Typically, when a U.S. President visits an automaker like Ford, every little detail is worked out ahead of time. The visit operates on a tight schedule, with no room for change or error. But Joe Biden’s visit to the Ford Rouge Electric Vehicle Center yesterday ended with an impromptu Ford F-150 Lightning prototype test drive, which was apparently not in the original plans. That was, until Biden insisted on driving the truck.
“At the end of his speech, he kinda turned to everyone, he goes, ‘You know I’m a car guy. And I want to drive this truck.’ Everyone politely laughed. Because presidents don’t drive vehicles,” Ford CEO Jim Farley told the Detroit Free Press. “Lo and behold, I get a tap on my shoulder (apparently from White House staff) at the very end of the event. “They said, ‘Mr. Farley, we’d like you to come with us to the motorcade because we want to go to the test track and drive the truck.”
This wasn’t completely unexpected, of course, as there was some discussion between Biden officials and Ford regarding whether or not he might actually drive the Lightning during his trip to Dearborn. But the idea was ruled out ahead of his visit, that is, until things changed the day prior when White House officials once again mentioned that Biden might want to take a little Ford F-150 Lightning test drive. Luckily, Ford had parked a prototype at the Dearborn test track the night before, just in case.
“It was a game-time decision,” admitted Mark Truby, global head of Ford communications. “He went on the test track and, I mean, he was going really fast,” Farley said. “The whole press corps was there, probably 50 journalists. He pulled up in front of all the journalists. He looked like Top Gun. He had his Ray Bans on, in this F-150 Lightning.”
This interesting turn of events just so happened to be the first time anyone outside of Ford has ever driven the F-150 Lightning, and there wasn’t even a Ford employee in the truck at the time – only a Secret Service agent. Regardless, Farley didn’t seem worried in the least, despite the president’s spirited driving.
“I was not nervous,” Farley said. “I think he has lots of people to make sure everything will be fine. He got in front of the press and, he goes, ‘Watch this.’ Then he rolled the truck a little bit forward, stopped, and fully accelerated. The truck took off, totally silent like an electric car does. Dead quiet. It accelerated like nothing I’ve ever seen. And the press corps was like, ‘Holy Cow.'”
We’ll have more on the F-150 Lighting soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford F-Series news, Ford F-150 news, F-150 Lightning news, and ongoing Ford news coverage.
Comments
Got to admit, as a car guy it’s nice to see one in the White House. Nothing against tubby golfers, but the need for speed never dies…unless you do!
He’s a car guy when trying to get car guys votes. Do you even pay attention to what he does instead of what he says. He’s not Trump, he doesn’t do what he says.
This is the Joe Biden I like to see.
Why, he’s always dazed and confused. This time was no different than every time he’s allowed out
He looks like a dead person in the truck. He looks worse than Mike Dukakis in the tank. What a joke. Ford should remember it was American patriots who bailed them out by buying their cars and trucks. Not the looney liberals. They have to buy foreign cars.
You are corect but it is also the “looney liberals” that will be running out to buy the evs & dont forget that they are also a portion of his misinformed voting block. Ford & GM both have forgotten who has been buying their ICE products for all of these years.There is no problem with evs but they cannot be the only choice.They may work for some & city dwellers but not for the majority. I laugh to myself picturing a high rise with extension cords hanging out all the windows or the family that has to write up a charging schedule to accomadate the charging of the households vehicles that are needed for work or play.
Same old whiners and complainers today….. highjack a car blog to flog their brand of hate and disloyalty. Why don’t you wear a placard and stand on a street corner…. at the very least it would get you off the couch and give you some real exercise. But I digress, when the chips (that’s funny) are down, you will rely on and accept the kindness and charity of your fellow citizens.
Kindness and charity? Really, I believe it only works one way with libtards…they only preach kindness while they push there s..t down your throat!
This is the guy spewing hate against anybody that doesn’t agree with him. Sorry but if Ford is going to screw America along with this guy, he’s gonna get called out no matter where it is.
He was not driving it. Truck has two steering wheels. website gatewaypundit shows a video when Biden turns steering and the front tires never moved. It also shows the guy in pass seat with hand on second steering wheel.
And you are not a real person…. just a Russian ‘bot’ made in China! Your eyes move back and forth but are never connected to your CPU.
Did you even watch this. You libs are so clueless.
No i am real.
Quit lying already. An impromptu drive in a truck with a 2nd steering wheel. Ford is so in bed with this anti American scumbag, it’s disgusting. Henry Ford is spinning in his grave so fast it might catch fire. Nothing Biden does is off script, except for talking. This was particularly embarrassing for America.
Link us an article and/or video showing this and then once you realize you’re wrong, link the fact checked article showing the truth!
Biden can’t even remember where he dropped Tara Reade off. I doubt he even remembers being at Ford and driving the truck by now…
Hey remember when there was a big fire truck at the white house and trump sat in the big boy seat and honked the horn??? just like the man child he is…. sore loser! its over jonny go back to the sand box
Mike, are you okay!?!? I’m genuinely concerned.
Hey all you whiners and complainers…. have sold your FORD’s yet? The dealerships want your ride even if you don’t. Just sayin…..
Hey how’s the gas prices now that Biden shut down the pipe lines and sold out America? Anyone buying new American cars this month or next? Good luck with that. But yea the old coot wanted to go for a spin…yippee. Maybe it was for “Make a wish” since he’s on his last brain cell.