Ford F-150
by Christopher A. Sawyer

The 2004 Ford F-150 builds on established themes that have made if the best selling full-size pickup for the last 20 years. It carries forward the general themes of the last generation truck, and overlays them with the outline and details of the 2003 Mighty F-350 Tonka concept vehicle. Design director J Mays calls the result, “rugged but refined,” and in keeping with Ford’s “tough truck” ethos

Stance and section height give the F150 ruggedness and stability without making it appear unwieldy or brutish. A strong waterline establishes a stable base that can be color keyed to the various trim levels. Up front, the hood-mounted trapezoidal grille also changes to match the trim level, going from a body color surround with a dark, divided grille, to a large chrome border framing a honeycomb insert. The latter is the most cohesive, and works well with the round-element headlights used across-the-board.

The shoulder line dips around the side mirrors, then rises to form a level, uninterrupted border. A slight S-curve flows through body sides punctuated by large, bluff wheel arches, and bed tie-downs are integrated into the upper pickup box surface just below the edge of the bed liner.

Chief exterior designer, Craig Metros, took over an entire studio to create “F150 Land.” Interior development happened concurrently, and mimics the exterior’s ability to support every trim level. The instrument panel is trisected, with distinct gauge clusters, trim, and finishes for each level. This chameleon-like quality is echoed in the door trim, and by an optional system that allows owners to customize the interior by adding snap-in modules (storage compartments, DVD players, etc.) to the twin overhead rails.

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