2008 Ford F-150 Harley Davidson Edition Preview

Special or limited editions are a big part of the auto industry, as they are anideal way to generate interest in products that might have fallen out of the spotlight, or to bring a little extra glamor to a mass-volume vehicle. Sometimes they turn out to be unique gems, but most of the time they're minimal-effort vehicles that don't offer anything that makes them particularly noteworthy special or, for that matter, limited. One rather well executed special edition that's become a tradition for Ford is the Harley Davidson Edition version of its F-Series pickup truck. In fact, it's a tradition that's been going strong for nine years now and has resulted in more than 60,000 total unit sales.

Every year, the Harley Davidson model takes on a new appearance, if not two; usually the Super Duty variant features different colors and graphics. For instance last year's truck was available in monochrome Amethyst metallic or black, while the diesel-powered F-250 Super Duty could be had as black with

Copper and Black - the new paint scheme for the '08 Harley Davidson Edition truck. (Photo: Ford)

bright blue tribal-style flames. If there's one thing that remains constant with these Harley trucks, it's that they have always used black as the base background color, though the new accent color is now Vintage Copper. The standard monochromatic blackwith custom striping is available, for those who prefer their trucks to be a little more subdued. Other visual differences between the regular F-150 and the Harley Davidson model include a grille that's made of billet aluminum, and not just chrome-plated plastic, blacked out headlamp surrounds and tubular step bars; all of these are carryover features from the HD edition trucks of the past. There's also an oversized Harley Davidson logo imprinted in the rubberized bedliner to ensure that the bed doesn't

There's a new style of Harley badge, celebrating 105 years of producing motorcycles. (Photo: Ford)

get damaged from oil leaks (if your bike just happens to have been built in the AMF era), and chromed tie-down hooks make sure all types of cargo stays put. There are a handful of changes to note for this year's truck, including badges with a new design for Harley Davidson's 105th Anniversary, not to mention massive 22-inch alloy wheels that feature a five-spoke design with black inserts.

As demonstrated through its King Ranch lineup, Ford is capable of putting together some of the nicest interiors in the truck industry. Instead of taking the “cowboy” theme with saddle-style leather and glossy wood trim, the interior of the Harley Davidson trucktakes the tough look of the standard F-150 and infuses it with a bit of a craftsman's touch, with thick, leather-trimmed bucket seats and piano-black inserts on the dash. Unique instruments complete the look, highlighted by gray-copper trim comprised

Sit in the lap of luxury. Surely, it's more comfortable than your average Hog. (Photo: Ford)

of hundreds of little Harley Davidson logos. From afar, it almost looks like carbon fiber trim. Unlike last year's model, the truck gains dusted copper leather-trimmed accents including the steering wheel's rim, the gigantic armrest and the shift knob. For a small volume vehicle we've always been impressed at the extent that Ford customized its Harley Davidson branded F-Series, with details such as the die-cast logos that are fitted to the seats and the armrest really setting the tone. If it were from any other brand than H-D, it just wouldn't be the same.

This year's model, like last year's, is only available in one configuration – as a SuperCrew (four-door cab). A choice of driving wheels is part of the package, however, with either the 4X2 system driving the rear wheels or an electronically controlled, permanent all-wheel drive system powering all four. For the late-model 2007 Harley Davidson edition, Ford announced that it would be offering a factory-fitted Saleen supercharger that increases output to 450 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque, making it top dog

Monster muscle comes from a Saleen supercharger. It'll more than smoke the rear tires... (Photo: Ford)

in the half-ton pickup truck market. The only other factory-produced pickup capable of producing this sort of power was Dodge's Ram SRT-10, powered by the Viper's 500 horsepower V10, which is no longer being sold.

Page: 1 2

ADD TO:

Digg

Del.icio.us

Google

Blink

Furl

Simpy

Spurl

Y! MyWeb

Your Comments

Enter review title	Choose a star rating	Type in your review
Your Name (optional)	Your Email (optional)

Relatd Vehicle Listings

User Tools

	Discuss in our Forums

	Photos of Ford F-150

	Ford F-150 Specs

	Print this Concept Car

	Email this Concept Car

NEW Ford PRICE QUOTE

Get a FREE, No-Obligation Internet Price Quote for Ford !


Find Ford Dealer \| Search Auto Listings for Ford

Acura Audi Bentley BMW Buick Cadillac Chevrolet Chrysler Daewoo Dodge Eagle Ferrari Ford Geo GMC Honda Hummer Hyundai Infiniti Isuzu Jaguar Jeep Kia Lamborghini Lexus Lincoln Lotus Maserati Mazda Mercedes-Benz Mercury MINI Mitsubishi Nissan Oldsmobile Plymouth Pontiac Porsche Saab Saturn Scion Subaru Suzuki Toyota Volkswagen Volvo