How America's truck became a plaything for the wealthy - messenger-inquirer
WASHINGTON — Ford's first F-Series trucks were no-frills workhorses built for no-frills workers, promoted as if they were carved out of stone for the blue-collar, meat-eating, all-American man. In 1969, the pickups came in three editions — the Contractor Special, the Heavy Duty Special and the Farm & Ranch Special — and with few upgrades, except more space for toolboxes. Its new Limited model, Ford's most "luxurious truck ever," comes with "genuine fiddleback eucalyptus" trim, heated-and-cooled massaging Mojave leather seats and "unique scuff plates with ice blue backlighting. The truck's turn from rugged backroads to glitz and luxury has driven its price twice as high as the average car or truck sold in the U. S. this year, pricier even than upscale SUVs from Porsche and Mercedes-Benz. But just because you haul doesn't mean you don't want all the luxury accommodations, or that you don't want to make a statement. The F-150 has become the king of trucks regarded "as much of a status symbol as they are a tool," said Karl Brauer, a senior analyst at Kelley Blue Book. And it's not just that a nation of office jockeys wants a meaty truck to boost their egos: Successful contractors, small-business owners and others are increasingly opting for upgraded trucks that make a rumbling statement about their success. Source: www.messenger-inquirer.com
