Ford has revealed that its upcoming F-150 is able to tow and haul more than all other light duty pickup trucks in the market.
The 2015 F-150 will feature a top tow rating of 12,200 pounds, which is 200 pounds more than those of the GMC Sierra and Chevy Silverado. The figure is also using the F-150's turbo-charged V6 engine, compared to the 6.2-liter V8 engine used by the two General Motors cars.
The 2015 F-150 will also feature a capacity for payloads of up to 3,180 pounds, while the models that will be powered by Ford's 5.0-liter V8 engine will be able to support up to 3,300 pounds. These figures are several hundreds of pounds more compared to its competition.
The improvements in the tow and haul capacity of the 2015 F-150 are mostly due to weight reduction on the vehicle, which is about 700 pounds lighter compared to its previous model. The weight reduction was caused by the shift from using aluminum for the body of the 2015 F-150, as opposed to steel in the previous models.
In addition, because aluminum is much lighter than steel, Ford said that the switch in material will also improve the vehicle's fuel economy at a rate of between 5 percent and 20 percent. The company, however, has not yet revealed the exact EPA fuel economy numbers for the 2015 F-150, and may only do so once the vehicle's December sale date comes closer. The 2014 F-150, for an idea on the fuel economy of the 2015 model, got a rating of 15 miles per gallon.
Ford will be offering test drives of the 2015 F-150 to potential buyers from Oct. 11 to Dec. 21. Customers may get a hands-on experience on using Ford's new pickup truck, sampling the vehicle's power and its new features which includes a 360-degree camera, a sliding rear window, blind-spot detection, LED lighting, an integrated tailgate step, and smart trailer tow accompanied by hitch assist technology.
The Ford F-150 has been one of the top-selling vehicles in the United States, dominating the pickup truck segment for decades now. While the 2015 F-150 has no dramatic aesthetic changes compared to the previous year's model, the performance improvements that the new F-150 will feature makes the new model a very attractive option for customers looking for a new pickup truck.
However, the price for the 2015 F-150 will be much higher due to these improvements, with an increase that can go as high as $3,615 compared to the previous models, partly due to the switch to aluminum from steel.
Other improvements include two information screens, a telescoping steering wheel, and additional two speakers.
