Mike Levine‏ @mrlevine 38 minutes ago
Just arrived in Kansas City. Big @FordTrucks news to announce tomorrow. #BuiltFordTough

https://twitter.com/mrlevine

 

Without sounding too jaded, the last "big news" was a new color for the raptor. While I anxiously await news regarding the next gen of 150's, I am not gonna hold my breath for this "big news".....

 

The Raptor news wasn't described as big. It was just some Raptor news. This is big news.

 

I heard they where going to stop making the 3.7, 5.0 and the 6.2 and the ecoboost was going to be the only f150 engine..

 

I believe they are going to drop the eb down to a 3L next year. Remember when they tried this before? Anyone remember the dreaded 6.0 diesel? Not looking forward to that. Glad I got my 2013 EB.

 

Wouldn't surprise me - they are downsizing the base EB in the 2014 Fusion from 1.6 to 1.5.

 

The announcement was adding 2,000 jobs and will also be about the 2014 Transit, which is going to be built at KC.

 

Ford Adding 2,000-Plus Jobs at Kansas City Assembly.

Ford is investing $1.1 billion to retool and expand the facility for production
of both the F-150 and Transit, including a 437,000 sq.-ft. stamping facility
and a 78,000 sq.-ft. paint shop.

http://media.ford.com/article_displa...ticle_id=37994

The paint shop expansion will
include installation of the three-wet
paint process, which is more
environmentally friendly and requires
less time than conventional paint
processes – without compromise to
Ford paint quality or durability.

 

Great news!

Honestly, more exciting than any news about the truck itself! Great to see Ford adding more manufacturing jobs in the US, especially in my home state!

 

Also, no "transparent aluminum" and no unibody:

The F-150 will get an overhaul for its next generation, set to hit showrooms for the 2015 model year. The truck won't radically change; it will drop a significant amount of weight through use of lighter-weight steel. It will remain a body-on-frame truck and won't have a largely aluminum body, contrary to some previously published reports.

From The Detroit News: Ford to invest $1.1B: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...#ixzz2S9IEnw4H

 

It will all come down to how much they can save in weight on the next gen truck. I have read several places that the target is 700 lbs. If that is true, and they are able to reach it, that would make for quite a change. Add in (hopefully) an 8 or 9 speed trans as well as updated powertrains(I would be astonished if the 5.0 didnt get DI for 2015) and you are talking about serious fuel economy and speed improvements.

 

The trend toward higher fuel economy will essentially kill rugged trucks as we know it. I liked the Atlas concept though. Right now I think I'm rolling my truck to the wheels fall off but, a DI 5.0 would be wicked

 

I'll keep on rolling in my trusty 2008 thank you!

 

Comments like that just amaze me. You have absolutely no idea what the next truck will be like, and you've already written it off?

Keep driving your clunky old '08 when everyone else is reaping the benefits of added fuel economy!

Me? I'll be driving my '08 for a while because I won't be able to afford a new one for quite some time!