Kickstart: Fewer parts for the F-150

Henry Ford was known for offering few options for his first cars, with a claim he once said the Model T was available in any color as long as it's black.

That's not the case these days, obviously, with multiple trim levels and options across a range of vehicles. But when Ford Motor Co.'s 2024 F-150 pickup goes on sale, it will have 90 percent fewer combinations of options available for customers, reducing both complexity in manufacturing and reducing about 2,400 parts from the current model.

Reducing complexity helps Ford control costs and better plan investments, Kumar Galhotra, president of Ford Blue, said during the Automotive News World Congress on Sept. 12, sponsored by our sister publication.

The number of orderable combinations will go from "over a billion down to a few hundred," which he said was beneficial for customers, dealers and the company, he said.

But the 2024 F-150 — Ford's biggest seller and highlighted during the 2023 North American International Auto Show in Detroit — will still offer options, some of them featuring plastics.

A new Pro Access Tailgate allows users to open the tailgate from the top or the side and has a ruler with both metric and imperial measurements molded into the trim.

The F-150 Tremor version, geared toward off-road users, has a "coast-to-coast" front grille and light bar to improve visibility.

While there were plenty of media and industry officials checking out the F-150 on the opening day of the auto show Sept. 13, the mood overall was somewhat subdued.

That can partially be blamed on a very different type of auto show than Detroit saw 20 years ago. There were only a few vehicle debuts while current model cars dominated the show floor.

But the biggest story in the auto industry is in flux, with no one certain whether the UAW will go on strike at midnight tonight. No one even knows for sure which automaker would be the target for a strike, with analysts split on whether union members would pick an entire company or selected plants.

Suppliers attending the auto show weren't willing to speak on the record, but all are worried about the impact of any strike. They said they have done their best to adapt to whatever will come, but all they can do for now is watch and wait.

At least one car won't be impacted by the strike, and may be on its way to the Hall of Fame. The Toy Hall of Fame, that is.

Little Tikes' Cozy Coupe rotomolded car has finally made the list of finalists for 2023 honors. (Not going to lie, I nominated the Cozy Coupe a couple of times, so I'm pleased.) It will face some tough opposition, though.

Other finalists unveiled Sept. 13 include Nerf balls and the games Battleship, Bingo, Bop It and Connect 4. And another competitor is really bringing the Kenergy to this year's contest: the Ken doll.

At least three toys will enter the Hall of Fame housed at the Strong Museum of Play in Rochester, N.Y., with winners to be named Nov. 9. There's also a "Player's Choice Ballot" for public voting here, if you want to show your support for a favorite.