Ford appears to be evaluating a two-door version of its F-150 Lobo street truck, according to spy photos published by Car and Driver. A camouflaged prototype has been photographed wearing parts associated with the V-8 street truck, which Ford currently sells only as a four-door crew cab.
The photos are the first indication that Ford might extend the Lobo formula to the F-150's regular cab, but the model is unconfirmed and Ford has not announced it.
What the prototype shows
The test vehicle is built on the F-150's base XL trim, which is the only version of the truck offered with the regular-cab body style. It carries the square front bumper otherwise exclusive to the Lobo, along with 22-inch six-spoke wheels that look like the Lobo's.
The tyres are where the prototype departs from a stock Lobo. The 275/50 rubber matches the Lobo's size, but the Michelin Primacy LTX tyres fitted here are normally reserved for the Ford Performance FP700S, while the Lobo rides on Bridgestone Alenza A/S 02s. The headlights are halogen units with amber daytime running lights rather than the Lobo's white items.
The spy photographer could not confirm what engine sits under the bonnet, though the prototype has a dual-exit exhaust. The Lobo uses a 5.0-litre V-8, and the FP700S pairs that engine with a dealer-installed supercharger rated at 700 horsepower; Ford offered the same kit on the Lobo earlier this year.
Two possible readings
Because the tyre choice and amber lights point toward the FP700S, the prototype could be an updated version of that truck rather than a two-door Lobo. The alternative, and the more appealing one for buyers who remember the original gas-powered F-150 Lightning, is a street truck with two doors instead of four.
Ford positioned the Lobo as a successor to those Lightning street trucks, with a V-8 and a slightly lowered ride height, but it broke with the original recipe by offering four doors only. A regular-cab version would restore that part of the formula.
Why a cheaper Lobo matters
The SuperCrew Lobo currently starts at nearly $60,000 in the US. Building the Lobo treatment onto the XL regular cab would give buyers a more affordable route into the street truck, which is the main argument for Ford doing it.
Ford also has a reason to move now. Ram is preparing its family of Rumble Bee muscle trucks for the street, so a cheaper two-door Lobo would give Ford a direct answer in the same segment.
What is still unknown
Ford has not confirmed the two-door Lobo, and no launch timing has been announced. Pricing for a regular-cab version has not been revealed either; the only figure on the table is the roughly $60,000 starting point of the existing SuperCrew Lobo.
The prototype's engine also remains unverified, so whether a production two-door would carry the standard 5.0-litre V-8 or the supercharged FP700S tune is not settled.
