2/27/14

Ford celebrates Aussie ute’s 80th anniversary as the pioneer of the company’s global truck leadership

  •     Ford celebrates the 80th anniversary of its ute – the forerunner of modern pickup trucks – based on the first sale to a Melbourne-area farmer in February 1934
  •     A 23-year-old Ford Australia designer created the ute by listening to the farming family’s request for a vehicle with more utility
  •     Ford’s truck teams translate customer needs into innovations more than ever, including the all-new 2015 F-150 with high-strength, military-grade, aluminum alloys throughout the body
  •     Ford sold more than one million pickups globally in 2013 based on Ranger growth in Asia, F-Series’ 37th straight year as America’s best-selling truck and the “International Pick-Up Award 2013” in Europe
Ford is celebrating the 80th anniversary of its Australian invention of the iconic ute, which led to the development of vehicles such as the F-Series and Ranger and propelled the company to years of truck leadership.

Not only was it an Australian invention, but the concept has been exported to the world, reinterpreted by other manufacturers and gained a legion of fans everywhere.

The story of the first Ford ute is a key part of Ford’s rich heritage that has seen the development of such iconic vehicles as the F-Series.

Farming roots

Like all good ideas, the first integrated passenger-car based Ute was born out of necessity, very much like the first Model T Ford.

In mid-1933 the then managing director of the Ford Motor Company of Australia, Hubert French, received a letter from a farmer’s wife in Gippsland, Victoria.

She wrote: “My husband and I can’t afford a car and a truck but we need a car to go to church on Sunday and a truck to take the pigs to market on Monday. Can you help?” What the customer wanted was a vehicle with passenger car comfort but could also carry loads.

French passed the letter on to a young design engineer, Lewis (Lew) Bandt, who had joined the company only a few years previously as Ford’s only designer. Bandt was just 23 years old but was already showing a flair for design for which he was to become quite famous until he retired in 1975.

Bandt died in 1987, after being involved in an accident driving a restored version of the Utility he helped make famous.

Bandt’s take on the passenger car-based utility was considered revolutionary at the time. Until the early 1930s, many auto manufacturers and vehicle body builders had constructed wooden or metal ‘utility’ bodies on car chassis. Henry Ford’s Model T was a particular favourite and Ford T “Buckboards” and “Utility Runabouts” were to be found on farms and delivering goods in towns and cities throughout the world.

The ute is Born

Where Bandt’s design differed was that he developed his Ford utility as a coupe (two-passenger, steel-paneled, glass-windowed car) with an integrated steel-paneled load carrying section at the rear. What Bandt did was to blend the ‘pickup’ sides into a coupe body, which provided a cleaner profile and increased the load area behind the cabin.

Bandt sketched out his ute on a 10 metre blackboard, giving it a 545 kilogram (1200-pound) payload on a wheelbase of 2845 mm (9 feet, 4 inches).

He completed his original design in October, 1933, and quickly produced two prototypes for testing. By January 23, 1934, he had the final drawings and the new Ford ute went into production with Bandt christening his design a ‘coupe-utility’. When the first utes came off the production line in 1934 two were sent to Canada. The car even caught the eye of Henry Ford.

Bandt’s original full-scale blueprint drawings of the 1934 coupe utility are now archived in Australia and the rebuilt version of the Bandt coupe-utility is – appropriately – housed in a museum in the rural country Victorian town of Chewton, near Melbourne.

In its day, the Ford coupe-utility boasted a V8 engine and three-speed manual gearbox while its suspension was by transverse leaf springs with shock absorbers at the front and heavy duty semi-elliptic rear springs and shock absorbers at the rear.

The cabin was the same as the four-door Model 40 Ford five-window coupe. But, instead of the rear luggage compartment or ‘dicky seat’, Bandt added a wooden-framed utility section with steel outer panels welded to the coupe body to form a smooth-sided vehicle.

The result was quickly hailed as the ‘must have’ vehicle for the rural communities and 22,000 were sold between 1940 and 1954.

Lew Bandt’s daughter, Dr Ros Bandt said it was her father’s stunning foresight to marry beautiful design and on-the-ground practicality and make it available to all Ford customers.

“I can't imagine what it must have been like in this pressured war-torn time in the 1930s to have the vision to create an affordable Ute on the land to help with everyday tasks, both work and play and be able to connect over distance,” Dr Bandt said.

“Dad created a brilliant stylish workhorse, which is the legacy he has left to all farmers and owners who enjoy and depend on their utes worldwide. In his words; he wanted the farmer's wife and the pigs to have a glorious ride.”

Lewis Bandt’s coupe utility was a first for Ford Australia and his ingenuity had a great impact on the then developing Australia auto industry.

The original Bandt-designed Ford ute paved the way for what has morphed into what has become some of the world’s biggest selling vehicles – the Pickup or utility. It also spawned the Falcon ute, which has been a firm favourite with customers since the first Falcon XK ute was launched in 1961.

In total, Ford Australia has sold more than 455,000 Falcon utes, among the most popular being the Falcon XB, XF II, AU II, BA and current FG models.

The Australian designed and developed Ford Ranger is also widely sold in more than 180 different countries.

Global truck leadership

Ford sold more than one million trucks globally in 2013, building on the company’s truck leadership that includes:
  •     Ford pickups globally represent one out of every five pickups sold
  •     F-Series is the best-selling vehicle in the history of the pickup truck industry with more than 33 million trucks sold – twice as many as the No. 2 vehicle, the Model T (16.5 million)
  •     F-Series became the world’s best-selling truck in the United States for the 37th consecutive year and the best-selling vehicle in the country for the 32th straight year
  •     Ranger achieved best-ever sales and was Ford’s best-selling vehicle across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2013 and earned “International Pick-Up Award 2013” in Europe
  •     Ranger was the best-selling vehicle overall in Vietnam, saw sales rise 43 per cent in Thailand and is challenging to become New Zealand’s top-selling truck by overtaking Toyota HiLux in sales six months in the past two years
About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 181,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit corporate.ford.com.

2/25/14

NEW 2015 Ford Transit





The all-new Transit builds on its more than 45 years of leadership in Europe as the best-selling commercial van. On sale this summer, Transit will offer the widest choice of roof heights, wheelbases and body lengths to maximize flexibility, plus a full suite of onboard features and technologies that are intuitive, easy to operate and designed for business. Three proven powertrains will offer best-in-class mileage with plenty of performance to get the job done, while also providing alternative fuel options. Transit eventually will replace Ford E-Series, which has reigned as America's best-selling van for 35 years.

2/23/14

Ford Reveals 2015 Expedition with EcoBoost Engine, Advanced Technology, New Platinum Series

2015 Ford Expedition will feature 3.5-liter, direct-injected twin-turbocharged EcoBoost® engine popular in Ford F-Series; engine designed to deliver most powerful, fuel-efficient Expedition ever

  • Advanced technology in new Expedition includes Blind Spot Information System® with cross-traffic alert, electric power-assisted steering, SYNC® with MyFord Touch®, available suspension damping to improve passenger comfort; a new high-trim Platinum series debuts
  • Ford global utility vehicle sales rose 35 percent in 2013; Ford has
    been the leader in North America utility vehicle sales since 2011
The new 2015 Ford Expedition, revealed here today ahead of the 2014
DFW Auto Show, continues to represent the smart choice for people who
need a full-size utility vehicle that provides capable performance,
usable space and advanced technology.

Expedition now features Ford F-Series’ popular 3.5-liter EcoBoost®
engine, more technology than ever and a fresh new look. Launching later
this year, it is the latest Ford nameplate to offer a Platinum series.
Expedition is being shown for the first time in Texas, Ford’s largest
market by sales volume, and home to the top two cities for Expedition
sales – Dallas and Houston.

Expedition debuted in 1996
and is Ford’s largest utility vehicle. By most measures, it is a leader
in interior space, accommodating eight passengers. Two versions are
offered – the standard 119-inch wheelbase is just more than 6 inches
longer than Ford Explorer. It has three rows of seats and up to 108.3
cubic feet of cargo space. The longer-wheelbase version sits on a
131-inch wheelbase, and features three rows of seats and up to 130.8
cubic feet of cargo space.

Expedition’s independent rear suspension helps deliver more confident
ride and handling characteristics, and allows for the lower, more
convenient fold-flat third-row bench seat.

Both standard and EL versions of Expedition are built at Kentucky
Truck Plant in Louisville, alongside Ford’s popular Super Duty pickup.
Last month, the company confirmed plans to add more workers and invest
an additional $80 million in facility upgrades to improve automation and
increase capacity at the plant.

Ford is responding to strong customer feedback and introducing a
top-of-the-line Platinum series Expedition with unique, premium interior
appointments. The new vehicle features the latest popular technologies
like SYNC® with MyFord Touch®, push-button start and Blind Spot Information System®.
A new 3.5-liter, direct-injected twin-turbocharged EcoBoost delivers
more power and performance than the current 5.4-liter V8, and is
designed to be more efficient.

“This new Expedition is proof Ford is committed to remaining the
leader in utilities – small, medium and large,” said Jackie DiMarco,
Expedition chief engineer. “We listened to our customers and created a
full-size utility vehicle that doesn’t compromise in performance,
technology or design.”

Improved on the road

From the outset, engineers worked to make the 2015 Expedition a
technologically advanced vehicle that is easy to drive and offers
refinement for all types of drivers.

The new EcoBoost engine dramatically changes the driving
characteristics of Expedition. Compared with the 5.4-liter V8, the
3.5-liter EcoBoost gives drivers not just better fuel economy, but more
power and torque on demand at very low engine speeds.

“Expedition becoming the latest Ford utility vehicle to wear the
EcoBoost badge will be exciting for customers,” said Doug Scott, Ford
truck group marketing manager. “Increased torque and horsepower,
combined with new levels of efficiency and an advanced suspension not
only will make Expedition more fun to drive, but also easier to own.
This is another ‘and’ solution from Ford.”

The 3.5-liter EcoBoost
will be the only engine offered in the new Expedition in North America.
To maximize performance and control, the vehicle is equipped with a
six-speed SelectShift® automatic transmission featuring a
manual mode that allows the driver to use a shift-mounted rocker switch
to select the desired gear.

With EcoBoost now standard equipment across the 2015 Expedition
range, the entire U.S. lineup of Ford utility vehicles will be available
with EcoBoost power by the end of 2014.

New continuously controlled damping, available for the first time on a
Ford nameplate, will make Expedition the only Blue Oval-branded vehicle
in the United States with three selectable drive modes – comfort,
normal and sport.

Using a suite of sensors that detect 46 unique body, steering and
braking inputs, the advanced suspension monitors body motion and then
adjusts Expedition’s damping system in milliseconds to manage the
vehicle’s natural body motion. A vehicle with poor damping feels as if
it is bouncing on its suspension springs; continuously controlled
damping recognizes the weight of the vehicle, steering feedback and road
undulations and then reacts accordingly, helping to control body motion
so passengers experience an orderly, comfortable ride.

The new Expedition also features Ford’s innovative electric
power-assisted steering, which gives drivers noticeably improved
maneuverability at low speeds and better feel at high speeds, and saves
fuel because it operates more efficiently than traditional pump-driven
systems. The technology reduces steering effort and makes Expedition
more engaging to drive.

More technology customers want

The new Expedition debuts with popular technology upgrades consumers are
now demanding, including SYNC with MyFord Touch and driver-assist
features such as radar-based Blind Spot Information System with
cross-traffic alert.

The updated interior of Expedition incorporates a fresh center stack
to accommodate new technologies, such as an 8-inch touch screen for SYNC
with MyFord Touch. The driver information cluster features two
full-color 4.2-inch LCD screens.
Other new technologies on
the 2015 Expedition include a 10-speaker, 700-watt Sony audio system;
Intelligent Access with push-button start; rearview camera; seven-color,
interior ambient LED lighting; and Ford truck apps to help make trailer
towing and off-road driving easier.




Fresh style and design

The new Expedition pushes full-size utility vehicle design to a higher
level, with fresh interior and exterior styling and a diverse series
lineup – each with a distinct look and feel to give customers more
choice than ever. A Platinum trim package, which has been very
successful on Ford F-Series, will be available on Expedition for the
first time.

“The Platinum series brings Expedition into a whole new arena of
design and style,” said Scott. “One of the strengths of Expedition has
always been the different trim series we offer. From XLT to Limited and
now with Platinum, we have an Expedition that will fit any customer’s
needs.”

The Platinum series is tailored with lush leather seating described
by designers as buttery – soft and smooth to the touch. It’s available
in a new Brunello leather, a red wine color with tuxedo-stripe accents
and French-seamed stitching. Platinum customers can also choose black
leather with Agate Gray accents.
Beyond the new Platinum
series, the 2015 Expedition lineup includes the XLT, Limited and a new
King Ranch edition to be revealed later.

The design team, finding inspiration in the world around them,
incorporated different themes to define the look for each series. The
intent was to reflect a consumer lifestyle, from the sporty XLT, to the
confident, elegant Limited, to the sophisticated, urban Platinum. Each
series has unique finishes specially selected to reflect the lifestyle
and desires of the customer. For example, Expedition Limited features
refined yet traditional finishes, while for the Platinum edition, the
colors and material finishes are fresh and sophisticated.

The Expedition exterior has been updated with an all-new front end
featuring available LED fog lamps for a fresh, aggressive look.
An all-new wheel lineup
including factory-installed 22-inch models, a redesigned rear hatch and
subtle, chrome-tipped exhaust pipes round out the exterior changes to
the 2015 Expedition.

With this new model debuting at the DFW Auto Show – deep in the heart
of the full-size utility vehicle market – Ford is building on a
successful tradition of Expedition capability and quality with
significant improvements in design, performance, efficiency and
available technology.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company,
a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich.,
manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With
about 181,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide, the company’s
automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides
financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more
information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit corporate.ford.com.

2/21/14

CargoGlide slide at the Indianapolis Boat and RV Show

A.R.E. Truck Caps and Tonneau Covers display with CargoGlide slide 
at the Indianapolis Boat and RV Show



Thanks to A.R.E. for sharing these with us.

Find out more at: www.cargoglide.com/

2/19/14

Terracon Moves to Larger GVW Trucks



Safety concerns continue to challenge fleet operations of all sizes. On average, 21 percent of fleet vehicles are involved in some form of crash each year, according to data from several accident management companies. Today, more fleet managers are turning to safer vehicles in an effort to help increase driver safety and mitigate rising accident costs.

Consulting engineering firm Terracon, based in Olathe, Kan., made such a change when it implemented an initiative to switch from smaller, light-duty trucks to a ½-ton pickup fleet for greater load capacity and increased safety.

Terracon was initially founded in 1965 and has evolved into a successful multidiscipline firm specializing in environmental, facilities, geotechnical, and materials engineering consulting. With more than 3,000 employees in 140 offices across 40 states, the company also partners with its U.S. clients to serve their international needs.

The company provides services on thousands of projects each year. And, according to Ginny Liddle, CAFM, buyer II for Terracon, the fleet plays a large part in the company delivering exceptional customer service.

"By being responsive, resourceful, and reliable, we strive to exceed our clients' expectations for service, solutions, quality, and speed of delivery," she explained. "Based on a deep understanding of our clients' needs, Terracon's commitment is centered on these key objectives."

Safety Evaluation Leads to Important Discoveries

Terracon's fleet consists of approximately 1,400 ½- and 1-ton pickups, 60 vans and SUVs, 82 semi tractors, and 87 drill rigs. Because fleet drivers include consulting engineers and scientists, employees need a variety of vehicles to work on construction sites, make land and building inspections, and perform land and water drilling for foundation recommendations. The company's replacement guideline falls at four years/110,000 miles.

In 2007, the company's fleet management evaluated its trucks for productivity and safety. And, in examining its accidents for the previous two years, the fleet team realized that it had many rollovers in smaller trucks, while noting only one in a ½-ton pickup and one in a van.

Another discovery encompassed repair history. When fleet management examined the repair history, it found vehicles were going through brakes quicker and the number of suspension problems was increasing at an unexpected rate.

"In 2008, after working with our leasing company doing a total cost of ownership (TCO) analysis comparing small trucks and ½-tons, we found it would actually be a cost savings by transitioning to just the ½-ton truck," Liddle said. "The safety factor in a larger truck would increase as well."

The fleet currently uses the Ford F-150 and chose this model based on hard data.

"We were running a few Rams and F-150s at that time, and we received the best rebates from Ford and Chrysler," Liddle said. "With the data our leasing company had on all the trucks, we compared the ½-ton trucks and smaller trucks for total cost of ownership and found that the Ford F-150 would give us our best results."

Initiative Results in Significant Operational Benefits

The switch from small trucks to ½-ton pickups resulted in significant savings for Terracon. In fact, the company lowered its TCO, increased safety, improved load capacity, and even increased driver morale.

The ½-ton trucks were made safer as a result of their improved capacity and ability to make the job more efficient.

"We did not need to overload them to get the job completed," Liddle said.

The fleet team also put safety nets on all the truck beds to ensure that equipment, samples, etc., did not fall out of the truck for increased public safety.

In fact, since the company's study showing 11 rollovers in 2006-2007, only three rollovers have occurred in the remaining small trucks in service, and none in the ½-ton pickups.

Driver productivity also increased, because each new vehicle could hold more samples and equipment. And, downtime decreased since less maintenance was required. The fleet had fewer trips to the shop for brakes and suspension issues, and tires have lasted longer.

"Our drivers applauded the change as they were given a more functional, safer, efficient tool to complete their work," Liddle stated.

Completing the Conversion Process

Terracon has been replacing the smaller trucks since 2008 and have less than 100 units left. While the recession slowed the replacement schedule, Liddle expects the entire conversion to be completed soon.

"Our move to larger vehicles would not have been possible without support from upper management," she said. "Terracon's senior management is very good at evaluating current and future business trends and adapting our strategic plan accordingly."

The company has also increased its safety department from two people to five people. And, as its fleet grew, the company's senior management recognized the need to increase its safety role with employees, so that all employees live in an incident- and injury-free culture and arrive home safely every day.

Moving forward, Terracon's fleet department will continue to evaluate vehicles to ensure they supply employees with the correct vehicle for the job and continue to upgrade safety features.

"This year, we will add the backup camera to our 2014 models to assist in backing safely," she concluded.

http://www.automotive-fleet.com

2/17/14

My X-Perience, My Story - Bob Franks



"The Freedom SW that I have now is far superior than any inverter I ever had. The Control Panel is probably the most user friendly I ever had before. I would say if you don't have one and need
to replace yours, this is the brand you should put in. And if you're having a coach built, you should automatically ask for this one to be put in because the many of them I had in the past years, this one
outstands the rest of them altogether," says Bob Franks about hisFreedom SW 3012 Inverter/Charger that came as a factory installedinverter in his 2010 Dynamax Dynaquest Class A motorhome.

2/15/14

2014 Chassis Cab -You don't want promises. You want proof.- Part 1 - Frame Strength



For your business to endure these days, you need your tools to last. The backbone of any truck is its frame. Ours is a proven, durable design that can withstand the everyday rigors of heavy hauling and towing. And our available Ford-built 6.7L Power Stroke® V8 Turbo Diesel has endured more abuse from our testing staff than you can possibly dish out. If you demand a truck that'll be there for you for the long haul, you're looking at it.


The crossmembers on the Super Duty® Chassis Cab frame are riveted, welded, or both, to optimize frame capability. There's also the steel C-channel up to 6.7-mm thick. Put this and more strong measures together and you'll know why Super Duty Chassis Cab delivers outstanding payload and towing capability.

 - See more at: http://www.fleet.ford.com/fleet-showroom/?brand=Ford&md=ChassisCab&yr=2014&sg=commercial-trucks#sthash.JEBEbgG1.dpuf

2/13/14

My Pickup: 2013 Ford F-250 Super Duty

 

By Mike Caudill
Driven PR President/CEO

The year 2013 was interesting for me. I can't tell you the exact day, week or time of year that I made this decision, but at some point I decided I wanted to go back to my roots and buy a pickup truck. Having spent 12 years in sedans navigating the concrete jungles of Los Angeles, I simply felt the urge to own a truck. With two kids, a dog, a travel trailer and a boat, our Chevy Tahoe people-mover simply wasn't cutting it. I needed more.

Fast forward to today. I can tell you, without question, the single best vehicle purchase I have made is my 2013 Ford F-250 Super Duty. Before deciding on the F-250, I polled my friends and family on their favorite trucks. Their suggestions were all over the map, but what I needed was a utilitarian daily driver. I wanted to be able to throw stuff in the back, tow without issue and take it off-road occasionally. So, when it came time to buy, there were two that kept bubbling up in front of me. I was on the fence between the Ford F-250 and the Ram 2500 Heavy Duty. They both looked strong and from a towing capacity were just about equal, but what tipped it for me was that the interior of the F-250. It really blew me away. The Lariat trim is incredible, and at times you forget you are in a pickup. Overall, the F-250 simply felt more like me.

I use this truck daily to travel to and from the office, but when the weekend hits this truck truly goes to work. The pulling capacity and off-road capabilities are what makes this truck awesome. Our trailer weighs roughly 9,000 pounds when fully loaded, and we mainly do two-week family trips into the mountains. With the truck's 6.7-liter Power Stroke, I sometimes forget we are even pulling a trailer because the motor is so powerful.

Although I bought the truck stock, and it literally did everything I asked it to do, it didn't really look aggressive enough for me in its stock form. So I made some "performance" modifications to personalize it and to give it better climbing capabilities off-road. I appreciate this, as it's no longer a "city truck." On weekends during the winter months, we take this truck out to the desert and either do rock crawling or all-out Baja-style desert cruising. The kids and family love it. You don't realize how much a few modifications will change a truck's personality until you take it out for a run.

Not to get too technical, but having the Carli Suspension setup does greatly improve the off-road handling. It was a hard choice as to which system to go with, but I'm happy with the results. I also wanted bigger tires, so 37-inchers were the right choice; but combine the bigger rubber with the heavier suspension and you do need to be aware that your mileage will drop. However, off-road the Toyo Open Country M/Ts grip better than any other tire I have had before and they look sharp.

I won't be doing any further modifications on the truck in the near future but I will say this: We're keeping the stock wheels and tires in the garage for those long travel trips with the family to save some money at the pump. I love my 37s for off-road performance, but I need to be practical too. Thankfully, my truck lets me do that.


2/09/14

All-New Ford F-150 Adds Tough New Snow Plow Prep Option Across All Cab Configurations

 
 
  • The all-new 2015 Ford F-150 is expected to be the only light duty pickup with a manufacturer’s snow plow prep option across all cab configurations*
  • F-150 owners with snow plow prep option can operate a plow installed via the aftermarket
  • Maximum light-duty plow weight will be over 450 pounds
  •  
    Winter warriors will have a tough new tool in their arsenal against Mother Nature with Ford’s new snow plow prep option, available on the all-new 2015 F-150. Ford is expected to be the only manufacturer to offer a light-duty snow plow prep option across all cab configurations – Regular, SuperCab and SuperCrew.*
     
    When snow plow mode is activated via the push of a button, the vehicle temporarily turns off nonessential features to provide dedicated power for the plow.
    The option package requires the truck be equipped with a 5.0-liter V8 engine and four-wheel drive, and is available across XL, XLT and Lariat trim levels.
    “The new 2015 F-150 is the toughest F-150 ever, and by using more high-strength steel in its frame and advanced materials in the body, we’ve made the new truck up to 700 pounds lighter,” said Eric Peterson, Ford F-150 marketing manager. “This leads to more capability and better handling, which is exactly what you’d want for plowing. Adding a snow plow prep kit to our lineup helps ensure our customers have even more tools at their disposal to get the job done.”
    Upon taking delivery of a new F-150 with the snow plow prep option, owners will need to take their truck to a Ford Qualified Vehicle Modifier to purchase and install the plow hardware. The maximum light-duty plow weight will be over 450 pounds. 
    Pricing for the snow plow prep option, excluding the plow, will be announced later this year. The all-new 2015 F-150 will arrive in dealerships at the end of 2014.

    * When properly equipped. Class is Full-Size Pickups under 8,500 lbs. GVWR.

    2/05/14

    All-New Ford Transit Connect Delivers Best-in-Class 30 MPG Highway

    Ford Transit Connect van can add best-in-class fuel economy to its long list of features. The 2014 Transit Connect van has an EPA-estimated fuel efficiency rating of 30 mpg, making it best-in-class. It also has best-in-class cargo space, towing and payload, with its segment-leading EcoBoost® engine rated at 178 horsepower and 184 lb.-ft. of torque.


    2/03/14

    You Test It: Ford Offers Opportunity to Be Among First People Behind the Wheel of All-New F-150


    •     Truck customers and fans could win the opportunity to put the all-new Ford F-150 through its toughest challenge yet
    •     Consumers can enter at BuiltToughTest.com by describing how they would test the toughness of the all-new F-150
    •     Winners will be filmed putting a new F-150 through their own personal toughness test; videos will be posted to YouTube.com/FordTrucks
    Ford, America’s truck leader, is looking for truck buyers to take an all-new F-150 through some of the toughest testing it might ever encounter – their own.



    Ford is launching the “You Test” campaign, in which actual Ford F-150 drivers and fans could win the opportunity to sit behind the wheel of the all-new 2015 F-150 before nearly anyone else in the world. By visiting BuiltToughTest.com, customers can tell Ford how they would test the toughness of the new F-150 pickup – maybe through a grueling off-road challenge, or even through the daily routine of a demanding job site.



    “We prove every day our trucks are Built Ford Tough – now we’re asking truck customers to help us prove it too,” said Eric Peterson, Ford F-150 marketing manager. “We’re looking for people who know how to punish a truck. Built Ford Tough isn’t just a tagline; it’s the philosophy that drives us every day to make the best trucks out there, and it’s what has made F-Series the No. 1 truck for nearly 40 years.”



    Up to five winners will be selected to spend up to a week behind the wheel of a new F-150 while video crews document the truck undergoing the real-world testing. The videos will be posted to YouTube.com/FordTrucks.



    Entries must be received by May 31, 2014. Winners will be announced before Sept. 1, 2014. No purchase necessary. Complete terms and conditions are available at BuiltToughTest.com.



    The all-new F-150 is the toughest F-150 ever, with a high-strength steel frame and a high-strength, military-grade, aluminum-alloy body. The new F-150 will undergo more than 10 million miles of toughness and durability testing before it reaches showrooms later this year.



    F-150 is also the preferred light-duty pickup among workers in some of the toughest vocations. According to Polk registration data of light-duty pickups, 53 percent of these truck drivers in the heavy construction industry, 56 percent in the heavy hauling industry and 60 percent in the energy/utility industry drive F-150 pickups.

    About Ford Motor Company



    Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 181,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit corporate.ford.com.

    2/01/14

    Turn your van "inside out" with the Katerack shelving system.




    Turn your van "inside out" with the Katerack shelving system. John of Dejana Truck and Utility Equipment Company explains their Katerack Shelving system. Customers explain the benefits of the system to their companies.