2006 Ford F-150 Review

Specifications

Black-on-Black F-150 gets the Custom H-D Treatment

Do you like the rumble of a “V” configured engine? Well, it might not be a V-twin, but the upcoming Harley-Davidson F-150 looks about as menacing as a black-on-black Softail and should go pretty quick too, with a Triton V8 under the hood.

Like a motorcycle the new F-150 sports large diameter wheels, the pickups being monotone black 22-inch polished aluminum rims in a sporty 5-spoke design.

“This truck builds on the legacy of toughness thats been the hallmark of the Ford brand,” commented Ford President Steve Lyons. “Now, were giving customers more of everything they love with the boldest Ford Harley-Davidson F-150 ever - with all-wheel drive capability, 22-inch polished aluminum wheels and an interior that will take your breath away.”

Black is the theme, inside and out. The special edition Ford features the custom look of high-gloss piano black, black aniline leather seating surfaces with an H-D bar and shield logo embedded into the seatbacks, and, in order to truly pay homage to the legendary name of Harley-Davidson, lots of chrome throughout.

That brightwork rings the instrument dials, interior handles, vent surrounds, floor shifter and door pulls. Whats more, a serialized nickel plate displays the trucks production date and number, completing the special edition theme.

“For the new Ford Harley-Davidson F-150, weve designed a cockpit thats a tribute to the open road,” stated Ford F-Series Chief Designer Gordon Platto. “Weve introduced high-gloss Piano Black cues along the instrument panel, center stack and console to bring in a feeling of visual motion. Combine that with the rich leather and bright chrome thats been such an essential part of all our Harley trucks, and youre surrounded with styling that salutes motorcycle culture.”

The folks at Harley-Davidson seem to think that the new F-150 pays tribute to motorcycle culture too, and no company would know better what cruiser aficionados want.

“No one understands their customers better than Ford and Harley-Davidson,” said Joanne Bischmann, vice president - marketing, Harley-Davidson. “Were proud to share the spirit of Harley-Davidson authenticity in a unique interpretation of Americas favorite truck, the Ford F-Series.”

The unique interpretation Bischmann is talking about includes custom scalloped red stripes enhanced with electric blue across the beltline, highlighted with “Harley-Davidson” script.

But the first thing most should notice will be the custom chrome billet grille and blacked out headlights. More chrome can be seen on the side tubes that sit between the wheel wells, while a tough looking front chin spoiler adds to the sport-truck appearance.

To complement the blacked out headlamps, the taillamps also get the charcoal treatment as does the rear bumper. Of course, genuine zinc die-cast Harley-Davison badging completes the look.

On a more functional note, chrome tie-down hooks in the SuperCabs 6-1/2-foot Styleside box look superb and are ideal for strapping down that priceless 36EL Knucklehead on the way to the show and shine.

Underneath the new truck, a chrome tailpipe tip caps off a specially tuned exhaust system that resonates with the rumble from the Harley-Davidson F-150s 5.4-liter, 3-valve Triton V8. The engine delivers 300-horsepower at 5,000 rpm and a stout 365 lb-ft of torque at 3,750 rpm, down through the rear wheels or all four, via a new all-wheel drive system; the ideal setup for a street-savvy sport truck.

Of course, Ford and Harley Davidson have been down this cooperative road before. In fact, this 2006 version is the 7th such model, with the first originating in 1999. Throughout the seven years, the two firms have co-developed F-150, F-250 and F-350 versions, but this time around the hot new F-150 was chosen, being the ideal basis for a sport truck.

On that last note, the F-150 doesnt roll on stock suspension components, but rather includes a performance sport handling suspension package that is tuned for greater precision at speed. Traction can be enhanced with all-wheel drive, or H-D F-150 buyers can opt for the standard rear-drive setup.

For those who love “hogs” but nevertheless live in the real world, with real needs for hauling family and cargo, the Harley-Davidson F-150 is ideal. Its high-quality, high-style interior will be sure to please. When will it arrive in a dealership near you and do you need to apply now to get one? Regarding the latter, Im sure Ford would be thrilled to take your deposit, and with a limited production run of 10,000 units in North America getting in line might be smart. While 10,000 might sound like a lot, factoring in that the F-150 sells close to a million units each year makes the number seem rather small. As for when it will be showing up in a blue oval showroom near you, expect this black beauty in the fall.