Since discussion of the new Ford pickup has focused so much on the aluminum aspect, I wanted to point out some of the minor changes made in the regular cab that I think improve the Ford's appeal by making it less 'oddball.' I think the changes are also more in line with K2x styling as well as GM's regular cab philosophy.
First, we'll notice that Ford barely changed the styling of the 150, despite reports of a torpedo-like prototype design straight out of Logan's Run. Apparently it was tested with focus groups and the Joe Sixpacks of America poo pooed it. Too bad in a way that didn't happen, but the minor changes renounce previous oddball Ford practices.
First notice that the 'pucker' rear window, put in place to improve head clearance, has now been mercifully excised. A normal rear pillar and back window, reflecting the rest of industry styling practice, has replaced it. It almost gives the Ford a retro flavor since this kinked rear pillar - where the window extends above the gap in the bed - has been in use since 1997. Suddenly it's 1996! I consider this an enormous improvement.
Secondly, notice how the grille/fascia abandons the tipped backward look Ford has employed since 1997 in favor of a bolt upright, and very tall, grille with relatively flat hood. Here Ford copies the current K2xx - and in particular GMC's take on it, where the grille thrusts forward creating a kind of bullet effect to the fascia.
With the higher hood has come lower bed sides. For the first time since 2002, the Ford's hood height visually matches the bed side height - in a very pleasing if conventional way I might add. Once again, Ford copies GM's practice of keeping the bedsides and hood on a roughly even keel. This is probably the second most important factor in reducing the odd look of Ford relative to the rest of the industry - and indeed even Ford's own 3/4 ton.
Perhaps the biggest embrace of GM truck philosophy by Ford is the reduction in wheelbase of regular cabs owing to a shorter cab length. While the RC 6.5 Ford was pleasing enough in proportion, the long bed, I think ever since '97 but increasingly in 2002, had the most repellant LB regular cab proportions in the industry except the '08 Tundra.
Now I can't tell here, but to me it appears Ford slightly increased the rear overhang on the bed - or it might be just because the cab is shorter. In any case I think this makes the LB Ford proportions leapfrog over Dodge so they are now second only to the K2xx, whose 8ft bed employs longer overhang than the 6.5.
Ford says Supercab and Crewcab wheelbases are staying constant. A 145" wheelbase is 23" longer than the new RC 6.5's 122" wb. So it seems highly unlikely we'd see an 8.5ft bed. This means that Ford, again copying GM, will need a unique wheelbase for the RC in order to get an 8ft bed. Since Dodge and Toyota are still sharing the 8ft RC wheelbase with EC 6.5ft wheelbase, this is a particularly clear cut case of Ford embracing GM's regular cab philosophy.
OK, now I will register my only complaint with Ford's new styling: The retention of the "Irish"* black door frame behind the actual door frame. I would have been thrilled had Ford abandoned this oddest of oddball styling tics. The rest of the industry can afford to make dedicated regular cab doors - and GM could well get away with using regular front doors since the pillars are body color - but Ford I guess thinks this is cheaper? I would be very happy with a right angle where the door edge meets the b pillar - that would likely be even cheaper than forming a Potemkin village kind of door frame into the B pillar.
Any other thoughts on Ford's new styling, especially the regular cab?
*(Irish used completely in jest :-D)
First, we'll notice that Ford barely changed the styling of the 150, despite reports of a torpedo-like prototype design straight out of Logan's Run. Apparently it was tested with focus groups and the Joe Sixpacks of America poo pooed it. Too bad in a way that didn't happen, but the minor changes renounce previous oddball Ford practices.
First notice that the 'pucker' rear window, put in place to improve head clearance, has now been mercifully excised. A normal rear pillar and back window, reflecting the rest of industry styling practice, has replaced it. It almost gives the Ford a retro flavor since this kinked rear pillar - where the window extends above the gap in the bed - has been in use since 1997. Suddenly it's 1996! I consider this an enormous improvement.
Secondly, notice how the grille/fascia abandons the tipped backward look Ford has employed since 1997 in favor of a bolt upright, and very tall, grille with relatively flat hood. Here Ford copies the current K2xx - and in particular GMC's take on it, where the grille thrusts forward creating a kind of bullet effect to the fascia.
With the higher hood has come lower bed sides. For the first time since 2002, the Ford's hood height visually matches the bed side height - in a very pleasing if conventional way I might add. Once again, Ford copies GM's practice of keeping the bedsides and hood on a roughly even keel. This is probably the second most important factor in reducing the odd look of Ford relative to the rest of the industry - and indeed even Ford's own 3/4 ton.
Perhaps the biggest embrace of GM truck philosophy by Ford is the reduction in wheelbase of regular cabs owing to a shorter cab length. While the RC 6.5 Ford was pleasing enough in proportion, the long bed, I think ever since '97 but increasingly in 2002, had the most repellant LB regular cab proportions in the industry except the '08 Tundra.
Now I can't tell here, but to me it appears Ford slightly increased the rear overhang on the bed - or it might be just because the cab is shorter. In any case I think this makes the LB Ford proportions leapfrog over Dodge so they are now second only to the K2xx, whose 8ft bed employs longer overhang than the 6.5.
Ford says Supercab and Crewcab wheelbases are staying constant. A 145" wheelbase is 23" longer than the new RC 6.5's 122" wb. So it seems highly unlikely we'd see an 8.5ft bed. This means that Ford, again copying GM, will need a unique wheelbase for the RC in order to get an 8ft bed. Since Dodge and Toyota are still sharing the 8ft RC wheelbase with EC 6.5ft wheelbase, this is a particularly clear cut case of Ford embracing GM's regular cab philosophy.
OK, now I will register my only complaint with Ford's new styling: The retention of the "Irish"* black door frame behind the actual door frame. I would have been thrilled had Ford abandoned this oddest of oddball styling tics. The rest of the industry can afford to make dedicated regular cab doors - and GM could well get away with using regular front doors since the pillars are body color - but Ford I guess thinks this is cheaper? I would be very happy with a right angle where the door edge meets the b pillar - that would likely be even cheaper than forming a Potemkin village kind of door frame into the B pillar.
Any other thoughts on Ford's new styling, especially the regular cab?
*(Irish used completely in jest :-D)