Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/407095
F-Series pickup line – and one of the biggest risks. Convincing loyal F-150 owners – and the rest of the light-duty truck world – that an aluminum body is better than traditional steel isn't an easy task in a work environment where strength and durability mean everything. But Ford has put the new trucks through more than a million miles of endurance testing in the lab and field – the most ever for a Ford product – before the very first early- production models we recently drove rolled off the assembly line. No one knows for sure how well these new trucks will fare years down the road. But I can say that after spending a day driving 2015 F-150 SuperCrew and SuperCab models in and around San Antonio, Texas, it's clear Ford's gamble to switch from steel to aluminum is as good a bet as the EcoBoost V6 and 6.7L PowerStroke. The new F-150's ride, handling, durability, capacities and perfor- mance are a huge step above the current (2014-earlier) models, which bodes well for those whose current 1/2-ton pickups are getting long in the tooth. The ride is much more pleasant, the handling crisper, the braking more robust. There's more head and elbow room in the cabs; the doors on the SuperCab swing to almost 180 degrees; the list of stan- dard and optional safety features is long; and, as a mobile office, it would be hard to beat the new model's connectivity with the elec- tronic world. POWER OPTIONS BY FOUR Then there're the power options: Four engines are available in the 2015s starting with the base 283-horsepower 3.5L V-6. It's a carry-over from the previous gen- eration and good engine for the no- frills, white fleets taking a hard line on price-point. But even those angling to keep pro pickup | continued November 2014 | EquipmentWorld.com 54 All-new 325-horsepower 2.7-liter EcoBoost, with standard Auto Start-Stop, widens engine options by providing V8-like towing capability of 8,500 pounds along with excellent fuel economy when commuting is the main task. BoxLink cargo management system includes lockable die-cast aluminum tie-down cleats that can hold 600 pounds each. Optional Ford BoxLink loading ramps are great for loading tires and other bulky items.