2001 Ford F-150 SuperCrew - Opening New Doors
7 January 2000
2001 Ford F-150 SuperCrew - Opening New Doors
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 6 -- "The F-150 SuperCrew adds more
versatility and innovation to the Ford F-Series lineup by offering customers a
choice they can't find anywhere else in the full-size pickup market.
SuperCrew seats up to six adult passengers comfortably, without sacrificing
its work-truck capability."
-- Gurminder Bedi, Vice President, Ford North America Truck
The new 2001-model Ford F-150 SuperCrew adds a new dimension to work- and
personal-use trucks. It is the only under-8500-pound gross vehicle weight
(GVW) truck in its class with four full-size doors and a full rear passenger
compartment. It also is the only pickup on the market with power adjustable
pedals. SuperCrew is designed for a broad range of buyers who need all the
capability of a "Built Ford Tough" pickup along with passenger-carrying
capacity and increased ease of entry and exit. Its 5 1/2-foot box and
optional Bed Extender -- which creates a total of seven feet of cargo carrying
capacity -- ensures owners can put it to work like any other Ford pickup.
The Tough Truck Design
Offered in both XLT and Lariat trim levels, the F-150 SuperCrew has been
designed for consumers who want more interior space without compromising the
functional capability and versatility of a full-size pickup. Its looks
reflect the same muscular, aerodynamic stance and styling of the current F-150
Regular Cab and SuperCab models.
The F-150 SuperCrew is the same overall length as the 139-inch wheel base
SuperCab model, which is an advantage when maneuvering in tight spaces like
parking lots or garages. At the same time it offers extra interior space,
improving rear passenger comfort.
Unlike the SuperCab, which has smaller hinged doors that swing out from
the C-pillar, the SuperCrew has four full-size doors separated by a B-pillar
on each side, with inside and outside handles on each door. It is the same
type of system currently available on the Super Duty F-Series Crew Cab trucks.
The Lariat has standard seventeen-inch chromed steel wheels and OWL tires,
with standard all-season tires on 4x2 models, and all-terrain tires on 4x4
models. On XLT, sixteen-inch polished aluminum wheels and all-season OWL
tires are standard on 4x2 and 4x4 models, while all-new seventeen-inch cast
aluminum wheels are optional on the 4x4 XLT.
SuperCrew Interior
F-150 SuperCrew boasts 12 inches more cab length than the current SuperCab
model. A front 40/60 bench seat, which seats up to three people, is standard.
Captain's Chairs with a floor-mounted center console are optional.
A standard overhead console in the front of the cab includes a compass,
outside air temperature gauge and storage areas. An optional power moonroof,
a pickup truck first in the under-8500-pound GVW segment, also is available.
A full-size 60/40 split rear seat with a fold-flat capability is standard,
increasing interior space versatility. It can accommodate passengers, bulky
loads or a combination of both.
The rear seating area also features a power point, reading lamps, cup
holders and door map pockets to increase rear passenger comfort and
convenience.
An optional audio-video entertainment system with VCR is available to
expand entertainment possibilities for rear passengers.
The Pickup Box
The F-150 SuperCrew is, first and foremost, a pickup. SuperCrew's
foundation is the chassis of the acclaimed 139-inch wheelbase SuperCab. The
pickup box measures 5 1/2 feet long and is the same width at the wheel houses
as the rest of the F-150 lineup.
Because there is no other full-size truck like the F-150 SuperCrew,
extensive customer research was conducted to gauge reaction to such a
configuration. The response from work and personal use customers was
overwhelming. Customers said they truly appreciated the extra interior space,
not only for people, but for clean, dry and secure storage for things such as
tools and groceries.
"Offering a more user friendly, comfortable interior while maintaining
pickup versatility is a swift answer to a new customer demand," says Al
Giombetti, Ford Truck group brand manager. "We've seen the steady growth in
the pickup truck market for several years, led, in part, by the personal use
area."
For those times when the pickup box is called upon for hard work,
SuperCrew meets the needs of most customers with 44.2 cubic feet of cargo
capacity. Standard payload of 1,765 pounds is the same as F-150 SuperCab.
Larger items, such as 4x8 sheets of plywood, fit between the wheel houses
and can be carried with the tailgate lowered.
An optional Bed Extender allows more flexibility when transporting large
items such as lumber, cinder blocks or firewood. The tubular steel bed
extender is a curved cage unit which attaches to the rear of the pickup bed.
With the tailgate lowered, the unit pivots from its stowed position within the
box and locks into place extending the load-floor to seven feet.
With the tailgate closed the stowed bed extender provides a convenient
storage area, keeping smaller items from sliding around the bed while the
truck is in motion. The Bed Extender can also be removed, allowing full,
unobstructed use of the 5 1/2-foot box.
Convenient All Around
The F-150 SuperCrew offers standard power adjustable pedals, a pickup
truck first, designed to improve driver comfort. The brake and accelerator
pedals can be adjusted up to three inches rearward in a horizontal plane from
their standard location. This provides greater comfort for a wider range of
drivers, making F-150 SuperCrew even more appealing to a greater number of
customers.
Remote keyless entry for F-150 SuperCrew is standard on Lariat and
optional on XLT models. This improves convenience for both drivers and
passengers when they enter or exit the vehicle. Lariat also includes a
keyless entry keypad as standard equipment for further convenience.
A standard AM/FM radio with a single in-dash CD player satisfies customer
demand for a full-featured sound system. Also, the new enclosed rear storage
compartment permits an optional six-disc CD player with the standard front
split-bench seat. When ordered with Captain's Chairs, the optional six-disc
CD player is mounted in the floor console.
F-150 SuperCrew is equipped with three child safety seat tethers, located
in the back seat, for improved child safety. The tether anchors provide
parents with an improved method for more securely buckling in their child
safety seats. Straps which attach to the tethers, available through child
safety manufacturers, are used to supplement the traditional safety belts for
securing the child safety seats.
Powertrain
The F-150 SuperCrew offers a choice of two Triton(TM) V-8 engines -- both
of which meet federal Low Emission Vehicle (LEV) standards -- combined with a
proven F-Series 4-speed automatic transmission.
The two-valve, 4.6-liter SOHC Triton(TM) V-8 delivers 220 hp at 4,500 rpm.
Peak torque is 290 lb.-ft. at 3,250 rpm.
The two-valve, 5.4-liter SOHC Triton(TM) V-8 delivers a maximum power
output of 260 hp at 4,500 rpm with torque of 350 lb.-ft. at 2,500 rpm.
The drivetrain, chassis and braking systems are adopted from the current-
model under-8,500-pound GVW F-Series trucks. When properly equipped, towing
capability is up to 8,000-pounds trailer weight.
Driving Characteristics
To accommodate its extra passenger-carrying role, F-150 SuperCrew has
improved on the excellent ride qualities and interior quietness of its F-150
stablemates.
New body mounts and staggered shock absorbers on the rear suspension
contribute to improved ride smoothness with less freeway "hop," and reduced
noise, vibration and harshness.
The standard four-wheel anti-lock braking system (ABS) provides an extra
measure of control in bad weather or emergency braking conditions.
Electric shift-on-the fly capability with a convenient rotary switch
allows smooth engagement or disengagement of the transfer case on 4x4 models.
The combination of these features deliver F-150 SuperCrew driving dynamics
that are rugged enough for cargo hauling, yet smooth and comfortable for
passenger carrying.
Tough Truck Heritage
F-150 SuperCrew builds on the F-Series tradition of "Built Ford Tough"
excellence and high customer acceptance. It extends the F-Series range by
answering customer demand for more passenger space without compromising the
pickup truck functionality, capability and versatility.
F-Series has been the best-selling truck for 23 consecutive years, and the
best-selling vehicle of any kind, car or truck, for the past 18 years.
The new 2001 F-150 SuperCrew models will be built at the Kansas City
Assembly Plant in Missouri and will be on sale at Ford Dealerships in February
2000.
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