a segment-first 10-speed Ford SelectShift™ automatic
transmission with four selectable drive modes – normal, tow/haul, snow/wet
and sport. The new 10-speed automatic is shared with the 2.7-liter and
3.5-liter EcoBoost engines as well.
One Motor Trend editor said the 5.0-liter V8 is a sweetheart of an engine,
with tons of power.
“It cruises oh so well, and tows like a champ,” he reported. “It didn’t
seem to struggle at all with a 9,000-pound trailer attached. This truck is
happy to be put to work.”
F-150 Raptor is a class of one
With 450 horsepower and 510 lb.-ft. of torque, F-150 Raptor impressed
judges with the quick and responsive kick from its twin-turbocharged,
high-output 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine, enhanced by its segment-exclusive
Ford SelectShift 10-speed automatic and industry-leading six-mode Terrain
Management System™. Raptor’s high-strength, military-grade, aluminum-alloy
body saves 500 pounds over the previous model, which pays off in a
stronger, more agile truck.
“As great as this thing is off-road, it’s shocking how good it is on
pavement,” said one judge. “It’s more than happy to carve corners with
precise steering, good brakes, great power and a suspension that hunkers
down and leans into corners.”
F-150 Raptor’s competition-proven chassis sets the performance bar with
its second-generation BFGoodrich KO2 tires designed exclusively for the
truck’s extended off-road capabilities. In addition, FOX shocks, jointly
engineered by Ford Performance and FOX, feature three-inch-diameter shock
canisters and nine-stage bypass damping to optimize suspension control and
provide massive suspension travel that includes 13 inches at the front and
13.9 inches at the rear.
Built at Dearborn Truck Plant in Michigan and Kansas City Assembly Plant
in Missouri, the 2018 F-150 is available now at Ford dealerships
nationwide.
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