2008 Ford F-150 Foose Edition - Day 1

Better late than never, the 2008 Ford F-150 Foose Edition has arrived and we've just been handed its keys. Here are some raw first impressions.

It's a sharp looking truck with a few key differences from the Foose F-150 we first saw over a year ago at the 2007 New York Auto Show.

The biggest change is under the Foose F-150's wide striped hood. Ford substituted the originally planned Saleen-sourced supercharger with a Roush unit. Perhaps Ford was concerned Saleen might use Chinese parts? Nah. Our sources say there were difficulties meeting emissions, so Ford went with Plan B. It's the same compressor used in Roush's Stage 3 performance package for the F-150, and it's still rated at 450-horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque.

The retro style 6-spoke mag wheels have been replaced with modern 12-spoke rims. They're a let down that changes the truck's personality from classic hot rod hauler to Harley-Davidson F-150 clone.

New round exhaust tips take the place of the Foose's original squared pipes. They're better integrated with the rear bumper skirt than we saw on the show truck. The exhaust note is strong when you're on the accelerator and muted otherwise.

As you've probably noticed in the photos, the truck's uniform low stance has almost vanished, particularly over the rear wheels. The aero skirt wrapped around the pickup's bottom gives the illusion of sitting low but it still rides high when you look at the bed line. Maybe Ford did this so you can still put a decent load in the cargo box? Or to save money? But is a Foose buyer looking for a work truck or a beauty queen with a wild side? The rear end should be dropped one to two inches.

Stay tuned for additional first impressions over the next few days and a formal write-up in the next several weeks, or sooner.