Despite being the consistent number one seller of pickup trucks in the U.S. with its every popular F-150, the Ford Motor Company is wisely choosing not to rest on its laurels.
After the big splash of new powertrain options for 2011, the folks in Dearborn are attempting to stay ahead of the curve by donning their sales champ with a number of upgrades for 2012.
Perhaps most noticeable, is the debut of a new, rather sinister looking FX appearance package (shown), which sports flat black accents, special 20-inch flat black finished alloy wheels with stylized exterior graphics and ID lettering. Inside, the FX incorporates black upholstery surfaces, including the seats, which sport contrasting red piping and perforation inserts.
Red stitching on the steering wheel and brushed metal accents round things off. An FX luxury package is also available which adds both heated and cooled front bucket seats.
On the greasy bit front, Ford has added electronic locking rear differentials on trucks equipped with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost and 5.0-liter V8 engines, as well as an updated 4×4 system with a fully automatic selection mode. In addition all 4 x 4 F-150s now have the ability to be flat towed, while a new Hill Start assist feature has been added to prevent the truck from rolling back on inclines. In addition, EcoBoost powered rigs get a boost (pun intended) when it comes to operating range, thanks to a new 36 gallon fuel tank which now permits some 756 miles worth of driving between fill ups.
