At this year’s North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), which took place in January, dozens of production and concept vehicles appeared from such companies like Ford, Hyundai, General Motors, Dodge, Toyota and more. The mass-unveiling of next year’s models always causes a big stir in the automotive industry and this year was no different.

Many companies brought new and exciting entries but none have quite as much significance as the "big-three" American companies: GM, Ford and Dodge.  They all have a lot riding on this coming year to pull them out of fiscal slumps. Dodge, under new ownership, is looking to rebuild and grab a sizeable section of the truck market with their updated Ram pickup. Ford is trying to keep their stronghold in the truck market by making critical changes to their volume seller, the F-150. Both Ford and Dodge are playing catch-up in response to GM’s new Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra which are vastly improved over the previous models and selling like hotcakes.

   While Dodge is seeking new customers, Ford is trying to keep their existing ones. They have spent a lot of time redesigning and refreshing the F-150 making it resemble its big brother, the Super Duty. Ford is also updating the F-150 with styling like that of the Expedition and Edge. A larger, more pronounced front grill will have more heads turning your way. The truck is longer and taller too, with six inches added to the overall length and 21 millimeters added to the roof height. Those extra millimeters help the F-150 meet new safety requirements for rollovers enforced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

   Some of the biggest news is the addition of a new trim level - the Platinum edition. The Platinum features upscale amenities which appeal to the "urban trucker" and for the buyer who doesn’t want the southern feel of the King Ranch edition. With this new addition to the lineup, the F-150 spans the board from bare-bones fleet trucks to full-out luxury that competes with Cadillac’s Escalade.

   Incorporating innovative features such as a storable bed extender, removable bed dividers, backup camera and the built-in tailgate step borrowed from the Super Duty, the F-150 is sure to please the loyalists. The tailgate step slides from the top of the lowered tailgate and folds downwards to provide a platform for stepping into the high bed of the truck while a handle folds upward from the tailgate to provide a much needed hand-hold.

   At the heart of the mighty F-150 are three separate engine options suited for every kind of buyer. The old 4.2-liter V-6 engine is being replaced by the current 4.6-liter V-8 which Ford says gets the same fuel economy as the V-6. The second engine is also a 4.6-liter V-8. However, this V-8 is based on the engine from the Mustang GT and will be Ford's volume-seller which will feature increased horsepower and torque over the current 4.6-liter. The third power-plant is same 5.4-liter V-8 that powers today’s F-150 but with a little spice added. Ford has increases the power and made it E85 (corn-based fuel) capable. Again the question is posed: What does this mean for the average buyer? Well, more power with better fuel economy - a combination that is critical is today’s truck market.

   At this point in time, the F-Series pickups - including the F-250 and F-350 - are some of the most important vehicles in Ford’s line-up and, according to Motor Trend Magazine, account for 13 percent of Ford’s global sales. Estimated pricing for the F-150 starts around $18,000 and rises quickly towards the $40,000 mark. Ford cannot afford to go wrong with this revamp so it’s now a make or break deal.