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Los Angeles, home to a diverse automotive culture, saw the rebirth of the Ford F150 Lobo. The full-house party, which took place at The Motoring Club on Olympic Blvd, had a great vibe. I never thought of putting together a Paloma with tacos, but it is LA, after all. The locale was full of energy since FORD decided to go ahead with an “Urban Project” around the most popular truck sold in the country.

Ford truck enthusiasts in Los Angeles are familiar with the Lobo already, since it has been in Mexico since 1997. The newest version, all black, comes with the attitude that most people are looking for on a “street truck.” The engineers dropped the rear bed about 2 inches and the front suspension one inch, so the truck now sits level with the ground. They added some good-looking forged wheels, dual exhaust tips, and dropped a V8 under the hood.

Josh Blundo, the designer of this F-150 version, said that he grew up with trucks, and when he moved to Detroit, he fell in love with the “Street Truck” movement. His smile revealed his pride in being able to create something that he could relate to in a deeply personal way.

I like the light treatment within the front grille. The additional lights give it a distinctive appearance, especially at night. And unique Lobo 22-inch gloss-black wheels. I kept hearing adjectives like “mysterious,” “sinister,” and “underground,” which went beyond the “cool look” we often heardabout most custom trucks in town.

I see a trend from Ford lately that is about getting what people want right from the factory. The common modifications are wheels, lowering the suspension, fancy exhaust tips, and a big motor. With the F-150 Lobo, you get all that, and it is backed by the manufacturer’s warranty.

The Lobo starts as an F-150 STX SuperCrew, but instead of using the 2.7L V6, Ford installs the 5.0 Liter V8 motor that can easily do 400HP. The 10-speed auto transmission is the same as the other Ford trucks. I could not confirm the towing rating, but I guess that it can handle 10,000 lbs. with ease. The 2,440 Lbs of payload remains the same, so you are not giving up on any of the attributes of this capable truck.

The interior is well-equipped and comfortable. The Lobo was not available for a test drive, but since I have driven the STX, I can confirm that with the larger wheels and increased torque, it should be smooth and quick in Los Angeles traffic.

Josh added, “It is another  Built Ford Tough F-150 truck, but we created a street truck that rolls off the assembly line ready to go. What is important for us is that the customer gets a Ford factory warranty for more confidence and peace of mind than swapping parts  from aftermarket providers.”

I do agree that the F-150 Lobo has an unmistakable face on the road, with a dedicated front grille. That and the lights going across make it stand out. There are also some black-accented exterior features, such as hood vents, the exhaust I mentioned, and side badging on the front fenders. But if you do not like black as a wolf, there are other colors available that, include Atlas Blue Metallic, Carbonized Gray, Oxford White, and Rapid Red Metallic. If you get a Lobo, get a black one to cruise down on Sunset Blvd or Whittier Ave.