By nature, I'm a cynical person. If you've ever been to where I come from you'd probably understand. It's cold and raining about 85 percent of the time, with blustery winds. Maybe that's why I find a lot of marketing spiel very hard to stomach. I've been on countless conventions and had to listen to thousands of presentations. Usually the product their referring to, is at best average. Last week I, along with Editor Houlahan, found ourselves listening to a presentation, only in this case it was about the 2009 F-150. However, the difference was, that as the event wore on, I at least started to develop real enthusiasm for the latest Blue Oval 1/2 ton... I like trucks. One of the reasons I moved over here was so I could own a pick up. I'm currently on my second Ranger and have been a fan of Ford trucks for years, perhaps with the exception of the 1997 F-150, which, on a personal level I found to be rather disappointing. However, when the 2004 model came out, it was a huge improvement and to me, put the best selling F-series back on the road, headed in the right direction. The 2009, from my two-day evaluation last week, builds upon that. I think the styling is more handsome and the features embodied in the new truck rather clever. And it's the details that count. Even the lower trim levels, XL, STX and XLT impressed with their level of refinement - proving that rubber floors don't mean no insulation, nor uncomfortable seats. Some will say that having a V-8 only engine lineup in the wake of relatively high fuel prices and the credit crunch, may not be a good strategy, but I for one think Ford is on the money. In the US, the real winners in the automotive segment won't be those that sell small, thrifty cars, but those that can make relatively large, comfortable, capable and fuel efficient vehicles. While I will go out on a limb and predict that the 'new' CAFE regs will probably fall by the wayside eventually, Ford has got it right with this new truck. It sets the standard in so many ways and although times are tough, it tells me that the future is bright. If you'd asked me to comment a decade ago when the 1997 vintage F-150 was current I probably would not have said the same thing...
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