Adults might claim that scavenger hunts are for children, but car enthusiasts never really grow up all the way; it's just their toys that grow bigger. That is why they are always on the hunt for Easter eggs in their cars, hoping to find any cheeky nods. Manufacturers tend to add subtle but hidden design elements to make the product more exciting for their loyal customers. Also, these elements help make good use of uninteresting parts of a vehicle.
Ford puts Easter eggs in the form of inconspicuous add-ons like etchings in the most unlikely places. These form part of cultural or manufacturing references that only hardcore fans will ever notice. So, next time you are at the dealership shopping for your new Ford Mustang, Raptor, or Fiesta, be on the lookout for these Easter eggs.
10 American Flags On Every F-150 Truck
For over 200 years, the American flag stood as the ultimate representation of patriotism, freedom, dignity, and being American. Then came the beloved trucks, which became the perfect union between utility and freedom, two of the things Americans love most. As a show of their commitment to build trucks for America, Ford subtly placed a very patriotic Easter egg in the F-150's cabin.
A flag is hidden on either side of the dashboard, just on the edges of the vent trim, and it is only visible upon opening the front door. On the F-150, the flag is silver in color but changes to the Code Orange on the Raptor.
9 Ford Bronco’s Bucking Bronco
Ford brought back the Bronco after a 25-year break to compete directly with the Jeep Wrangler. Ford has placed a total of five bucking broncos inside and outside the Bronco. The horse on the Bronco has evolved since its introduction, with the current iteration kicking hardest and highest.
A bucking bronco is lightly etched at the edge of the LED daytime headlight, similar to the seven-slot grille in the headlight housing of the Jeep Wrangler. Another one is placed in the rear cargo bay between two white LED cargo lights, which lightens up like other interior lights. Also, the ten-speed automatic option comes with a bucking bronco on the shift knob.
8 Ford F-150 Massaging Feature
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=750&dpr=1.5)
The comfort level in the front row of the car is one of the hottest selling points, with some features such as the massaging option fetching a premium. However, these options that were exclusively for luxury cars are now more accessible in regular cars, and as it stands, you have to buy a Bentley or a Rolls-Royce to enjoy the best life has to offer. So, if you own a Ford F-150, you might be missing out on a hidden luxury feature, depending on the year of your truck.
A massage roller comes with the driver and passenger seats to rub your tight back to relieve stress. The seat can also lean all the way down into a bed. This feature is a most welcome, especially for construction workers.
7 Lift Me Baby Inscription On Ford Bronco Fenders
Lifted trucks look much cooler than in their stock form. They also gain more ground clearance for added fun up in the mountains, tow and haul better, and the driver gets better visibility on the road. If you thought lifted trucks were a dumb idea, then the thriving aftermarket lift lit industry will disagree. Even Ford seems to endorse this practice.
On the Bronco's fender lines, you will find the words "Lift Me Baby," like the truck is begging you to add a few inches to the already capable beast. While the Bronco comes standard with 17-inch wheels and 35-inch tires, Ford knows that buyers will still want to make them taller, wider, and bigger.
6 Plenty Of Raptor Badges
The Ford Raptor nameplate has gained traction as the highest-performance trim of the Ford F-150 lineup. Owning a Raptor gives you certain street cred, and Ford pushes the narrative further by labeling the truck with a conspicuously large Raptor sticker on all trucks. Also, they don't seem to miss any opportunity to remind the owner they are on a Raptor with logos all over the cabin.
Now, to maximize the number of logos, Ford decided to hide an extra Raptor etching inside the headlight housing, just below the orange F-shaped lighting theme. This subtle Easter egg can only be seen when standing close to the headlight.
5 Kill The Seatbelt Warning On The Ford Mustang
It is common sense to wear a seat belt while driving, since it keeps you safe and secure in the unfortunate case your vehicle crashes. Many people have been entirely and fatally ejected from a vehicle or thrown into a rapidly deploying airbag. But there is this annoying seatbelt warning signal cars make before you have a chance to buckle up. It turns out Ford has placed a secret Easter egg in the Ford Mustang that lets you turn off the signal.
The procedure is simple; turn on the car, and once the airbag signal signs off, buckle and unbuckle the belt. The annoying sound goes off, and you can go about your business. Just don't forget to buckle up once you are ready to drive away.
4 Cube Shaped Icon In The Ford GT
The Ford GT is where the modern meets the retro design, with drool-worthy styling complementing the car's incredibly track capabilities. For about $500,000, you can drive away with the legendary Ford GT that looks like a supercar and performs like a Le Mans winner. Also, Ford added an Easter egg on the Ford GTs made after 2003.
A cube-shaped icon is placed in the headlamp to celebrate 100 years of ford being in business. It is weird staring into your car's headlights, but if you own a post-2003 Ford GT, it's time to turn it off and go searching for that cube.
3 MyKey Feature Lets You Take Charge
Teens drivers have a higher chance of landing in a fatal, injury-causing, or property damaging crash than another age group. The logical cause is mostly immaturity, lack of experience, and lack of skills. Ford found a solution to keep your teenage son or daughter who is starting to drive from making bad decisions on the road. The MyKey feature Easter egg helps the parent set preferred limitations on the car.
MyKey can set a maximum speed, max audio volume, compulsory use of a seatbelt, and more. You can change the configuration using the provided admin key or fob.
2 The Mustang In The Puddle Lights
Manufacturers install puddle lights to prevent the driver from stepping in an annoying puddle or a worse mess. They are often placed on the side mirrors, and their light aims at the pavement to illuminate the ground below the doors. Now Ford decided to take the puddle light concept a little bit further.
On the Ford Mustang, the puddle light projects the Mustang's logo. A sight to behold opening up your Mustang door at night. While there are many aftermarket puddle light fittings, it is nice to see Ford add this touch to the Mustang off the factory.
1 Road To Baja On The F-150 Raptor
The famous Baja California peninsula desert is a perfect endurance testing ground for off-roading vehicles. Each tries to beat and set a new record in the annual SCORE International's Baja 1000. The Ford Raptor is a proven off-road monster on these sands, as it has finished the race on occasions in its stock form. It seems Ford wants its customers to take their Raptor down to Baja and join in on the fun.
As a nod to the high-powered Raptor's desert racing legacy, Ford added the most apparent Easter egg on the truck's rear side; A gigantic map with a point-to-point rote and terrain contours for the Baja 1000 course. While it is out in the open, only diehards will recognize it.
Sources: media.ford.com, caranddriver.com, hotcars.com, carlifenation.com