Ford has fired the latest shot in the US market share war by unveiling an all-new 2004 F-150 pickup line. This is America’s top-selling vehicle – the 800,000-plus units delivered in 2002 is about twice the volume of the top-selling car and made the F-Series America’s best-selling truck for the 26th consecutive year and the nation’s favourite vehicle for 21 years running.
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The numbers tell why Ford is aggressively striving to maintain and extend the F-150’s leadership as the best-selling full-size pickup. The line is extremely important to the company’s bottom line accounting for nearly 28% of Ford division sales and 23% of Ford’s total US sales.
Numerous changes have been made to the effectively all-new 2004 model – 30% of parts are carried over.
The F-150’s fully boxed frame is approximately nine times stiffer torsionally than its predecessor, for improved durability, driving dynamics, and ride refinement and quietness. The model has a maximum tow rating of 9,500 pounds and maximum payload capacity of 2,900 pounds.
There are new interiors with more space – Regular Cab and SuperCab models have a passenger compartment that is 6 inches longer. For SuperCab models, that extra length means increased rear-seat comfort for three adults in the rear seat and 13 inches of secure storage space behind the seat in regular cab models.
Reflecting consumer demand for ease of access for people and cargo, Regular Cab models feature new, class-exclusive access doors that open up for access to stowage areas behind the seat.
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New engine technology includes a 5.4-litre, three-valve Triton V8 engine producing 300 peak horsepower, a 15% improvement over the previous award-winning 5.4-litre engine, along with improvements in low-speed and peak torque and greater fuel efficiency.
New outboard rear shock absorbers and wider rear leaf springs are specified on the chassis while, inside, new occupant position sensing technology for the first-row passenger allows the new model to exceed rigorous new federal safety standards for air bag and offset crash performance.
The new F-150 cargo box is more than two inches deeper, with greater cargo volume and a class-exclusive new standard tailgate assist feature helps owners of all statures more easily open and close the gate.
The 2004 F-150 lineup includes three cab choices – Regular Cab, a single row of occupant seating and rearward-swinging access doors that reveal a behind-seat stowage area up to 13 inches wide; SuperCab, a two-door extended cab version featuring a second row of seating accessed by two rearward-swinging doors; and SuperCrew, a crew cab that features two rows of seating and four forward-swinging full-size doors.
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Eight-foot, 6 1/2-foot, and 51/2-foot box lengths are offered and the F-150 SuperCab 5 ½- foot box is a new offering and a full-size pickup truck exclusive.
Two different box styles, Styleside and Flareside, are available.
Ford appears to be trying to sell the new F-150 from the inside out. Five distinct trim level offerings range from the workhorse hose-out XL through STX, the expected volume-selling XLT and sporty 4WD-only FX4 to the luxury Lincoln-like Lariat. There are now no fewer than three instrument packs.
A modular overhead system, supplied by Johnson Controls, allows buyers to customize their cabins with a range of storage bins and compartments, including a first aid kit, CD storage, mobile phone holder, tool kit, two-way radio, flashlight holder and optional DVD player. The modules are interchangeable and are available either from the factory or from dealers.
There are two engine choices – the 5.4-litre Triton V8 and a 4.6-litre version.
Matched to the new 5.4-litre V8 is a new 4R75E four-speed automatic transmission, an evolution of the 4R70E used on the current F-150. It is upgraded to handle the torque of the 5.4-litre engine, while taking advantage of patented upgrades to the 4R70E.
The laterally stiff new rear suspension is very resistant to side loads, so trailer influence on the truck (in crosswinds, on rutted roads or alongside 18-wheelers) is minimal.
