DALLAS, Oct. 19 TX-Ford-F-150-Named

DALLAS, Oct. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The new 2009 F-150 has been
recognized as the one and only "Truck of Texas" by the Texas Auto Writers
Association (TAWA) - the sixth consecutive year a Ford truck has won top
honors.

Ford's lineup of trucks also was named Truck Line of Texas, while the Ford
Flex and Expedition King Ranch received top honors as CUV and SUV of Texas,
respectively. Sweeping all four vehicle-centered top honors, Ford emerged the
clear winner at this year's TAWA Texas Truck Rodeo.

"This is high praise, especially the coveted 'Truck of Texas' top prize,"
said Mark Fields, Ford's President of the Americas. "Texas Auto Writers are
the toughest truck critics because they know firsthand and truly appreciate
how core truck customers really use their pickups.

"We're honored that TAWA recognizes that the new F-150 offers consumers
class-leading capability, unsurpassed fuel economy and durability that shows
how closely we've been listening to our customers for the 31 years Ford trucks
have been America's favorite," he added.

According to Harold Gunn, President of TAWA, this year's competition was
tighter than ever because all of the manufacturers are delivering outstanding
trucks.

"'Truck of Texas' is really the most important award of its type in the
industry," said Gunn. "We love trucks down here, and we really use these
vehicles everyday. And since we spend so much time in our vehicles, for us
it's not just about how the horse feels being towed, but how your butt feels
sitting in the truck, too."

On sale now, the new F-150 offers fuel economy that has improved an
average of 8 percent across the entire lineup as a result of a wide-range of
engineering enhancements. The fuel economy gains reach as high as 12 percent
versus the prior model year on F-150 models equipped with the high-volume
three-valve, 5.4-liter V-8 engine. At the same time, the new F-150 delivers
class-leading towing capability of 11,300 pounds and hauling capacity of 3,030
pounds - a combination no other competitor can match.

"Earning the trust of so many truck customers during the past 31 years has
taught us a lot about what they want and value from their F-150," said Matt
O'Leary, Ford F-150 chief engineer. "In the past, there was a tradeoff - more
fuel economy meant less capability and vice versa. With the new F-150, we
didn't accept tradeoffs. We delivered capability and fuel economy, and that's
why the F-150 is the definitive full-size pickup on the market."

Other Ford Motor Company vehicles winning top honors in their categories
at the TAWA Rodeo include:

-- Best Luxury Pickup:  2009 Ford F-150 King Ranch
-- Best Full-Size CUV:  2009 Ford Flex
-- Best Mid-Size CUV:  2009 Mazda CX9
-- Best Luxury CUV:  2009 Lincoln MKX
-- Best Mid-Size SUV:  2009 Ford Explorer
-- Best Heavy Duty Pickup:  2009 Ford F-350 Super Duty Cabela's Edition