New 2009 Ford F-150 Trucks Roll Off The Line To Much Fanfare

With Ford's present and future semi-resting on its newly redesigned F-150 pickup trucks, the new models rolled off the assembly line in Kansas City to the cheers of the Ford employees. The new F-150 trucks have been completely redone to be more fuel-efficient than previous generations and will go on sale in late October.

The new F-150 pickups have an average fuel-economy improvement of 8%, with some gains as high as 12 percent for certain models equipped with the high-volume 3-valve, 5.4L V-8 engine. Towing capacity stands at a class-leading 11300 lb, and hauling capacity sits at an impressive 3030 lb. The new F-150s also feature more standard safety equipment than any other half-ton pickup and remains the best-selling vehicle on the market. In price comparisons, a 2009 Dodge Ram costs $5000 more than a similarly equipped F-150 Lariat Super Crew, which starts at $35,820. In addition to being competitively-priced, the F-150 offers consumers the most cab styles, box options, and trim levels, which all starts at $21,320 for the XL Regular Cab.

In preparation for the new F-150, Ford invested $110 million into its Kansas City Assembly Plant. New tooling and equipment includes the addition of 24 new clearcoat robots and 65 new error-proofing devices. Precision lasers were installed in the body shop to put the roof- and body side- panels onto the truck's new roof structure, which features the industry's first use of super-high-strength, dual-phase steel. The stiffer structure improves safety and makes for a quieter ride.

Ken Ward, the plant manager for the plant, acknowledged that "the team [at Kansas City Assembly Plant] understands the importance of the F-150 to Ford" and "are proud to build Ford's most capable F-150 ever."

Prototypes of the 2009 F-150 garnered 4.5 million miles of real-world and lab testing, along with quality checks where real truck users use their trucks.

Source: Ford Motor Company