NAIAS 2017: ford announces the return of the F-150, ranger and bronco

NAIAS 2017: with ford’s eternal and hugely-influential presence as big as ever in detroit and the surrounding areas in michigan, it is of no surprise that the company continues to dominate the north american international auto show (NAIAS) located in the city. every year, ford is the brand to look out for as they debut many of their most anticipated and widely popular models at the show. and 2017 is no different. with designboom flown specially out to the snowy streets of detroit for their presentation, we witnessed as ford unveiled not just one but three new pickup trucks, including the even tougher ‘F-150’, the ever-conquering ‘ranger’, and the completely new ‘bronco’.

the pickup truck is more capable and conquering than ever before
images courtesy of ford

starting with the ford ‘F-150’ pickup truck, the 2018 model claims to be even tougher, even smarter, and even more capable than ever. three years after first introducing the series, the latest version boasts a bold front, featuring new grilles, headlamps, and bumpers that help create its wider and more grounded stance. moving round the high-strength body of the vehicle, the rear styling further displays an enhanced look of toughness. its sculpture tailgate has a deeper accent form, and a stamped ‘F-150’ sign is proudly branded in between the redesigned tail lamp.

the interior environment continues the image of toughness

its tough personality is on show in the interior as well, bringing two new seating trim colors; dark marsala and navy pier environment. its ruggedness is not the only significant inclusion for the occupants however. over the past three years, the ‘F-150’ has become more intelligent, incorporating advanced technologies that improve productivity, efficiency, and driver confidence. its enhanced adaptive cruise control feature enables drivers to set a cruising speed, after which the technology uses radars and cameras to monitor traffic and maintain a set distance between vehicles. additionally, the pickup offers pre-collision assist with pedestrian detection. this advancement supports the drivers to avoid or mitigate accidents with vehicles as well as wondering pedestrians. further aiding technologies include the 360-degree camera for parking, lane-keeping system, and blind spot information system that is highly beneficial during trailer use.

the model also boasts more intelligent technology and driving assist systems

as boldly stated as more capable than ever before, the 2018 ‘F-150’ has a high standard to top yet has successful done so. the standard engine is the all-new 3.3-liter V6 with direct-injection for increased efficiency, and it claims to offer 282 horsepower with 253 lb-ft. of torque. the 2.7-liter and 3.5-liter ecoboost engines reduce internal friction and improves robustness to offer bettered levels of output, efficient, quality, and durability. the 5.0-liter V8 also sees further improvement with the 2018 model, significantly upgrading its power and torque. furthermore, for the first time the series adds a 3.0-liter power stroke diesel engine to the line. to ensure it offers similar capabilities to the petrol engines, it has been fully designed, engineered, and tested in-house.

with a new grille and headlights, the 2018 model appears much more grounded

second up onto the stage at the NAIAS 2017 in detroit, ford announced the return of the ‘ranger’ midsize pickup truck for 2019. and to further impress, and to appease many ford fans, the brand followed up by declaring that they are set to bring back the ‘bronco’ midsize SUV in 2020. however, unlike the fully presented 2018 ‘F-150’ truck, the full details of the designs and capabilities of the ‘ranger’ and ‘bronco’ will be announced in due course. showing the company’s continuing presence in the surrounding detroit area, as mentioned earlier, both vehicles will be manufactured at their michigan assembly plant in wayne, michigan.

the first model was shown three years ago

‘we’ve heard our customers loud and clear. they want a new generation of vehicles that are incredibly capable yet fun to drive,‘ said joe hinrichs, ford’s president of the americas. ‘ranger is for truck buyers who want an affordable, rugged and maneuverable pickup that’s built ford tough. bronco will be a no-compromise midsize 4×4 utility for thrill seekers who want to venture way beyond the city.‘

designboom were present for the world debut of the 2018 ford ‘F-150’
image © designboom

it features a high-strength body
image © designboom

image © designboom

the rear lights have been redesigned
image © designboom

the ‘F-150’ sign is boldly stamped onto the rear of the truck
image © designboom

the F-150 continues to push the limits of 4x4s
image © designboom