Automotive

Bronco and Ranger to join smarter new Ford F-150

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The new Ford F-150 King Ranch on the floor of the Detroit Auto Show
Scott Collie/New Atlas
The new Ford F-150 King Ranch on the floor of the Detroit Auto Show
Scott Collie/New Atlas
The new grille on the F-150 is the biggest styling change
Scott Collie/New Atlas
Ford hasn't messed with the formula for the refreshed F-150
Scott Collie/New Atlas
The F-150 will be offered with a diesel engine
Scott Collie/New Atlas
If you see this on an F-150, it's time to stop...
Scott Collie/New Atlas
Ford wants cashed up farmers to get on board the King Ranch F-150
Scott Collie/New Atlas
The King Ranch F-150 has new wheels
Scott Collie/New Atlas
The F-150 in two-door trim at the Detroit Auto Show
Scott Collie/New Atlas
The new F-150 can be ordered as a diesel, although the EcoBoost petrol is still an efficient offering 
Scott Collie/New Atlas
The new Ford F-150 comes with more semi-autonomous tech than before
The F-150 now has adaptive radar cruise control
The new F-150 arrives just two years after the current model was launched 
A ten-speed auto gearbox is standard in the F-150
Ford has tried to make the F-150 look tougher than before
The new Ford F-150 should be at home on a work site
There are a range of new wheel designs on the F-150
The new Ford F-150 was launched at the Detroit Auto Show
The new grille on the Ford F-150 looks more solid than before
Behind the wheel of the new Ford F-150
The new F-150 should be a more comfortable stay as a driver to sit thanks to a range of clever driver assist systems
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The Ford F-150 wasn't looking even remotely old, but Ford has used the 2017 Detroit Auto Show to release an updated version of the best-selling truck in America. Although it looks similar to the current model, the new F-150 is a much smarter animal under the skin. Not content with one truck, Ford also announced the return of Bronco, which will be arriving alongside a new Ranger.

From the outside, you'd be hard pressed to tell the new truck from its predecessor. Ford says the new look is "even tougher," we say the designers slapped on a new grille, wheels and bumpers. Still, there was nothing wrong with the old one, so maybe an evolutionary approach is a good thing.

The real changes have been wrought under the skin, where a range of car-like driver assist systems have been fitted to make life easier for the driver. Thanks to new radar sensors and cameras, the car now has stop/go adaptive cruise control and pre-collision assist, which is able to detect pedestrians and attempt to minimize the impact of collisions by applying the brakes.

A new 4G LTE modem means passengers can access Wi-Fi on the move, with support for up to 10 devices. Considering the car only seats five, and one of the five is the driver, we'd be seriously impressed if you could hit the limit. Along with these new options, the existing range of add-ons including lane-keeping assist, blind-spot warning and a surround camera are still available.

The F-150 will be offered with a diesel engine
Scott Collie/New Atlas

Under the hood, the new F-150 comes as standard with a new direct-injection 3.3-liter V6. Although it gives up 300 cc to the unit it replaces, Ford says the new engine produces the same 282 hp (210 kW) and 253 lb.ft (343 Nm). It will be hooked up to a new 10-speed auto gearbox, as will the 2.7-liter EcoBoost. Those in need of a V8 are also catered for with a mildly more powerful 5.0-liter, paired with the same automatic gearbox as the rest of the range. Finally, 2018 will herald the arrival of a new type of F-150, with the addition of a 3.0-liter PowerStroke diesel.

Unfortunately, that still won't be enough to keep some people happy. Even though America is the land of the free and home of the truck, the Ranger hasn't been available at US dealers since 2012. It'll be back in the United States come 2019. What's more, the Bronco will also be making a comeback in 2020, with the same no-nonsense off-road focus as the original. Both will be built in Michigan.

The new F-150 will be available in Q3 of 2017. It was released at the Detroit Auto Show, where New Atlas is on the ground covering all the action.

Source: Ford

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1 comment
MK23666
That rear window port needs to be much larger, the Sport Trac had the perfect size as almost 3/4 of the rear window was retractable.