Ford revamps 2027 F-150 with hands-free towing, more V8 options, giving customers what they want, exec says

Ford ( F ) is rolling out its most comprehensive update to the F-150 in years, with features like hands-free towing, the return of the V8 across the lineup, and a first-ever Carhartt edition, as the automaker looks to revive its franchise product after a bruising first half.

F-Series US sales fell 13.3% in the first six months of 2026 to 357,801 units, down from 412,848 a year earlier, as a shortage of aluminum stemming from the Novelis aluminum plant fires hit truck output. Ford has said the outage cost it $2 billion and cut F-Series production by roughly 90,000 to 100,000 units. Ford has subsequently upped production to equilibrate supply

But the 2027 F-150, unveiled Tuesday, is a part of the recovery. The F-Series has been America's bestselling truck for 49 years, and the company is betting that a broad refresh, with updates customers said they wanted, will keep it there.

"What we're excited about is the comprehensiveness," Greg Christensen, Ford's general manager for North America trucks, told Yahoo Finance. "We're touching so many little parts of the vehicle that are meaningful to our customers."

Ford is going bigger under the hood, reflecting changes seen with rivals Ram Stellantis ( STLA ) and Chevrolet ( GM ) trucks. The 5.0-liter V8 returns to the King Ranch and Platinum trims for the first time since 2023, making it available across the entire lineup from XL to Platinum. The outgoing 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 is replaced by a larger 3.0-liter unit that Ford said delivers 10% to 11% more torque in everyday driving.

"With the V8, it's synonymous with a bulletproof powertrain," Christensen said. "[Customers] want the displacement in many cases. They want the sound, they want the performance, and they want that durability and reliability."

The 3.5-liter EcoBoost remains, towing a class-leading 13,500 pounds, and the PowerBoost hybrid returns with its onboard generator.

The big update is BlueCruise with Towing, which lets drivers go hands-free on more than 130,000 miles of divided "Blue Zone" highways while pulling a boat, trailer, or camper. With more than 75% of F-150 buyers using their trucks to tow, Ford tested 800 trailer configurations to validate the feature.

"Safety is most important to us," Christensen said, adding that the system monitors trailer sway, tire pressure, and the surrounding environment, and flags the driver if a setup falls outside safe parameters. The AI-driven feature is highway-only and requires drivers to enter their trailer's dimensions.