Ford Motor Company takes a lot of pride in its F-150 and its entire lineup of Ford Trucks. Coming from a great heritage of well-built, reliable pickup trucks, the modern-day F-150 offers a high level of performance, value, safety, and comfort that did not exist a few decades ago. In fact, if you go back and look at how the truck has evolved over the years, you will see Ford has taken a lot of time and care in crafting something that is not just a truck, but a state of the art engineering marvel.
With the current generation going strong, it would be a bit premature to predict how the model line is going to drastically change in the future. With that said, innovation and progress go hand in hand with the F150. Ford is currently taking steps to make some major changes to ensure the F150 stays at the cutting edge of technology and vehicle design. Best of all, many of these changes promise to be significant in terms of what we think a full-size truck should be and have.
Expect the immediate future of the F-150, and pickup trucks in general, to come with a few surprises. Here is a basic look at what you should expect from the Ford F-150 lineup in the next few years.
The Same Successful Recipe
There is something unique about the F-150 that has made it the number one selling vehicle overall in the United States. Its continued success relies on a number of different factors that depend on the individual owner. Some people buy the F-150 for the power and reliability it offers while others just enjoy a larger vehicle as a daily commuter. Regardless of what drives people to Ford trucks in general, something special stands out about the F-150.
You can bet that Ford is going to continue much of this successful recipe into the future. Nothing kills success like drastic changes when they are not necessary. In fact, most truck manufacturers are slow to change their model lines in significant ways until sales start to dip or new technologies arise that must be implemented. Right now, Ford is still enjoying a lot of success, meaning significant change isn’t going to come anytime soon.
Specifically, expect much of the same in terms of the options Ford offers customers in the F-150 lineup. From the different trims, engine options, lengths of the bed and cabin, and all of the truck’s little accessories and upgrades, the current generation has done things right to the point that Ford would be crazy to make major changes to things their customers want.
Going Diesel
With all that said, the future does have a couple of surprising changes in store for the model lineup. While it is insignificant for most truck lines, this next significant addition is unique to Ford trucks: the F-150 is going diesel.
The inclusion of a diesel engine option has been a long time coming. While it is not the first truck with a diesel, it indeed is a long wanted feature for many Ford customers. When you look at the benefits a Ford diesel engine has to offer on top of the technology the company already includes into their powerplants, it is easy to see why so many customers have requested a diesel option.
Diesel fuel tends to be more efficient and economical in the long run for truck owners. While the fuel costs more at the gas station, better fuel efficiency in the engine combined with large fuel tanks cut down on the amount of time truck owners will spend at the gas station. Since the F-150 uses a light aluminum chassis, this will maximize the effects of a diesel engine as well.
Even though some of the specific details are still up in the air, it is easy to see how Ford is going to combine its successful track record of fuel-efficient engines with this diesel option. The company’s EcoBoost V-6 engines, for example, have already put the F-150 above much of the competition in fuel economy. Ford designers have a lot of experience with tweaking engine performance and capability to increase this efficiency without sacrificing the horsepower and torque you would expect out of a light-duty truck.
A Larger Presence
Ford recently announced they will be phasing out most of their car model lines in the next few years to focus on larger SUVs and trucks. Hoping to decrease operational costs and build more vehicles their customers want, the company is putting a lot of stock in models like the F-150. As a result, you can expect many more F-150 trucks on the road in the future.
This is good news for all Ford trucks, especially the F-150. Ford’s recent announcement indicated they will be re-purposing some factory space and retraining employees to make the popular truck line. This will give the company more resources to expand the line in different ways beyond just increasing their production numbers. More factory floor space means a higher capability to build trucks at different trim levels and with different accessories. More stock options will give customers more to choose from without having to make custom orders for dealerships.
Just The Start
This is an exciting time for truck manufacturers because technology is changing so much in how they design, construct and feature their vehicles. Automotive design, in general, is starting to incorporate more automated technologies, active safety features, and alternative fuels/engine and drivetrains.
You can expect that Ford will continue to push the envelope with any future design changes of the F-150. The potential for hybrid or all-electric Ford trucks is undoubtedly on the horizon since the technology offers better fuel efficiency in addition to instant access to torque and horsepower. The trend of offering even more comfort and convenience features continues to increase with options currently available within today’s F150 that rival luxury vehicles.
In short, the F-150 will only get more powerful and intelligent as time goes on. Making it comfortable, powerful, and safe will remain Ford’s top priority even as the next generation of Ford trucks rolls off the assembly line.
