I wish somebody could make these clowns go away. They don't even know where they're at. They said San Antonio. Nope. They are at Pipe Creek which is north of SA about 35-40 miles and to be exact, they are at the RR Lightning Ranch. I know the place well. So you get to watch 2 clowns drive around pulling trailers. No stop watches, no test equipment, just 2 clowns riding around in the Texas hill country pulling trailers. About the only thing you could possibly glean from this is one guys OPINION of driving the different trucks. He bashes the GM and Ram because they don't have telescoping steering while the King Ranch does....well, DUH! My new 2014 F150 doesn't have telescoping steering either. That's what ya get when you don't buy top of the line. These types of vids do far more harm to Ford than any good. I'll bet the GM and Ram boys are having a field day over this.

On a side note. I got to visit with the 2015 F150 today. Got to pretty much see all of the different models. Nope, didn't get to drive any although it was offered. My first truck was an FX4. Frankly, my first impression was that I was going to look at an XL. It looked like a cheap work truck at best....and an ugly one at that. I can't believe this is supposed to be a premium priced truck. I'll keep my 2014 STX thank you. The XLT I looked at wasn't bad. Pretty much the same interior as I remember on the 2014's I drove a couple of weeks ago. I'm not a fan of the exterior especially the front end but they're not near as ugly in person as they appear in the pics. I looked at a Platinum. That's a pretty nice ride and the exterior is not bad looking. It's probably going to have to grow on folks like me. I'd have to say my overall impression was just Ho Hum. I didn't really see anything I would trade my STX even up for. Yeah, they have a lot nicer interiors but I look at a truck by what is useable, I'm not into glitz. There's a lot of glitz with the new ones and some are real short on useable. I'm not a fan of the lowered roof lines considering I'm 6'4". I have to duck first before getting into one. They're getting closer to a Tundra all the time and I can't get into a Tundra at all unless I crawl in first and turn around. Obviously I'll never own a Tundra. I think Ford will sell these trucks like they have any F150. Ford carries a lot of loyal buyers to the game. They're going to have to gussy up the lower priced units though. Most folks are not able to buy a 50 thousand dollar truck these days. The cheaper models look cheap. Ford is going to have to address that with an inexpensive dressup option or they'll start seeing more of their loyal buyers in a Ram. From the front, they look close to being the same and Ram has certainly stepped up their game. Well, that was my day. Interesting but kinda unimpressive.

 

It's called BR Lightning Ranch and it is outside Bandera, Texas - just minutes from San Antonio.

That's the point. They are there to provide their unique opinion and I think they do a pretty good job at it while keeping it interesting. They disclosed that there was not enough time to do a full blown test and that it was going to be a more seat of your pants feel. But we also got more information on the technical details from the engineer that was riding along.

Umm. No. That's what happens when you buy the top of the line and what happens when you buy the base XL. Telescoping wheel is standard equipment on all 2015 F-150's. The GM and Rams were upper trims too and if they don't have tele wheel standard on the upper trims that is not a deal breaker but it's kind of sad.

FX4 has nothing to do with looks or the trims. It is an off-road package that is available on all trims. It adds extra off-road capability, hill descent, shocks, elocker, etc. You very well may have been looking at an XL. What I think is cool about making FX4 stand alone is that buyers can configure an XL FX4 truck, for example, if they want a highly capable off-road base truck.

Yes, you will and why wouldn't you? It's a brand new 2014 and the smart thing to do. I'd keep my truck too if I just bought one, and that doesn't take anything away from the 2015.

Everyone ducks their head to get into any truck unless they are a midget. Cab height actually grew on the 2015 and it's going to be a nonissue. But if you're looking for something to complain about, complain about the other trucks, too. Truck is not just about glitz and if that's all you got out of it then you didn't look into it too much. You should have at least taken the test drive. If you didn't want to, that's your choice, but you missed out.

 

Man that noise cancelling/engine adding sound....why?

OH well at first i agreed that they were trying to make the engine sound like a V8 but the comparison at the end was a true V6 sound just clarified and amplified. I don't think I will mind it. Hell it might stop some peeps from putting the most obnoxious exhaust on a V6.

 

HCFX2013 on the other forum has written a review. He works for a dealer (as well as being a 2014 owner) so he also went to the learn and drive training event. Here is his well thought out review:

Journalists have all posted their impressions so I don't see why I can't. The October 6th embargo is just about here so I'm doing it anyway. So here goes...

The truck was awesome. Really, really awesome. The steering was sharp, precise and offered good feedback, and the general quality of materials was top notch regardless of the trucks being prepro units. The 2.7L Ecoboost had a TON of pull with a little too much turbo lag, but the pull was about the same as a current 3.5. Tossing that truck through the corners, you could really feel the weight difference.

The competitive trucks had lots of understeer, front end plow, float and body roll, the F-150 drove exactly like the 700lb weight loss would suggest, you really feel it. Think of it as the human equivalent of losing 30 lbs. You're gonna feel the difference. For once in my life I actually felt like I was moving with the truck, not against the truck. We had a section set up to test NVH and interior solidity which really beat up the truck. The ride quality, generally speaking, was fairly similar to the current truck though the lighter body and heavier frame meant that the rear end felt more planted despite popular belief. It finally feels like the cab and bed are united as one chunk of truck moving together rather than the front floating and the rear crashing and shaking behind you. The competitive trucks just didn't handle the bumps as well, I felt it more in the cabin in the other trucks than in the Ford. And with 7,000km on the odometer of the test truck (XLT 2.7) and likely going over that same really rough bit of track probably 40-50 times, the interior was still rock solid.

As far as creature comforts and general ergonomics go, think about all of the complaints we have about our 12th gen trucks' features and their layout, and imagine how they could be improved. We complained that the tailgate step handle makes an uneven surface? Boom. Tailgate step handle flips out of the same area where the step slides out. We complained that the rear Sony sub takes up space on the flat floor? Bam. Relocated behind the seat. We hated the useless 115v power inverter plug? There you go, two 400w outlets. We bitched about the heated seat buttons being exclusively on the touchscreen? Just like that, hard buttons. I truly believe Ford read these forums and improved the truck based on simple collective customer feedback. Beyond those new ergonomic improvements, the 8" in-dash gauge display has much more intuitive apps to use like a digital speedo and other extended gauge displays like boost and different temps, all of which are customizable.

All of the things that I think could've been improved on my 2013 have been. Just little things, like now there's a shifter boot so crumbs and spills don't gum up the shifter. There's also a sport mode as well as a tow/haul mode. The panoramic roof is right up my alley. I like how Ford went back to the Super Duty style interior door handles as well. I got a chance to check out how the new power fold/telescope tow mirrors work as well and those are pretty cool. Just hit a button and use the mirror adjustment d-pad to power fold and extend instead of 2 or 3 different buttons. Just little things. Best of all, the turn signal stalk stays in place and doesn't spring back to centre until you actually turn. The massaging seats were too cool and actually worked really well. The seats themselves were comfortable though I prefer the shape of the seats in my '13, I think mine are a little more supportive. I personally think the interior, just the general touchpoints like the dashboard surfaces, fit and finish, quality of materials, is what is going to bring a new market to the truck that may need something with a little more capability without having to sacrifice quality and features. Everything you touch from the steering wheel to Ford's latest buttons and switchgear oozes quality and craftsmanship. Everything fits right, everything feels well-engineered and built properly.

More to come regarding the towing tests vs the competition very soon. Stay tuned!

- HCFX2013

http://www.f150forum.com/f118/ill-dr...8/#post3737967

He also wrote:
The door sheet metal no longer shakes and shimmies when you close it, too!

I drove the 3.5 turbo with a trailer and it hauled it like nothing. Pretty much had the same inertia with 6,000lb behind it as the old 5.4 did with nothing behind it. I drove the 5.0 briefly and it has 6.2 thrust. Smarter transmission mapping too.

 

Can't wait for the Ike gauntlet. They BETTER have the 5.0, I am sick of the 3.5tt going up the hill. Yeah we know it is powerful. I say 8500 lbs for the 2.7tt and 10,000 lbs for the 5.0 and 3.5tt just to compare weight difference times.
They still have not driven the gen 6.7 Super Duty up the hill yet.

 

New TFL Truck video: What's new & innovative in the Bed & Tailgate


credit: http://www.tfltruck.com

I love the new tie downs and the 5.5' bed now has stake pockets. 2.7L EB review coming up next.

 

The only thing that this video proves is that all of these 1/2 ton trucks tow a heavy trailer pretty dang well. So pick your poison.

 

Yikes that new fords look like a Toyota. Couldn't they have come up with something different?