In the automotive world, no vehicle is attracting more attention than the 2015 Ford F-150. The fact that shoppers are interested in the revolutionary truck is a given…the F-150 now enters its 38^th year as America’s best-selling vehicle and the hottest-selling set of wheels on planet Earth. Much of the pickup’s attention, however, is coming from far off dealers’ carpeted floors. Industry analysts are keeping an eager eye on its monthly sales reports.

Manufacturers are gauging Ford’s choices in the F-150’s incentives and capacity in its supply chains closely. Investors are obsessing over all the above, every night. In the midst of the hubbub, Ford pulls a Bonnie Raitt and takes the wraps off a few major additions to the 2016 F-150. If the song “Something To Talk About” is now stuck in your head, we apologize.

For most, the biggest bonus coming to the 2016 F-150 is the Pro Trailer Backup Assist system. Ford engineers have been working on a strategy over the past 10 years to take the hassle out of backing up a trailer. Their ultimate tool in developing the system, besides lots of software, proved to be advanced cameras that make the truck aware of the trailer’s travel direction and speed. The aid, the first of it’s kind in the light truck segment, has been awarded 5 patents with 10 additional patents pending. So how does it work? Simple. You turn a big knob in the truck’s console to let the system know which way and how far you want to turn the trailer.

The computer then will automatically steer the pickup to get your trailer on its intended trajectory. The system may also limit the F-150’s reversing speed to, according to Ford, keeps occupants comfortable over various road surfaces. Ford is quoted as saying that the Pro Trailer Backup Assist system will not be a relatively expensive option with a price projected to be in the hundreds, not thousands, of dollars.

 Next up is a crowd-pleaser tweak to the optional F-150’s 5.0-liter V8 engine. In response to customer demand, a Gaseous Fuel Prep Package will be offered for 2016 that will give the V8 the option to run on either compressed natural gas (CNG) or propane…another first for the light truck segment.

For those looking for additional flash without spending all the extra cash for the wood-encrusted, leather-coddled, premium 10-speaker poshness of the Platinum and King Ranch models (both of which are only available for SuperCrew cabs), the mid-level XLT and Lariat trims will see some love from Ford in 2016 with the addition of special appearance packages. The packages mark a departure from the more staid nature of the F-150’s premium trims and gravitate more towards the Ram Rebel’s feel. Among the goodies that will be available are touches like unique 20-inch anodized dark-painted aluminum wheels with red sport lettering, special exterior graphics and badging, black running boards and smoked headlamps. Inside, special edition seats with Alcantara inserts, red contrast stitching and red bolsters make a bold appearance. Complementing the seats’ color scheme is unique red stitching on the steering wheel, the transmission gear selector boot and the instrument panel. XLT models finish off the package with a mesh-patterned dark anodized grille. Lariat models get the same dark mesh grille, but with red accents.

 

If the XL trim is a better fit, you may be happy to know you can now get the truck outfitted with a set of aluminum 20s.

 

Lastly, Ford’s SYNC with MyTouch infotainment system is seeing an upgrade to the (better named) SNYC 3 package. SYNC 3 boasts better voice recognition that supports more commands, faster performance, a capacitive touch screen (that could support multi-touch) and a simpler interface.

The industry is buzzing with speculation about the popularity of the new F-150, especially with sales down around 10% year-over-year in the latest figures. Competitors are keeping incentives amped up to take advantage of pickup’s supply shortage, which many think is the culprit behind low sales as factory changeovers are still being completed. Whether popularity or supply is an issue for Ford’s superstar, crowd-pleasing and class-leading features will make 2016 a difficult year for the likes of the Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra and Ram 1500 to unseat the sales juggernaut.