Earlier, it was reported that shipments of the Ford F-150 were delayed for the models to undergo more testing in relation to its 10-speed automatic transmission feature. The reports, however, are now being deemed by Mike Levin, a spokesman for the auto company, as incorrect.
Ford F-150 Pickup Trucks Already Being Sold
Turns out, dealerships across the country are already beginning to receive deliveries of The F-150 and Raptor models, refuting earlier reports of Transmission-related kinks on Ford's pickup trucks.
Reuters reported the delay on Tuesday, touting F-150 vehicles scheduled for an end-of-the-year release, which, by recent reports, is seemingly not the case anymore.
10-Speed Transmission
Ford joined General Motors in engineering 10-speed transmission, likely that future GM vehicles will also come with the new technology. The 2015 F-150 model comes equipped with a 3.5 six-cylinder engine, boosting fuel economy by single digits compared with GM's six-speed automatic.
The F-150 is designed to handle heavy-duty scenarios, able to tread some of the worst environments in the globe. The pickup truck has already gone rigorous trials, with over 10 million miles of cumulative testing. It has received a 5-star overall crash test rating, claimed by Ford to be the safest F-150 model yet.
Earlier reports of F-150 delays would have contributed to growing concerns surrounding the automaker industry, exemplified by high-profile mishaps such as the Dieselgate and GM's ignition-switch recall. Delaying the F-150 would have made sense from a safety standpoint given that automakers are trying to be more careful given recent auto-related faux pas, but it turns out that this is not the case after all.
Ford's 34-Year Best-Selling Streak
For 34 years, Ford's pickup trucks have been sold the most in the United States, and 2016 might be its 35th year of accomplishing such a feat. In 2015, Ford lapsed every pickup truck manufacturer by being the first to upgrade its light-duty pickup truck model to a high-strength aluminum body.
The Ford 2017 F-150 model is a six-seater full-size pickup truck loaded with a 3.5 L Ecoboost engine, with the aforementioned 10-speed transmission. Prices start at $26,540.
The F-150 is part of Ford's thirteenth-generation F-Series, unveiled in 2014 during the North American International Auto Show. It marked the auto company's adoption of an all-aluminum body construction for the F-Series.
Ford was one of the automakers not present at this year's Paris Motor Show, in what is reported to be an attempt for the company to detach from the Paris Motor Show hype to support a motor show of its own brand. Ford is now focusing on driverless technology, with a plan to sell autonomous cars by 2025.
