Manila Bulletin

Ford launches F-150 in the Philippine­s

Leveling up the pickup segment

- By IÑIGO S. ROCES

Filipino truck buyers can now go bigger with the arrival of the internatio­nally-renowned Ford F-150 pickup truck. Not just big, the modern fullsize truck comes with a wide range of segment-defining features.

Encouraged by the strong sales of the Ranger Raptor, the F-150 hopes to offer Filipino truck buyers the next level in pickup power and refinement.

The Ford F-150 is part of Ford’s F-Series, America’s bestsellin­g truck for the 43rd straight year and America’s bestsellin­g vehicle for the 38th straight year.

Ford is offering the F-150 in two trim levels, the F-150 4x4 Platinum SuperCrew AT and F-150 4x2 Lariat SuperCrew AT. Both are powered by a 3.5L V6 EcoBoost engine capable of generating an impressive 380-PS of power and 637-NM of torque. This is coupled with a 10-speed automatic transmissi­on with SelectShif­t to deliver more flexible power for heavy-duty use while still being fuel efficient.

Standard across both F-150 variants are body color bumpers, 20inch alloy wheels, high strength aluminum alloy body, daytime running lamps, quad-beam headlamps, LED foglamps and taillamps, and front tow hooks.

Two to choose from

The 4x4 Platinum features Auto Start-Stop Technology and an Electronic Shift-On-The-Fly (ESOF) 4x4 System. It’s distinguis­hed with its more generous use of chrome throughout the exterior, tail-gate step with tail-gate lift assist, twin panel moonroof, as well as powerdeplo­yable running boards.

Inside, it’s upholstere­d with a luxurious leather interior with genuine black ash wood trim accents, unique instrument cluster gauges, 10-way power adjustable driver and front passenger seats with ActiveMoti­on massage function.

The 4x2 Lariat AT is for the more youthful with its more modern and aggressive choice of colors, bodycolore­d grille and trim, a unique Lariat finish on interior instrument­s, as well as leather seats.

Unparallel­ed tech

Regardless of the trim level, both F-150s come equipped with a host of smart and safe features. Leading these is the Ford Co-Pilot 360 — a safety suite composed of Pre-Collision Assist with Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Blind Spot Informatio­n

System (BLIS), Lane Keeping System (LKS) and Auto-High Beam Headlamps.

There are even more driver-assist technologi­es (DAT) in the form of a 360-degree camera, Active Park Assist, Curve Control, Hill Start Assist, SOS Post-Crash Alert System, Trailer Sway Control, Rain-Sensing Wipers, and Reverse Sensing System.

In addition, safety is made top priority with advanced technologi­es like AdvanceTra­c with RSC (Roll Stability Control), Dual-Stage Front Airbags, Front-Seat Side Airbags and

Safety Canopy System with SideCurtai­n Airbags and Rollover Sensor, Individual Tire Pressure Monitoring System, SecuriLock Passive AntiTheft System, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Electronic Brake Force Distributi­on (EBD), and Perimeter Alarm. The Platinum variant gets Inflatable Rear Seatbelts.

For convenienc­e, it comes with a remote start system, remote tailgate release, eight-inch LCD touchscree­n, SYNC 3 with AppLink, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibil­ity, 2 smart-charging USB ports and 12V Powerpoint, navigation system, eight-inch productivi­ty screen in the instrument cluster, and a 10-speaker with subwoofer sound system powered by Bang & Olufsen.

The next level

“The F-150 is definitely a strong addition to our pickup truck portfolio as we continue to lead the segment with the widest range of trucks, now totaling 15 variants. The F-150 is packed with segment-defining features and capabiliti­es that have made it the truck of choice across America and the world,” said PK Umashankar, managing director, Ford Philippine­s. “We are excited to bring back this legendary Ford truck to Filipino customers who seek next-level power and refinement in their pickup.”

The F-150 will be available at Ford dealership­s nationwide beginning June 25, 2020. Its price starts at PhP2,698,000 for the F-150 4x2 Lariat SuperCrew AT and PhP2,998,000 for the F-150 4x4 Platinum SuperCrew AT.

 ??  ?? PK Umashankar, managing director, Ford Philippine­s, with the Ford F-150 4x4 Platinum
PK Umashankar, managing director, Ford Philippine­s, with the Ford F-150 4x4 Platinum
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