The Ford F-150 has long been one of America's favorite vehicles, being the workhorse of choice for contractors from coast to coast. But lately, it seems Ford is intent on pursuing the foremen or executive developers as well. Looking at the full breadth of 2013 F-150 models, the price span is more than $30,000, ranging from a bare-bones regular-cab V-6 work truck to a fully loaded Platinum 4x4 with a 6.5-foot bed, 3.73 axle, and the 6.2-liter V-8.
A big change for 2013 is the increased availability of a choice between the 6.2-liter V-8 and 3.5-liter EcoBoost on many of the most popular trim levels. You can now get the 411-hp, 6.2-liter V-8 on the XLT, FX2 and FX4 trims equipped with the SuperCab or SuperCrew cab configurations, as well as the EcoBoost. The 6.2-liter was formerly available only on the Raptor, Harley-Davidson, Lariat and Platinum trims. But be prepared to pay a premium for the big V-8, which is a $5470 option. The EcoBoost is a more budget-friendly $2095, with the 5.0-liter V-8 an even more affordable $1000 upgrade over the base 3.7-liter V-6 on most models.
The new Limited trim for 2013, offered only in the SuperCrew configuration with a 5.5-foot bed, offers essentially one hardware option, 4x2 or 4x4. Everything else is standard, with the exception of a few accessories, and comes equipped exclusively with the EcoBoost V-6. The 4x2 Limited starts at $49,180, with the 4x4 starting at $52,455.
But fear not, a nicely equipped F-150 can be had for under $40,000 if you don't go too crazy with the options sheet. We were able to spec out a 2013 F-150 XLT SuperCab 4x2 with the EcoBoost and the 302A options package and some spiffy-looking 20-inch wheels for $37,465.
If you're looking for a plumber's special hot rod, you can get an XL 4x2 regular-cab long-bed for $26,065 with the EcoBoost, or just $24,970 with the 5.0. Unfortunately, you can't get the EcoBoost in a regular cab, short-box configuration. The lowest-priced model with the 6.2-liter V-8 is the 4x2 XLT SuperCab with the 6.5-foot box for $36,745.
If the boss is out of town or too buried in spreadsheets to notice what you're doing, click on over to the 2013 F-150 configurator to build the Blue Oval truck of your dreams.