The 2008 version of the North American International Auto Show is now history. Here at LotPro.com, we can see that most of the cars have “left the building” and workers have begun dismantling the huge displays and either storing them or trucking them to Chicago or New York for the next round.
Now What?
During the next few days, we’ll wrap up the show for you with pictures as well as commentary describing the good, the bad and the “what were they thinking”. So get ready, because we’re going to start our tour with Ford Motor Company.
Only the Beginning
We fully intended to get an early start to be one of the first into the show on Tuesday morning. Alas, Mother Nature had other ideas and turned a normal 40 minute commute into a 2 hour crawl down I-75 to Cobo Hall. Not auspicious beginning, but the day would get much better.
Ford Motor Company Trucks
Upon entering the hall, the Ford exhibit was just to the right. Just like the other domestic manufacturers, Ford has had a rough time in the marketplace lately. Fortunately, the auto show highlighted a number of bright spots in the company’s future.
F-150
The Ford F-150 was named Autoweek magazine’s “Most Significant” vehicle of the 2008 North American International Auto Show for good reason. This is Ford’s best selling vehicle by far, with over 700,000 sold in 2007. Still, this represented a 13% drop in sales from a year earlier. Originally intended for just a facelift, it was decided a year ago that in order to keep up with both GM and Dodge, a total re-design was needed.
The money was well spent. Taking design cues from the Super Duty, the new F series has a more upright, tougher look that the model it replaces. Stretching the SuperCrew cab by 6 inches improves both cargo capacity as well as rear seat legroom. With flip-up rear seats and a flat floor, cargo capacity is a cavernous (for a pickup truck) 57.6 cubic feet. All models are powered by a choice of three V8 engines, ranging from 4.6 to 5.4 liters.
In back, a new tailgate design that incorporates an optional tailgate step features a curve at the top that not only gives it character, but also aids in vehicle aerodynamics. The combination of cab styles, bed length and trim level means the new Ford F-150 can be ordered in any one of 35 different configurations.
Tags: , Ford F-150, Ford Trucks
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