Is it possible for one truck to be all things to all people?  The legendary array of body and engine configurations available for the Ford F-Series suggests that it’s not, but a drive in the 2001 F150 SuperCrew leaves us wondering if it’s not possible to get pretty darned close.

Introduced in March 2000, the SuperCrew combines the useful four-door cab style with a shortened bed, to satisfy pickup truck folk who could use the sedan-like seating but don’t want to drive a twenty-foot long extended-wheelbase crew cab.  It’s been a hit so far.  Available as a two- or four-wheel drive, and in several trim levels, the SuperCrew is one of the more popular personal-use pickups.  Ford sold about 100,000 last year.

The look is basic F-150; rounded, bull-terrier styling up front is accented with heavy-duty tow hooks and a big chrome bumper.  The bed is slightly sculpted, to make it look like something more than just a big soulless power tool.  And in between, there’s the four-door cab which makes the SuperCrew what it is.  The shortened bed is made of SMC plastic, with greater durability and lighter weight than steel.  4X8 sheets of plywood will lay flat, and the bed won’t dent or rust.  An optional flip-out cargo extender allows for larger loads.  Like the rest of the F-Series lineup, the SuperCrew is first and foremost a truck.

The big step up to get inside is as strong a reminder of this fact as anyone needs.  The big, businesslike plastic on the dash and the chair-height, comfortable seats are also straight out of the F-Series, and very welcome.  The rear seat is comfortable as well, obviously a far cry from the too-short, upright bench that lives in the back of the average extended cab.  Rear-seat passengers definitely benefit from the lengthened cab.  Ford has made the SuperCrew family-friendly, with anchors for three child seats in the rear and adjustable brake and gas pedals to make shorter drivers more comfortable.  Four- or six-passenger seating is available, as are a leather interior or a moonroof.  There’s even an optional rear-seat entertainment system with a VCR.  The SuperCrew makes a good case for being little more than a very large sedan with a very truck-like ride.  For extra cargo space instead of passengers, the rear seat folds flat.

Our test truck was equipped with the 5.4 liter V8 engine, which is the larger of the two available options.  The 5.4 makes 260 horsepower, and more importantly, 350 pound-feet of torque.  Below it in the lineup is a 4.6 liter V8.  The big motor in the truck we drove proved more than adequate for helping to drag a dead Volkswagen Rabbit, a motor-less Volkswagen van, and a broken-down Volvo station wagon all in one surprisingly eventful day.  The SuperCrew never complained or seemed remotely strange–hardly a surprise, given its 7700-pound towing capacity.  The powerful engine is built to tow things, not race, so the SuperCrew isn’t quick off the line.  The four-speed automatic transmission is lazy to downshift.

Four-wheel drive is controlled by a rotary switch on the dash, and is primarily for bad-weather or off-road usage.  The SuperCrew features four-wheel antilock brakes as standard equipment.

On the road, the SuperCrew’s manners are actually better than that of traditional pickups.  The heavier, longer body and short bed give the truck better weight distribution.  The violent bouncing which accompanied bumps in the F150 longbed we tested last year was absent in the SuperCrew.  The independent front and leaf spring rear suspensions are the same.  The SuperCrew features slightly different shock absorber valving.

Our test truck was a four-wheel drive SuperCrew with the Lariat package.  We were surprised by the high cost of pickup truck ownership these days; the SuperCrew stickered at $33,755.  Then again, with a leather interior, in-dash CD changer, and captain’s chairs this work horse was just as well equipped as some luxury sedans.

Specifications:
All specs are for the 2001 Ford F150 4×4 SuperCrew Lariat, which we tested.

Length:         225.9 in.
Width:            79.9 in.
Height:            76.9 in.
Wheelbase:        138.8 in.
Curb weight:        5032 lb.
Cargo space:        44.2 cu.ft.
Towing capacity:    7700 lb.
Payload:        1765 lb.
Base price:        $31,175
Price as tested:     $33,755
Engine:         5.4 liter OHV V8
Drivetrain:         four-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
Horsepower:         260 @ 4500
Torque:         350 @ 2500
Fuel capacity:        25 gal.
Est. mileage:        13/17