Attending F-150L celebration

RickMachE

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2021
Threads
200
Messages
13,132
Reaction score
17,848
Location
SE MI
Vehicles
2022 Mach-E Premium 4X, 2022 Lightning Lariat
Country flag
There now. Drove a Lightning myself. Had a nice chat with Darren Palmer too. More to come...

#F150Lightning #LightningStrikes
Sponsored

 
Last edited:
OP
OP
RickMachE

RickMachE

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2021
Threads
200
Messages
13,132
Reaction score
17,848
Location
SE MI
Vehicles
2022 Mach-E Premium 4X, 2022 Lightning Lariat
Country flag
Lots of covered shapes at Ford's Proving Grounds... Pouring rain when I was driving. Truck handled well when I thought it was going to hydroplane.
 
OP
OP
RickMachE

RickMachE

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2021
Threads
200
Messages
13,132
Reaction score
17,848
Location
SE MI
Vehicles
2022 Mach-E Premium 4X, 2022 Lightning Lariat
Country flag
OMG!

Nope. OK.
 


Gimme_my_MME

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2020
Threads
11
Messages
1,716
Reaction score
5,451
Location
Dearborn
Vehicles
Grabber Blue First Edition Mustang Mach-E
Occupation
Engineer
Country flag
Is there really much secret though? We know the truck is coming.
That's true, we know the truck is coming. But what hasn't been revealed is how it actually handles and drives and tons of other nitty gritty. The press have had access for a little bit so that they have time to write everything up and are able to all publish roughly the same time when the embargo lifts.
 

Edw

Active Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2022
Threads
1
Messages
36
Reaction score
9
Location
FI
Vehicles
Mach E
Country flag
Can't wait to hear more!
 
OP
OP
RickMachE

RickMachE

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2021
Threads
200
Messages
13,132
Reaction score
17,848
Location
SE MI
Vehicles
2022 Mach-E Premium 4X, 2022 Lightning Lariat
Country flag
I was contacted last week by an agency working with Ford to invite me and my wife to the event. Towards the end of the week it was revealed that it was a 2 day event. They offered to fly us in, to which I responded "by chopper"? The agency hadn't realized that we live 30 minutes away. :D

We arrived around noon yesterday, among a group of 20+ prospective customers and their +1s. People were flown in from around the country. Many we met expect their trucks in May or June. We haven't ordered ours, missing the cut but expecting to make the 2023 batch, given we reserved about 12 hours in.

After having lunch, we were driven to the Ford Dearborn Development Center. Everyone had a customized itinerary, designed to give a group of 4 private time with the trucks and Ford execs including Darren Palmer and Emma Berg, as well as some Ford engineers and event staff. During our time, it was mostly pouring rain unfortunately. Darren gave an overview of the truck, most of which was not new information to me, but some tidbits thrown in. I did not push for any "reveals" because I knew he wouldn't give them plus I don't have a YouTube channel... ;) Our reactions were filmed, and we had to sign away rights including to our firstborn (eh!).

Lightning's interface is faster than the 2021 Mach-E with newer technology. Some things in the interface are added, some moved around. Mach-E will be getting a boatload of updates in October and April. They are all stacked up behind BlueCruise.

I listened while Darren took us through the interface, and it was clear they've been listening and reading forum threads. Nice to see. Darren asked me about our Mach-E experience and listened intently.

Then to the track, a large open concrete area. A Ford driver took us through a course of cones, basically the same as the drives that took place across the country last summer. Wasn't a "race car driver", hit a few cones. It was pouring buckets. Then it was my turn to drive. For engineer in passenger seat, and my wife sitting under the tent because she said "I know how you drive..." We were allowed to stomp on it on a straight shot, turn around, and do it again. No cones to whip around, just 0 to however high you want to go. With noticeable standing water, we both felt the vehicle start to lose grip on a wheel or two as I passed 70, and adjust, i.e. the all time AWD sensed the slippage / hydroplanning and reacted to keep us headed straight. I did not slap the brakes, nor try to slide sideways or anything like some may have. My summary - it drives like an F-150 Mach-E. Everything felt the same, except the turning radius which matched the gas truck (we have a 2013 F-150).

Got another chance to talk to Darren, and asked some questions about Ford's awareness of the issues that some of us have experienced with our year 1 vehicles. I did talk specifics, both my experience and others. Again, I will state that they read the forum threads and nothing I said seemed to be new information to him.

I was asked why I had gone EV, and was headed towards another one, and truthfully answered that I felt it was my obligation to push Ford, dealers, and the industry to give us choice and not screw this up. They clearly appreciated that.

After the drive we had about an hour to relax in our rooms, then drinks and hor derves. That was all customers. Then to dinner at Ford's Garage, which has great food and a good craft beer selection. None of the senior execs were there, but some engineers and the event staff were.

Today we get bused over to the event site at noon, maybe a tour? (secret events), then the event at 1:30 which will be online as well.

I will take pictures today, yesterday between pouring rain and secret vehicles we couldn't photograph, the only shots I got were of me driving. Not exciting. We saw a vehicle a big instrument cluster on the roof (self-driving?) And several covered shapes that looked like they could be bigger pickups, or Excursions. Or maybe they brought in competitor's vehicles to confuse us?

Picture from GoogleMaps, you can't tell but there is a control tower right in the middle.

Ford Mustang Mach-E Attending F-150L celebration Screenshot_20220426-083609_Maps
 

Gimme_my_MME

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2020
Threads
11
Messages
1,716
Reaction score
5,451
Location
Dearborn
Vehicles
Grabber Blue First Edition Mustang Mach-E
Occupation
Engineer
Country flag
Picture from GoogleMaps, you can't tell but there is a control tower right in the middle.
Want to know why there is a control tower? It started as an airfield and was one of the worlds first modern airports.
From Wikipedia:
This airport saw many world and U.S. "firsts": the first U.S. airport hotel, the first concrete runways, first U.S. scheduled passenger service, first contracted airmail service, first radio control for a commercial flight, and first U.S. passenger terminal.[3] The buildings were designed by architect Albert Kahn and are considered to have greatly influenced the design of airports throughout the U.S

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Airport_(Dearborn)
 

Gimme_my_MME

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2020
Threads
11
Messages
1,716
Reaction score
5,451
Location
Dearborn
Vehicles
Grabber Blue First Edition Mustang Mach-E
Occupation
Engineer
Country flag
Then it was my turn to drive. For engineer in passenger seat, and my wife sitting under the tent because she said "I know how you drive..." We were allowed to stomp on it on a straight shot, turn around, and do it again. No cones to whip around, just 0 to however high you want to go. With noticeable standing water, we both felt the vehicle start to lose grip on a wheel or two as I passed 70, and adjust, i.e. the all time AWD sensed the slippage / hydroplanning and reacted to keep us headed straight. I did not slap the brakes, nor try to slide sideways or anything like some may have. My summary - it drives like an F-150 Mach-E. Everything felt the same, except the turning radius which matched the gas truck (we have a 2013 F-150).
Wait till you get a chance to do this on dry pavement, it will blow your mind!
 

MetrowestZ

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2021
Threads
11
Messages
154
Reaction score
178
Location
Boston
Vehicles
California AWD
Country flag
I was contacted last week by an agency working with Ford to invite me and my wife to the event. Towards the end of the week it was revealed that it was a 2 day event. They offered to fly us in, to which I responded "by chopper"? The agency hadn't realized that we live 30 minutes away. :D

We arrived around noon yesterday, among a group of 20+ prospective customers and their +1s. People were flown in from around the country. Many we met expect their trucks in May or June. We haven't ordered ours, missing the cut but expecting to make the 2023 batch, given we reserved about 12 hours in.

After having lunch, we were driven to the Ford Dearborn Development Center. Everyone had a customized itinerary, designed to give a group of 4 private time with the trucks and Ford execs including Darren Palmer and Emma Berg, as well as some Ford engineers and event staff. During our time, it was mostly pouring rain unfortunately. Darren gave an overview of the truck, most of which was not new information to me, but some tidbits thrown in. I did not push for any "reveals" because I knew he wouldn't give them plus I don't have a YouTube channel... ;) Our reactions were filmed, and we had to sign away rights including to our firstborn (eh!).

Lightning's interface is faster than the 2021 Mach-E with newer technology. Some things in the interface are added, some moved around. Mach-E will be getting a boatload of updates in October and April. They are all stacked up behind BlueCruise.

I listened while Darren took us through the interface, and it was clear they've been listening and reading forum threads. Nice to see. Darren asked me about our Mach-E experience and listened intently.

Then to the track, a large open concrete area. A Ford driver took us through a course of cones, basically the same as the drives that took place across the country last summer. Wasn't a "race car driver", hit a few cones. It was pouring buckets. Then it was my turn to drive. For engineer in passenger seat, and my wife sitting under the tent because she said "I know how you drive..." We were allowed to stomp on it on a straight shot, turn around, and do it again. No cones to whip around, just 0 to however high you want to go. With noticeable standing water, we both felt the vehicle start to lose grip on a wheel or two as I passed 70, and adjust, i.e. the all time AWD sensed the slippage / hydroplanning and reacted to keep us headed straight. I did not slap the brakes, nor try to slide sideways or anything like some may have. My summary - it drives like an F-150 Mach-E. Everything felt the same, except the turning radius which matched the gas truck (we have a 2013 F-150).

Got another chance to talk to Darren, and asked some questions about Ford's awareness of the issues that some of us have experienced with our year 1 vehicles. I did talk specifics, both my experience and others. Again, I will state that they read the forum threads and nothing I said seemed to be new information to him.

I was asked why I had gone EV, and was headed towards another one, and truthfully answered that I felt it was my obligation to push Ford, dealers, and the industry to give us choice and not screw this up. They clearly appreciated that.

After the drive we had about an hour to relax in our rooms, then drinks and hor derves. That was all customers. Then to dinner at Ford's Garage, which has great food and a good craft beer selection. None of the senior execs were there, but some engineers and the event staff were.

Today we get bused over to the event site at noon, maybe a tour? (secret events), then the event at 1:30 which will be online as well.

I will take pictures today, yesterday between pouring rain and secret vehicles we couldn't photograph, the only shots I got were of me driving. Not exciting. We saw a vehicle a big instrument cluster on the roof (self-driving?) And several covered shapes that looked like they could be bigger pickups, or Excursions. Or maybe they brought in competitor's vehicles to confuse us?

Picture from GoogleMaps, you can't tell but there is a control tower right in the middle.

Ford Mustang Mach-E Attending F-150L celebration Screenshot_20220426-083609_Maps
Maybe I missed it but were all of the Youtubers (ex. Doug, etc.) there also doing their reviews?
 
OP
OP
RickMachE

RickMachE

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2021
Threads
200
Messages
13,132
Reaction score
17,848
Location
SE MI
Vehicles
2022 Mach-E Premium 4X, 2022 Lightning Lariat
Country flag
Have not seen a single one yet. They will likely be in with the Press.
 
OP
OP
RickMachE

RickMachE

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2021
Threads
200
Messages
13,132
Reaction score
17,848
Location
SE MI
Vehicles
2022 Mach-E Premium 4X, 2022 Lightning Lariat
Country flag
Ford Mustang Mach-E Attending F-150L celebration F150LightningTestTrack_3G2A6661
 
 




Top