97-08 F-150

For the 1997 model year, Ford made a substantial change to the F-Series range of trucks, splitting its pickup line into two vehicle families. From the 1970s to the 1990s, pickup trucks had transitioned in usage. Alongside vehicles designed exclusively for work use, the market segment saw a major increase in demand for dual-purpose vehicles for both work and personal use, effectively serving as a second car. To further expand its growing market share, Ford sought to develop vehicles for both types of buyers, repackaging the F-150 in a more contemporary design (as a larger version of the Ranger) while retaining the heavier-duty F-250 and F-350 for customers interested in a work-use vehicle, while offering a 4.2L V6, 4.6L V8, and both a natural aspiration and supercharged version of the 5.4L V8.