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2015 Ford F-150 spied in the rain

Standing as quite a contrast from the spy shots of the 2015 Ford Mustang we saw earlier today, our spies also sent along these pictures of the next-generation F-150 pickup out testing in its (heavily camouflaged) full prototype body. Much of the new truck's design is hidden under the bulky coveralls, but we expect a lot of its new lines to be inspired by the Atlas concept that debuted at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show.
Perhaps the biggest unknown surrounding the new F-150 is what, exactly, its body will be made of. Earlier reports have suggested that lightweight aluminum materials may be used throughout, offering a serious reduction in weight versus previous models. But Ford engineers will need to be careful, though, as they need to keep a tight rein on costs while preserving class-competitive (if not class-leading) towing and payload capacity.
On the powertrain front, the new F-150 will undoubtedly carry on with EcoBoost engines, and we'd bet on a normally aspirated V8 as well. A diesel option hasn't been confirmed, but we wouldn't be surprised to see one some time in the truck's lifecycle. Mum's the word on when the production F-150 will be revealed, but our best guess is that we'll see it at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show.

Car Club USA: Mustang Alley

Car Club USA travels to metro Detroit for the Woodward Dream Cruise, where Ford fans descend upon on Mustang Alley, situated at 9 Mile and Woodward. While the cruise welcomes cars of all makes and models, Mustang Alley invites owners to show off their 'Stangs while commingling with the engineers and designers who created the iconic pony car. "We got very excited as we worked on the (original) model and it was competition among ourselves," said clay modeler Giuliano Zuccato who worked on the first generation Mustang. "This is going to be a very special car." Of course, no Mustang video is complete without some high-speed fun. For that, we head to nearby Waterford Hills Raceway where road course newbie Jeff Bayer looks to push his modified 2010 Mustang GT to the limit. "I've kind of babied the car a little bit," said Jeff. "And I decided after having it for five years it's time to put some hard laps on it." Will Jeff and his 430 horsepower pony make it back in one piece? Each Car Club USA episode features a different car club or event from across the US, where passionate owner communities gather to share automotive experiences and embark on incredible adventures. From Main Street cruises to off-road trails, catch all the latest car club activity on Autoblog. Ford Automotive History Driving Ownership Convertible Coupe Luxury Performance Car Club USA Videos Original Video mustang alley

Shelby boosts production of 575-hp Raptor on early demand

Shelby American unveiled its all-new Shelby Raptor at the New York Auto Show last month, saying that it would build just 100 examples of its off-road bad boy, a pickup priced at $17,995 over the cost of the donor Ford F-150 SVT Raptor. But the Las Vegas outfit apparently underestimated just how popular the supercharged 575-horsepower 4x4 would actually be.
Strong early demand reportedly has Shelby singing a whole new tune, as the company is now saying it will build upwards of 500 units annually. While the increased production will likely make for at least 400 more happy owners, those who were on the original short list - possibly speculating on future values - might not be grinning as much. Needless to say, the company has assured everyone that each and every one of the modified Raptors will still be listed in the official Shelby registry.
Keep in mind that Ford isn't sitting idle on its trophy-truck-for-the-street, either. The company will reveal its own 2014 F-150 SVT Raptor Special Edition this month.