The capability and durability of the Ford F-150 have been enhanced for 2012 with class-leading performance and fuel economy, a statement said.

Ford F-Series, America’s best-selling truck for 35 years running, now comes equipped with a powertrain line-up that will deliver best-in-class horsepower, torque and fuel economy as well as deliver unmatched payload capabilities across the range, it said.

These capabilities were put to test recently at a regional media and Fleet customer event hosted by Ford Middle East in the rocky terrains of UAE’s Hajar mountains.

“There’s no doubt that the F-Series trucks were made to lead,” said Paul Anderson, Ford Middle East’s marketing director. “With more than 15 million units sold worldwide in the past decade alone, F-Series is America’s best-selling truck for 35 years running, with millions of customers choosing it as the vehicle that they can really rely on, whether for work or leisure,” he said.

“This year that leadership is reiterated once more as we extend the product offering with new powertrains that not only offer a wider choice, but also best in class power, fuel economy, towing and payload capability. The class-leading capability of the Ford F-Series, combined with the durability that defines ‘Built Ford Tough,’ has made it the number one choice for full-size pickup buyers, and we know customers in the GCC whether on retail of fleet sides will appreciate these leadership features and understand why the F-Series is unbeaten for over three decades,” he added.

And the momentum is picking up nicely this year as year to date retail sales of F-Series has gone up four-folds which clearly indicates an increased preference from retail customers towards F-Series, he said.

Ford Middle East has posted a 37 per cent increase in retail sales overall across the region during the first quarter of this year.

In 2011, the Ford F-150 got the most extensive powertrain overhaul in the truck’s history. The F-150 now offers three new truck engines for the Middle East, all coupled to a revised six-speed automatic transmission.

The three truck engines available in the region are the 3.7-liter V6 and 5.0-liter V8, each with fuel-saving and performance-enhancing twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT) technology, and a version of the 6.2-liter V8 that is the base engine in the Ford F-Series Super Duty. – TradeArabia News Service