F-150 Lobo Coming As a More Street Oriented model?

[Rick73]

8 hours ago, akirby said:

Nothing wrong with personal preference.  Some people might like a pink truck.  That doesn’t mean Ford should build it.

Agree 100% that building a 6.8/7.3L V8 should be completely up to Ford (provided it’s emissions legal option), and also that it’s unlikely to ever happen.  And yes, if buyers want a pink half-ton that Ford doesn’t offer, they can choose Chevy or GM small-block or RAM Hemi as others have implied.  On surface, sounds absurd to offer large-displacement pushrod Lobo, yet is it that different from what GM and Stellantis are building, except a few more inches?  Granted Ford out sells them, but why not sell even more?

 

The flip side of argument may be that if GM and RAM/Stellantis had DOHC V8s like Ford’s, maybe they’d be using those instead.  Don’t know, but guess there is demand for both.

[pffan1990]

 

28 minutes ago, silvrsvt said:

While the refreshed Ford Explorer now won’t launch until the 2025 model year, production of the 2024 model is expected to only last a total of two months – January and February of next year. At the same time, 2024 will represent a carryover year for the popular crossover, with little to no changes in store. Production of the 2025 Explorer is expected to commence in late March 2024, but as is always the case, these dates are subject to change.

 

I had to go back to the article because your quoted paragraph was not in the article when I first read it a few hours ago.

 

28 minutes ago, silvrsvt said:

Um....6 months from now is late? They haven't say anything about when they'll retool the plant (I'd assume it wouldn't take long at all due to it being a refresh) plus whatever happens with the UAW later this month. I think this a complete non-issue and just piss poor reporting. 

 

I had thought that the minor re-tooling had already been done for preparation of the 2024MY production. We had seen test prototypes out on public streets for a few months now. I figured production would have started soon within the remainder of 2023 CY. I agree about piss-poor reporting, hence I suggested taking this article with grain of salt.

[silvrsvt]

7 minutes ago, pffan1990 said:

I had thought that the minor re-tooling had already been done for preparation of the 2024MY production. We had seen test prototypes out on public streets for a few months now. I figured production would have started soon within the remainder of 2023 CY. I agree about piss-poor reporting, hence I suggested taking this article with grain of salt.

 

Preproduction prototypes are done at a different plant-but it also depends on how different they are vs the current vehicle. I know over the years that  my dad worked in a Ford plant, a yearly change over with almost no changes was like 2 weeks (normally during normal plant shutdown in the summer) or a month or two if it was more major. The changeover from building Escorts to Rangers was 6 months IIRC. 

[AGR]

Another trademark filing, according to Ford Authority:

F-200 Trademark Filing Suggests New Ford Pickup Incoming (fordauthority.com)

[pffan1990]

10 minutes ago, silvrsvt said:

Preproduction prototypes are done at a different plant-but it also depends on how different they are vs the current vehicle. I know over the years that  my dad worked in a Ford plant, a yearly change over with almost no changes was like 2 weeks (normally during normal plant shutdown in the summer) or a month or two if it was more major. The changeover from building Escorts to Rangers was 6 months IIRC. 

 

I have seen few plant workers and some insiders here say the same you just did. I don't work within the auto industry so don't know all this first hand and sometimes hard to remember all this. Thanks for quickly explaining and jogging up my memory of what the others here have said about the processes. A quick changeover in March of 2024 sounds logical, if article sources is true, to prepare for the switch to 2025MY.

 

Back on thread topic though, I do think Ford's press conference will have: the 1) new F-150 hybrid variant and 2) F-150 Lobo, due to the 'F-150 Fest' listed in the NAIAS press conference page I linked in the previous page. With Ford changing their plans so often, who knows what their plans will be next month. lol

 

 

[mackinaw]

1 hour ago, silvrsvt said:

You do realize that was almost 60 years ago too, right? LOTS has changed in that time. 

 

Tell that to the one million spectators and 40,000 classic cars that were part of the recent Woodward Dream Cruise.

[jpd80]

Me and you and a dog named boo……

Edited September 2, 2023 by jpd80

[silvrsvt]

7 hours ago, mackinaw said:

 

Tell that to the one million spectators and 40,000 classic cars that were part of the recent Woodward Dream Cruise.

The unfortunate fact is that if someone is going to put a V8 into a classic that didn’t have one or want a restomod, they are more likely then not will go the cheapest route and put a GM/LS motor into it because they are cheap/easy to get. 
 

The thing I’m curious about is how the “classic” market has changed (haven’t been to a show in ages) and if there are more cars from the 1980s now. I know when I was a kid a car from the 1950s didn’t do much for me. 

[Captainp4]

On 8/31/2023 at 9:33 PM, DeluxeStang said:

Weight doesn't matter as much in a truck, but it always matters period. Weight is the enemy to literally everything on a car, so as an engineer, you want to save as much weight as possible. A hundred pounds isn't the end of the world, but it's certainly not good. 

 

Is it really worth investing millions of dollars into reengineering the 7.3 for performance applications when the 5.0 is right there? Especially considering there's nothing the 7.3 can do that the 5.0 can't do better, cheaper, and more reliably. 

 

Any performance discussion revolving around the 6.8 or 7.3 is immediately irrelevant when some engineer says "But 5.0". It's the best engine ford's ever had, whereas the 6.8/7.3 are just meh, very average all around. 

Never said it was worth it or made sense, just pointing out that a performance tune on a 7.3 isn't hard at all and it can easily make way more power than a 5.0 n/a. Emissions certification and all the testing probably wouldn't pay off with relatively low volume, I understand that. The 6.2 didn't end up being worth putting in the F150 when sales numbers came back and the ecoboost killed it. That said, calling it a heavy duty/slow revving/slug/whatever else was said just doesn't make sense if you know anything about building engines.
 

On 9/1/2023 at 3:50 PM, mackinaw said:

 

No, it doesn't, but the 1960's hot-rodder in me would love to bolt a set of high-flow cylinder heads on that 445 cubic inch engine (not going to cal it 7/3L), put in a hot cam, as well as a nice pair of headers.  Shades of 1967!

The thing these guys are ignoring is that the stock godzilla heads already flow slightly better than the coyote and are a mild port job away from flowing 100cfm more. It is an absolute powerhouse waiting to be unleashed by Ford if they ever choose to (very unlikely we'll see it in anything besides the superduty) or the aftermarket.
 

On 9/1/2023 at 10:19 PM, silvrsvt said:

 

You do realize that was almost 60 years ago too, right? LOTS has changed in that time. 

Not much as far as making power goes, it's always been about air flow. More air in and out means more power. EFI has made tuning immensely easier and allows for better emissions control and pushing the limits of the tune and still being safe (all my old carb stuff is holley sniper EFI, not as good as sequential multiport, but still better than a carb for most uses). But the basics are the same.

[jpd80]

Sounds like Ford has filed for trade mark of F200

 

https://fordauthority.com/2023/09/f-200-trademark-filing-suggests-new-ford-pickup-incoming/
 

Ford Motor Company has filed to trademark F-200 with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Ford Authority has learned.

Filed on August 28^th, 2023, this application contains the goods and services description of “Motor vehicles, namely gasoline and electric automobiles, pick-up trucks, sport utility vehicles, and their structural parts.”

 

 

[Rick73]

7 hours ago, jpd80 said:

Sounds like Ford has filed for trade mark of F200

 

https://fordauthority.com/2023/09/f-200-trademark-filing-suggests-new-ford-pickup-incoming/
 

Ford Motor Company has filed to trademark F-200 with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Ford Authority has learned.

Filed on August 28^th, 2023, this application contains the goods and services description of “Motor vehicles, namely gasoline and electric automobiles, pick-up trucks, sport utility vehicles, and their structural parts.”

It may or may not have anything to do with “Lobo” designation, but an F-200 which could split the difference between F-150 and F-250 sounds interesting.  My limited understanding of weight classes is that F-150 could go up to 8,500-pound GVWR,, so does that leave 8,501-10,000 pound range open for an F-200 based on a heavier-duty F-150 with F-250 powertrain?  Information below suggest EPA emissions classification for 8,501-10,000 would allow same engines as in medium trucks up to 19,500 GVWR if I’m reading correctly, which could lead to an F-200 (F-150 based) with 7.3/6.8L V8.  Perhaps someone with expertise in this area could share information on what an F-200 could represent. 
 

[rmc523]

Ford Authority is speculating maybe it'll be used on the T3 "Thunder" ? 

[bzcat]

On 9/5/2023 at 6:26 AM, Rick73 said:

It may or may not have anything to do with “Lobo” designation, but an F-200 which could split the difference between F-150 and F-250 sounds interesting.  My limited understanding of weight classes is that F-150 could go up to 8,500-pound GVWR,, so does that leave 8,501-10,000 pound range open for an F-200 based on a heavier-duty F-150 with F-250 powertrain?  Information below suggest EPA emissions classification for 8,501-10,000 would allow same engines as in medium trucks up to 19,500 GVWR if I’m reading correctly, which could lead to an F-200 (F-150 based) with 7.3/6.8L V8.  Perhaps someone with expertise in this area could share information on what an F-200 could represent. 
 

 

F-150 is class 2A GVWR 6,001 to 8,500 lbs.

F-250 is class 2B GBWR 8,501 to 10,000 lbs.

 

There are three ways to skin this F-200 cat:

1. F-150 body on F-250 frame with 7.3 gas or 6.7 diesel

2. F-250 but with F-150 engines - 3.5 EB or 5.0 gas

3. Faster/heavier Lightning

 

1 is niche market... why would you bother when full fat F-250 won't cost that much more.

2 is crazy train. You end up with something that is not very useful.

3 is most likely.

[Rick73]

10 hours ago, bzcat said:

 

F-150 is class 2A GVWR 6,001 to 8,500 lbs.

F-250 is class 2B GBWR 8,501 to 10,000 lbs.

 

There are three ways to skin this F-200 cat:

1. F-150 body on F-250 frame with 7.3 gas or 6.7 diesel

2. F-250 but with F-150 engines - 3.5 EB or 5.0 gas

3. Faster/heavier Lightning

 

1 is niche market... why would you bother when full fat F-250 won't cost that much more.

2 is crazy train. You end up with something that is not very useful.

3 is most likely.

A Lightning with around 200 kWh of battery capacity would certainly exceed 8,500 pounds GVWR, so maybe an F-200 Lightning makes sense in that context.  Obviously the extra weight would reduce energy efficiency below 2 miles per kWh, but I suppose some buyers in that segment don’t care about efficiency all that much as long as it’s electric, plus some may need extra range for towing.

 

A fourth option is an F-150 on a slightly beefed-up F-150 chassis just above 8,500 pounds so that it qualifies for 7.3/6.8 engines.  An F-200 in range of 8,500~9,000 pound GVWR with a 7.3/6.8L truck-specific engine may appeal to many buyers who want to tow regularly.  I know 3.5L EB is rated high already, but it’s not the engine I’d want for tow a large camper trailer in 10 MPG range, and if trailer is relatively light, going up to a Super Duty almost seems unnecessary.

[silvrsvt]

1 hour ago, Rick73 said:

A fourth option is an F-150 on a slightly beefed-up F-150 chassis just above 8,500 pounds so that it qualifies for 7.3/6.8 engines.  An F-200 in range of 8,500~9,000 pound GVWR with a 7.3/6.8L truck-specific engine may appeal to many buyers who want to tow regularly.  I know 3.5L EB is rated high already, but it’s not the engine I’d want for tow a large camper trailer in 10 MPG range, and if trailer is relatively light, going up to a Super Duty almost seems unnecessary.

 

But does that engine actually fit in the engine compartment of the F-150?

[AM222]

On 8/30/2023 at 2:52 AM, rmc523 said:

Ford F-150 Lobo reportedly coming as street-oriented performance truck - Autoblog

 

They're using Ford Authority as the source, so who knows, but it's an interesting idea.

 

Lobo has been used as F-150's name in Mexico, but here they're saying it'd be like Tremor - a trim of its own.

If they sell it in Mexico it would be called Ford Lobo Lobo. Lol 

 

Edited September 8, 2023 by AM222

[DeluxeStang]

40 minutes ago, AM222 said:

If they sell it in Mexico it would be called Ford Lobo Lobo. Lol 

 

Screw it, call it the Ford Lobo Loco Lobo.

[rmc523]

On a side note, Ford has apparently trademarked F-200....

[CurtisH]

3 hours ago, silvrsvt said:

 

But does that engine actually fit in the engine compartment of the F-150?

Well, it’s narrower than the Coyote.  It may be a bit longer, but I would think they could accommodate that. 

[Captainp4]

RETURN OF THE 7 LUG F150HD and then F250LD !! ???

[pffan1990]

4 hours ago, Captainp4 said:

RETURN OF THE 7 LUG F150HD and then F250LD !! ???

 

I remember a time of the F-150, light-duty F-250, plus the F-250HD and F-350. Then came the Super Duty that includes the F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, etc. plus F-150 and F-250. Then the F-250 light-duty simply became the 7-lug F-150 'HD'. It's possible that the F-200 is the modern version of the 7-lug F-150 HD for the 2024 update. We'll see in a few days.

[NLPRacing]

On 9/5/2023 at 12:43 AM, jpd80 said:

Sounds like Ford has filed for trade mark of F200

 

https://fordauthority.com/2023/09/f-200-trademark-filing-suggests-new-ford-pickup-incoming/
 

Ford Motor Company has filed to trademark F-200 with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Ford Authority has learned.

Filed on August 28^th, 2023, this application contains the goods and services description of “Motor vehicles, namely gasoline and electric automobiles, pick-up trucks, sport utility vehicles, and their structural parts.”

 

 

They could take a F150 SuperCrew PowerBoost with a 6.5' bed, and sterling rear axle with either 7 or 8 lug wheels and sell that as an F200 with a 15,000-pound towing capacity. There are a lot of F250's pulling travel trailers & fifth wheels that are under 15,000 pounds, but that are too big for F150's.

[Bryan1]

From Motor Trend:

"Or it could be a whole lot of nothing. All companies protect their intellectual property in a variety of ways. The "Lobo" trademarks could just be to prevent some competitor, real, imagined, or hypothetical, from squatting on the name—even if Ford has no intention of producing any Lobos outside of Mexico. If the chatter gets more concrete, if truly compelling spy photos emerge, or if a Ford source howls at us, we'll let you know."

 

I'm going with fake news. Ford using a spanish name on the F-150 in the United States sounds really stupid.

[jpd80]

7 hours ago, NLPRacing said:

They could take a F150 SuperCrew PowerBoost with a 6.5' bed, and sterling rear axle with either 7 or 8 lug wheels and sell that as an F200 with a 15,000-pound towing capacity. There are a lot of F250's pulling travel trailers & fifth wheels that are under 15,000 pounds, but that are too big for F150's.

I never thought heavier axles but I agree with your thoughts.  I don’t know if Ford will go that far or if it’s just a rebranding of upper tow limit F150s. Look at the F600, it’s an extension of F550 as a way of covering what gasoline F650 want……

 

In any regard the F200 allows those trucks to be classed at heavy duty and not linked to half ton,

maybe avoiding the EPA changing the upper GCWR  limit for trucks under CAFE. If that is the aim, F200 will give F150 buyers that extra 3,000 or 4,000 lb of towing capacity - many would probably buy that over the extra expense of a proper gasoline  F250.

 

Such a vehicle could have either 6.8 or 7.3 V8 as a better more efficient towing engine without CAFE worries but maybe that’s not the idea here. Is this showing other brands how to do heavy half ton the right way?

Edited September 15, 2023 by jpd80

[ausrutherford]

On 9/15/2023 at 4:46 PM, Bryan1 said:

From Motor Trend:

"Or it could be a whole lot of nothing. All companies protect their intellectual property in a variety of ways. The "Lobo" trademarks could just be to prevent some competitor, real, imagined, or hypothetical, from squatting on the name—even if Ford has no intention of producing any Lobos outside of Mexico. If the chatter gets more concrete, if truly compelling spy photos emerge, or if a Ford source howls at us, we'll let you know."

 

I'm going with fake news. Ford using a spanish name on the F-150 in the United States sounds really stupid.

 

Well, if the name is to affiliate with the low-rider/truck rod crowd, then a Spanish name is appropriate. This market is largely based on vehicle tuning from the Latino community.