The Ford Ford F-150 is one of the best-selling vehicles on the planet. And in history, too. And it’s probably one of the best-selling products, period, let alone vehicles. Heck, we bet in terms of dollars, very few items exist that have generated more revenue, not just for a lone carmaker, but in the aftermarket. Enter the Lobo, then, a lowered, “street” version of the F-150 that joins the Maverick Lobo, a street version of that car-based pickup.
The reason for Ford entering this sport-truck fray is pretty simple: Mo’ money, mo’ money, mo’ money!
Though, to be honest, it’s not quite that simple, and for the legion of the F-150 faithful, there’s a strong logic to wanting a factory street truck, too. Here’s the Lo (bo) -down on the goods, and the goods are—quite good—we must say.
Street To The Core
Josh Blundo, the lead designer on the Lobo, said that the Lobo name came out of Mexico in the late 1990s and that the street truck culture has spread well beyond. Anyone who’s been to L.A., or for that matter, just about any urban landscape in America knows it well. Heck, we know it well! And we’ve experienced it now on the Maverick Lobo, which Blundo helped style for Ford in his spare time—in between turning an old Ford Ranger into his own personal street rod. For the Lobo F-150, Blundo had a very simple list.
Make It Mean
- Drop it. The Lobo tail end drops from 9.8 to 7.8 inches.
- Give it V8 performance. The Lobo gets Ford’s 5.0-liter V8 with 400 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of torque.
- Dual exhaust comes standard.
- And Blundo’s own agenda: “Add aggressive styling. And give it a face that looks … sinister.”
Aftermarket Goes Stock
Blundo made the point that Ford knows that hoards of F-150 owners already take stock trucks and head immediately to the aftermarket to personalize them.
“For years, they have been taking factory pickup trucks and lowering them. Adding more power. Leaning on street styling. From an automaker, this has been an untapped market for two decades.”
– Josh Blundo, Lobo Lead Designer
Studying that market, Blundo and his team knew that a short bed (5.5 feet) SuperCrew was the best template. From Blundo’s design study, the idea was to emphasize stance and width, and his team gave it a grounded appearance package, with a black mesh grille, blacked-out trim, its own signature lighting shared with the Lobo Maverick, 22-inch black, Lobo-only wheels, unique tail lamps, exhaust, cowl, hood vents, and badging.
A Great Value
The F-150 Lobo is built on the STX F-150 package, which means that, out the door, for a V8 version of the STX, you’d pay $50,000. If you added the STX appearance package, for blacked-out trim, you’d be closer to $52,000. And that truck comes with 20s, not the 22-inch wheels of the Lobo. Naturally, you’d have to go aftermarket to get yours lowered, too.
Meanwhile, Ford is selling the Lobo F-150 for $57,800. That might be a little steep, but four, 22-inch rims with rubber and a lowering kit might cost you even more. And you’d be out the unique badging, lighting, and other details.
TopSpeed’s Take
Blundo made the point that one thing you’re getting by going this route, vs. the aftermarket, is a factory warranty. Point taken. And we’re happy that the Lobo is coming with AWD, so it’s reasonably practical (even if your goal is to burn rubber). Also, that it’s coming with the higher grade of that system, the two-speed 4WD unit that’s not stock in STX, but is in Lariat and above.
However, the Maverick Lobo gets a torque-vectoring system that helps it corner more quickly, and feels like a “sport” truck. You won’t mistake it for a Mustang, but it’ll hustle decently around twisties. Maybe Ford missed a trick with the Lobo F-150? Yes, it’s a very good deal. And it looks terrific, too. But, naturally, we always want just a little more.
Read the full article here