GoodYear Wrangler with Kevlar, that makes the truck.

 

Best tires I've ever had...

 

I'd like to see what it would look like if the upper and lower parts of the grille were painted the same color as the truck with the 2 center bars left in chrome.

 

My initial reaction to the spy shot was pretty negative, but with these new views I can say right now I am at least neutral about the new trucks.

I'll save my final judgement for a later date, when I can see one up close.

 

The cellphone spy shot had the two chrome bars all the way across. It seems that stylistically, many people (myself included) prefer the XLT design with the open nostrils separated from the headlamps by C clamps, where both the nostrils and the C clamps are direct descendants of the last 15 years of Super Duty.


Between model years 2008-2010, Ford was very creative with a variety of concurrent grille designs. It seems that with the new Super Duty, the same will be true.


However, I think that Ford is still missing a tremendous business opportunity by not allowing the customer to select their own grille, regardless of "trim package".


Yes, a customer can always retrofit through the parts department, and I imagine that we will soon see a lot of F-150s sporting Super Duty front clips, and probably several future Super Duties sporting future Raptor front clips... but not every customer who would LIKE to have a different front grille would actually go to the extreme of doing it.


But they would pay more if it could be done at the time of ordering. That way, they would have the outside look they could stomach (or really like), with the inside features and trim level that would float their boat as well.


I think the business opportunity stems beyond the profit of selling extra parts. For a lot of people, the opportunity to be able to order something just the way they like it can push an internal buy button, influencing a decision to buy one brand of truck over another, where all other considerations are equal.


I'll provide a personal example. The Dodge Diesel was in position number 1 to replace my 1979 Ford truck in the late 90s. When the new Super Duty was revealed, Ford offered more cab, wheelbase, and trim choices than any other brand. I could not only get a diesel, but I could get a REAL crew cab, not a "Club Cab", with a stronger frame and bigger brakes to boot. That's all the big stuff, but then a couple of very small design things pushed my buy button:


I could have a front winch totally hidden and integrated into the stock bumper, and I could have a utility bed completely matching the body lines of the cab. Sure, these were aftermarket things, but if Ford hadn't assisted the aftermarket by pre disclosing design cues ahead of time, then those aesthetic accessories wouldn't have been available in time for me to make my decision in 1999.


In a similar vein, allowing the customer the ability to chose the front plastic face of their truck at ordering time, just like picking a paint color, might become that buy button that personally engages the buyer more emotionally with the purchase, because they can be more involved in creating the look of their truck, without worrying about warranty issues or messing around fixing something that isn't broken... when they really would rather just turn the key and show it off.

 

Everyone blame 640 CI Aluminum Ford!!!

LOL!

The tan one looks better, but only because it's farther away. The top to bottom headlights is silly and the chrome junk at the rear of the front fender has to go. I hope Ford is gearing up for some "special appearance packages" now!

 

Does anyone else think the front end, from the A-pillar forward, has an odd transition from door to quarter panel?

I realize the cab is the same as the F150 and all SuperDuty from the A-pillar forward. Something doesn't flow nicely. Maybe the new vertical "F250" badge is throwing my eye off....can't quite put my finger on it.


Otherwise, I'm exited about seeing these on the market. My '06 F150 is going to magically turn into a new SD come 2017...the local dealer will take my truck into the garage and drive it out as a new SD...and at the same time they will drain my checking account...and at the same time as that, they will commit the following 5 years of my life to a bank.


I'm going more work-truck this time around. I have a 06 SCREW Lariat now, but think I'm going with an XLT, SC, Longbed, gasser. I really miss having a sizeable bed. The 5.5' is down right annoying when I want to use the truck as a truck.

 

I like the longer bad as well. I guess I just move and haul too much stuff. I'm on my way to get firewood now

 

I agree the XLT looks pretty good.

The interior looks ok. Except I did not see any of the 6 seat configuration in any of the pictures, with the front bench 40/20/40 seats.

I need 6 passenger seating, and the current configuration of the front middle seat does not have a headrest, so I'd be interested if the new one had one.

 

The current lineup does include a headrest for the front middle seat.

 

The front fender is just a flat slab of sheet metal and it definitely different than what we've seen with the 99-16 rendition.

It's disappointing how Ford configures the trucks. For example the 15+ F150 has a nice 3 bar front grille on the XLT. Once the 302a package is chosen it automatically goes to the billet grille which I find hideous.

Or you have one package but like a different set of wheels it reverts to another package with options you do not want or need.

Frustrating. I understand the logic of some of it, especially for the interior, but seriously wheels are not a big deal to change around and neither is grilles.

Not fun having to wait so long to order one, as I was really wanting to pick something up this Winter.

Josh

 

those headrests should come out. You can also get a lariat crew cab with a long bed.

 

Josh, I agree.


I think Ford could engage more with customers at time of order.


For example, in chassis cabs for the current model year, a Lariat version forces a PowerStroke. And the Lariat version in a chassis cab is not as fully equipped as the Lariat version in the pickups.


There are retired and ready to spend money on themselves customers who would like an RV hauler body on a chassis cab, AND would like all the bells and whistles that come with the pickup. They can get some, but not all. Why not?


Even if it was a market demand numbers game, with the advent of computers and just in time parts procurement, the technology is there to create what the customer wants. Ford could gain on other manufacturers by optimizing their production systems to fulfill customer needs, since unlike other manufacturers, Ford supplies their own engines, all of them, and, their own transmissions.


So why not make a V10 available in a Lariat F550 if the customer doesn't want the worries regarding the diesel? Clearly, Ford understands that some commercial customers prefer to avoid the diesel, given that the V10 is being made available in the F650/750 with GVWR's far exceeding that of the F550.


It can't be that hard. Even if the cost for custom configuration were to be passed down to the customer, I'll bet the customer who wants what they want will pay that cost to get what they want, because it is still easier than monkeying around changing wheels after the fact.

 

Meh! Its ok. That big **** badge on the side fenders must go.
I am Not a Dodge fan, but their trucks look better IMO.

 

IMHO I think the Superduty should have a modified Raptor grille.

The XLT grille is cool versus the Lariat and KR. The Platinum grille is hideous.

The more I look at it the grille grows on ya, but the fenders are bothering me more.

Gonna have to wait forever to get pricing and engine specs.

Josh