FTE Question of the Week: Do You Like the 2018 F-150 Exterior Refresh?
Ford Motor Company shocked us all by introducing a pretty heavily refreshed 2018 Ford F-150 at the 2017 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. We knew that there were some styling changes coming, but few people expected these changes to come so soon -– or to be quite so drastic.
The most significant portion of the 2018 F-150 refresh comes up front, with a new face that looks like a mix of the current (2017) F-150 and the current Super Duty lineup. The angular, LED-lined headlights are back for 2018, but they are larger. The basic shape of the grille relative to the front end is similar, but the 2018 F-150 gets the bold twin bars across the middle of the grille on almost every trimline -– with some being painted and some being chrome. The result is an F-150 which is sportier or more luxurious looking, depending on the trimline, while having a more high tech feel with the larger headlights across the entire lineup.
The changes out back are far more subtle. However, the stamped F-150 logo across the face of the tailgate stands out far more than just a chrome badge in the corner. The LED taillights are a little bigger, too.
For our “FTE Question of the Week,” we want to know what you think about the 2018 Ford F-150 refresh, but we want to know your opinion on just the exterior aspect of the 2018 models. Put aside the new diesel engine, the added power of the other engines and the new transmission, and tell us whether or not you like the changes made between the 2017 and 2018 F-150.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
