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Ford F-150 Crew Cab Adds New Dimension to Trucks

5 January 1999

Ford F-150 Crew Cab Adds New Dimension to Trucks

    DETROIT, Jan. 4 -- Ford Motor Company continues its
tradition of truck leadership and innovation by adding another branch to its
best-selling F-Series family tree and unveiling it -- the F-150 Crew Cab -- at
the North American International Auto Show.
    The F-150 Crew Cab will be the first under-8,500-pound gross vehicle
weight (GVW) truck to offer four full-size doors and a full rear passenger
compartment.
    Ford's new entry joins the over-8,500-pound GVW Super Duty F-Series
introduced for the 1999 model year as another extension of the best-selling
nameplate in automotive history worldwide and the best-selling vehicle -- car
or truck -- in the U.S. for the past 17 years.
    "We don't sit still when it comes to providing customers with trucks that
fit their  needs," said Jim O'Connor, Ford Motor Company vice president and
Ford Division president.  "We think the new F-150 Crew Cab demonstrates that.
It is 100 percent 'Built Ford Tough' and is for customers with businesses and
growing families who need additional interior space but also require the
rugged functionality and versatility of a pickup."

    F-150 Crew Cab
    Today, more than two-thirds of customers choose the popular F-Series
SuperCab model for carrying cargo and for occasional rear-passenger use.  Many
also indicate a desire for a larger rear cabin to accommodate up to six adult
passengers -- without sacrificing the capability of the pickup box.
    The F-150 Crew Cab provides a truck with the same overall length as the
139-inch wheelbase SuperCab model -- which is important for maneuverability
and parking in garages -- but with extra interior space and the added ease of
ingress and egress for passengers.
    Unlike the SuperCab, which has smaller hinged doors that swing out from
the C-pillar, the Crew Cab has four full-size doors separated by a B-pillar on
each side, with inside and outside handles on each door.  It is the same type
of system currently available on the Super Duty F-Series Crew Cab trucks.
    The rear-seat package of the F-150 Crew Cab is similar to that of a Ford
Expedition sport utility vehicle built on the same platform.  Overall, the
Crew Cab boasts 12 inches more cab space than the current SuperCab model and a
5 1/2-foot pickup box -- vs. SuperCab's 6 1/2-foot box.

    Strong Heritage
    The F-150 Crew Cab has the same muscular, aerodynamic stance and styling
as the current F-150 Regular Cab and SuperCab models.  It is also common under
the skin, sharing the automatic transmission and two Triton(TM) V-8 engines --
a standard 4.6-liter and an optional 5.4-liter V-8.  The driveline, chassis
and braking systems also are adopted from current-model under-8,500-pound GVW
F-Series trucks.

    The Truck Market
    In the United States, truck sales continue to grow.  In calendar year
1998, trucks accounted for almost 50 percent of all new vehicle sales.
    One reason is the trend toward personal use in under-8,500-pound GVW
pickup trucks.  Five years ago, 70 percent of the trucks in this segment were
regular cabs used primarily as work vehicles.  Today, largely because of extra
doors, better interior packages, and added luxury and refinement, 70 percent
of customers in this segment use their vehicles for recreation on the weekends
and vacations.
    The redesigned 1997 F-Series raised the stakes in the personal-use
segment, offering customers never-before seen features in a newly styled tough
truck.
    Last year, Ford followed up with an all-new over-8,500-pound GVW Super
Duty F-Series lineup, answering the increased demand from commercial and
heavy-duty recreational-use customers.
    In calendar year 1998, F-Series sales exceeded 800,000 -- the most sales
for any car or truck since 1978.  The F-150 Crew Cab extends the F-Series
range even further.
    The F-150 Crew Cab models will be built at the Kansas City Truck Plant in
Missouri and will be on sale in early 2000.