Ford Motor Co. marked a little history for its venerable F-Series line of light trucks, noting that it has now sold some 26 million units since January 1977, a date when the OEM said its F-150 pickup first became a "top-selling truck" at a time when "eight-track tapes, disco and bell bottoms were the rage."
The 1977 model F-150 light-duty pickup — considered the sixth-generation F-Series truck — featured an improved 351-series V8 engine, standard front disc brakes, and an extended SuperCab offering.
In 1997, the F-Series began to split into into two distinct platforms, the OEM noted, with the 10th-generation F-150 geared toward light-duty truck customers and the new F-250 and F-350 Super Duty brand trucks (debuted in 1999) targeting heavy-duty commercial vehicle buyers.
"Specialty trucks" also began hitting the market in the 1990s, with Ford's special-edition Harley-Davidson F-150 and SVT F-150 Lightning rolling out in 1993.
According to Ford, other notable dates in the F-Series “modern-day” history include:
- 1984: The F-150 replaces F-100 as base F-Series truck, adding improved safety features and new center console; optional CD player comes a year later.
- 1998: The “Super Duty” medium-duty truck brand debuts for commercial customers.
- 2001: Ford introduces the F-150 “King Ranch” luxury model.
- 2002: The Ford-engineered and Ford-built 6.7-liter Power Stroke turbocharged diesel engine is introduced
- 2008: Ford introduces an all-new Class 3 F-450 pickup.
- 2011: The OEM brings its new EcoBoost engine technology to the F-150 line with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 option.
- 2015: Ford introduces aluminum-alloy bodies for its F-150 line.
