$70,000 2018 F-150 Limited Takes on King of the Hammers

Even in a grueling off-road event, luxury 4×4 proves it’s good to be king.

“The F-150 Limited really did impress us in Johnson Valley during King of the Hammers week,” proclaim the truck enthusiasts over at Four Wheeler Network. And this was no ordinary KoH run for this crew, which decided to test the tracks with a nearly-$70,000 2018 Ford F-150 Limited during their recent adventures at the annual California event that took place Feb. 2-10. “Like a true F-150 it’s capable and comfortable, and the 3.5L V6 EcoBoost engine continues to impress us.”

Granted, King of the Hammers is one of the most challenging off-road races anywhere. Racers are tasked with ramming their way through brutal, rock-strewn desert terrain at more than 100 mph in some stretches. They probe their way over fields of boulders and claw their way up 90-degree climbs. It’s hardly the ideal testing ground for a shiny new F-150 Limited. Four Wheeler Network‘s Mike Grasso writes, “When Ford said they were loaning us a truck to take out to Hammertown, we were surprised when this fully-loaded 2018 F-150 Limited with a pristine Blue Jean paint job showed up on our doorstep.”

The team named their truck “Jean,” naturally, and set out to the unforgiving KOH to see how a new luxury half-ton truck would perform when put to the ultimate off-road test over a week. Jean was a rare ride in more than one sense. The truck was was the sixth 2018 F-150 Limited off the production line, which was noted on the center console with the VIN engraved on a chrome badge.

‘Despite the posh interior & funny looks we got wheeling the Limited on 22s from obstacle to obstacle at King of the Hammers, the F-150 Limited is a true 4×4 at hear.’

To meet the unique challenges of King of the Hammers’ terrain, this blue beast needed some serious wheels and rubber. So, the truck was equipped with 22-inch aluminum wheels and Pirelli all-season tires.

“Despite the posh interior and funny looks we got wheeling the Limited on 22s from obstacle to obstacle at King of the Hammers, the F-150 Limited is a true 4×4 at heart,” says Grasso.”We tested both the 4-Hi and 4-Lo in the truck and found that it’s every bit as capable as other F-150 models.”

Grasso found the F-150 was absolutely up to the task of taking on the course, and was as tough — if not tougher – -than its competitors.

“At one point our editors were headed from Backdoor to Chocolate Thunder, two KOH obstacles a short drive apart….At the hill we sat in line behind two lifted heavy duty pickups on mud tires attempting to get up the sandy embankment,” recalls Grasso. “After the first HD failed twice we shifted into 4-Lo, pulled around the 3/4- tons, and slowly but steadily powered up the hill without issue.”

He also noted that the power-retractable side steps helped to give the F-150 a little extra clearance, which suited all purposes for this grueling test.

As expected, the F-150 Limited performed admirably in the event. The 3.5L V-6 EcoBoost engine gave them all the power they needed. In addition to being tough and ready to take on any scenario, the truck also reportedly excelled in comfort. And the LED lighting in the bed made tasks such as loading and unloading dirt bikes much easier, especially at night.

There’s nothing quite as exhilarating as getting down and dirty in a luxury 4×4. However, the Four Wheeler Network team pushed the truck so hard at KOH that they felt compelled to give it a good hand-washing before they returned the vehicle. We raise a toast to their nobility.

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Photos: Four Wheeler Network