Ford Motor Company is currently on track to sell 939,809 F-Series pickup truck sales in the United States in calendar year 2018.
That number is hugely significant. Not only does it represent far greater volume than any other vehicle line can manage (the F-Series was outselling the combined efforts of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra by 15 percent at the halfway mark), it would also mark the first occasion since 2005 in which any vehicle line topped the 900K mark.
The F-Series accounts for 36 percent of U.S. Ford Motor Company sales, outsells Ford/Lincoln cars by nearly two to one, and outsells all Ford/Lincoln SUVs/crossovers by roughly 2,000 units per month. Use Volkswagen, a global powerhouse, for further comparison: the German brand isn’t likely to sell 400,000 vehicles in America this year. With one-third of the year remaining, Ford has already sold 603,926 F-Series trucks.
But the track towards 939,809 is important for another reason. It’s also 298 sales greater than Ford’s all-time best number. What does Ford need to do during the final four months of the year to break its record?
To put it simply, Ford needs to sell 335,586 F-Series pickup trucks in September, October, November, and December.
Easy?
Not so fast.
Ford recorded a blistering F-Series sales pace in the final third of 2017, yet the company reported “only” 320,430 truck sales during that period last year. That number needs to be exceeded by more than 15,000 units if Ford is to top 2004’s record. 2017 ended with a 16-year November high and then a 12-year December high, while F-Series sales topped 80,000 units in both September and December. These were months in which Ford’s streak of year-over-year improvements – now at 16 consecutive months – continued unabated.
For 2018 to be better than 2004, 2018 must first end better than 2017. And 2018 must do so by a margin of 3,789 sales per month. If, in early October, Ford doesn’t report 86,000 September F-Series sales, and if Ford doesn’t report very nearly 80,000 October F-Series sales, breaking the annual record will suddenly seem doubtful.
There are, however, at least a few reasons Ford is likely to push past the 900,000-unit mark on its way to a record of roughly 940,000 F-Series sales in 2018.
Build It and They Will Pay
Ford isn’t selling more and more (and more and more) pickup trucks because it’s competing solely for the bargain shopper. In July, as the new vehicle transaction prices rose by roughly $700, F-Series ATPs grew 115-percent quicker than the industry average. According to Ford, ATPs for the F-Series in July were $2,600 above the segment average.
Then in August, Ford reported that upper-tier trucks accounted for more than half of retail Super Duty sales, pulling Super Duty ATPs up to $58,700.
Demand & Supply
Satisfying such an extraordinary level of demand requires extraordinary supply. Ford exited August with a 72-day supply of trucks. That’s well below the 83-days of gross stock Ford had at this stage of 2017, but in a market where 60 days is usually considered ideal, Ford is well positioned. The automaker says actual dealer stock heading into September stood at 210,134 units, equal to 56 days of inventory.
The Big MO
Nothing in the automotive industry, at any level, is coveted more than growth. From sales consultants to GSMs to zone managers to the automaker to analysts, there is a never-ending expectation for improvement.
This is about far more than positive press. Dealer bosses want showroom staff to improve closing ratios. Publicly traded dealer groups will fight tooth and nail to avoid the share price scars incurred by a year-over-year decline. An automaker’s quest for greater domination doesn’t subside when fuel prices rise, nor when competitors introduce newer product.
Thousands of individuals have a vested interest in seeing the F-Series report a 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th consecutive month of year-over-year improvement. If the level of improvement is sufficient, Ford’s 939,511-unit result in 2004 falls from a legendary achievement to an easily forgotten second-best result.
If GM’s new trucks, not to mention a new breed of Ram pickups, manage to chip away at the dominant Ford, the Blue Oval will have to be satisfied with a 14-year high.
[Images: Ford Motor Company]
Timothy Cain is a contributing analyst at The Truth About Cars and Driving.ca and the founder and former editor of GoodCarBadCar.net. Follow on Twitter @timcaincars and Instagram.
IOW, Ford has not been this exposed to an overall economic downturn, and more specifically, a downturn in light pickup truck sales, since the period of 2004-2007.
Ford is the closest thing to a one trick pony in all of the automotive world (volume manufacturers), has most of its eggs (and nearly all its profitable ones) in one nest, and has its A$$ completely exposed to any and all risks on the horizon.
So, TTAC Oracle, what’s your fix?
The “fix” is for Ford to do some diversification (the exact opposite of what Jim HACKett and his lackeys are doing now) so that they aren’t reliant to an asinine % that is equal to or possibly greater than 84% on the F Series.
Ford has exposed themselves like this twice before (late 1992-1996) and 2003-2006) and they barely survived to fight another day.
Ford’s entire business model is THE F SERIES.
Well they got one from me this month. So only 335,585 to go….
They might be getting from me within the next few days…
DW may be right as far as the one trick pony is concerned.
But, aside from minor niggling recalls, they make a real good truck. The new RAM is more my speed and GGM twins are LAST. I ll make sure mine is built on van dyke between 15 and 16 mile.
Remember. Just say NO TO HENCHO. OK?
Honestly, I don’t understand Ford’s sales rate; they’re neither the best looking truck on the market nor the most reliable truck on the market. On average, the buyer of a new Ford truck only keeps it about 4-5 years.
That said, for whatever reason, pickup truck owners tend to be aggressively partial to their brand of choice, regardless of how good or bad that brand or model may be. I’m not necessarily partial to any one brand for that brand’s sake but I am partial AGAINST some brands due to long-term experience with those brands. Ford is one of those brands for me.
I’ve only purchased one Ford product in my lifetime, though I’ve owned several. All of them had expensive problems from the outset that, once properly fixed, worked well enough. On the other hand, nearly everyone I know who owns or has owned a Ford has reported issues within the first year of ownership… everything from annoying rattles and squeaks within weeks of purchasing to major repairs before the year is out. Many of these cars and trucks were purchased just in the last 5-8 years. Purely my opinion, but the only reason Fords can be so popular is that no matter the MSRP on the vehicle, Ford seems willing to do anything to make a sale… especially if they can ‘steal’ a sale from another brand. (I’m finding that GM has started doing the same.) This suggests to me that their vehicles–especially their trucks–are grossly over-priced.
As a result, I expect you’ll see numerous sales over the next three months, going out of their way to entice more buyers, even if it means sacrificing as much as 50% of their profits to do so. Ford will do its damndest to at least break ahead of GM before the end of the year.
@Vulpine, I thought you recently posted you had purchased a new truck since the Tesla pickup was not yet available. Perhaps I confused you with someone else.
Help me with “I’ve only purchased one Ford product in my lifetime, though I’ve owned several.” Did you steal the rest?
Pretty long diatribe of how much FMC sucks, one man’s opinion, etc., in the neighborhood I live in (middle-class?) there are 6 F-150s in 8 of the driveways closest to me, and none of us are farmers or even know how to screw in a nail properly.
I’m still on record as a long-time F shareholder who is winding down my position, but all 3 (GM, F, RAM) have their good and bad points. Ford has a very strong loyalty among their owners.
Well, civicjohn, you’re both right and wrong.
• Yes, I just purchased a new truck–so new I haven’t even taken delivery of it yet. (One week or so away.) That truck is a Chevy Colorado Z71, not a Ford.
• The only Ford I ever purchased was a 1990 F-150 XLT Lariat. My most recent ownership was a ’97 Ranger, inherited from my step-father and prior to that a ’73 Gran Torino given to me by my parents, long ago. All three needed major work and the Gran Torino was a lemon… eating belts, slipping timing and ultimately needing its small-block V8 replaced with a larger displacement model because it simply died, hauling two tons of car around. A bloomin’ old-school Fiat 500 could run away from it at a traffic light. Funny thing: Parents bought themselves a ’76 LTD II on the same platform and it had the exact same engine problems.
I don’t argue that Ford has its fans. Hell, Ford fans, at least where the trucks are concerned, are about the loudest (though both GM and RAM have their vocal proponents as well.) I’m anti-Ford because I’ve never had a Ford that I would consider reliable, though once I repaired the hydraulic clutch on the ’97 Ranger, it was a fun little truck to drive. I sold it to my mailman, who absolutely loves it!
A hydraulic clutch is a major repair? Granted, major pain in the ass to get to but I was thinking something along the line of your Torino – a major drivetrain failure or some such.
As far as I’m concerned, anything over $600 to fix is a major repair… especially on a 20-year-old pickup truck with only 20,000 miles on it.
Yeah, if a truck can’t have 0 repairs after 20 years, burn the company headquarters to the ground. Any manual transmission should have a clutch that lasts 75 years at least. Anything less is unacceptable. Unless it isn’t a Ford.
There you go again, JohnTaurus…
…try and twist Vulpine’s words, opinion expressed and narrative in a more extreme way, if that’s even possible.
Johnny boy, I would like to note that I made a Saturn Vue go 130,000 miles on the original clutch in 12 years. Try reading what I said about that Ford again and note that the Ranger only went 20,000 miles in just under 20 years. Please tell me why the hydraulic clutch needed rebuilding after only 20K miles.
I’m sure the clutch was fine. Most Fords use a hydraulic throwout bearing, though, which is a combination bearing and slave cylinder, and mounted on the transmission input shaft. It’s not hard to imagine the seal going away from disuse.
My Ranger’s original clutch and hydraulic throwout bearing was going strong at 180,000 miles, though the pilot bearing was getting a little graunchy. I’ll put a Ranger up against about anything for longevity and reliability. Hoping my Tundra lasts as long.
@rocketrodeo: You could well be right. Since I was unable to do my own work (no experience at that level of mechanicking) the shop told me the slave cylinder seals rotted and leaked, causing rust to form and force a complete replacement of the hydraulic system, including the master cylinder. Maybe it was overkill but I was on a time limit and needed the truck drivable for an 800-mile trip the next day. I chose to have shocks replaced at the same time (lots of surface rust–you couldn’t see any of the original markings on them) and the tires (not original but over 10 years old, so likely dry-rotted.)
The good news is that the truck passed Maryland inspection with no trouble when I registered it and the new owner says it passed inspection for him with ‘flying colors’, so no notable damage due to rust underneath. It’s still the fact that every Ford I’ve owned has needed major •expense• over and above acquisition costs to get or keep it running.
The LTD II was first introduced as a 1977 model- not 1976. I’m curious how the 1973 Torino “Slipped it’s timing”. Do you mean the timing chain jumped a tooth? Or was the distributor hold down bolt under tightened when adjusting the ignition timing?
You seem quite biased.
@Proud: I admit I’m biased; I’ve never had any luck with Fords and neither have my parents. They’ve all been dogs. Same is true for everyone I know who has ever owned a Ford… though some of those same people love them nonetheless. One of my better friends had his Explorer Sport Trak drop a valve and blow the engine, just last year. Yet he turned right around and had a new engine dropped in despite its age.
Honestly, when every car of a given brand that you’ve owned throws expensive repairs at you multiple times through its life… it’s time to consider driving a different brand. As far as I’m concerned, FCA makes far superior vehicles to the Ford… even down to the little Fiat 500 itself!
And yes, I think the bloomin’ Torino’s chain slipped a bead (steel bead chain, not the more robust link-style chain.) Car couldn’t even pull itself up a shallow hill from a dead stop with the accelerator stuck to the floor… never revved above about 1500-1750 until I got that chain replaced… costing me $750 back in ’86.
You must’ve really been in love with your Torino. $750 in ’86 was like $2,000 today. But if Fords were really as bad as your little sample group’s misfortunes at the Boca Del Vista retirement villas, Ford would’ve imploded by the Hoover Admin.
But if Toyota (or GM or Ram) put an F-150 level of tech, engine/trans and package choices, luxury to tow/work related in to the Tundra, do you think it could be nearly as reliable?
@DM: “You must’ve really been in love with your Torino. $750 in ’86 was like $2,000 today.”
Not love, dude. That thing was all I could afford at the time, despite the fact that it was drinking half my paycheck on a monthly basis. I finally got rid of it and replaced it with an 87 Buick that I absolutely loved… but lost in a crash when someone tried to cross the highway in front of me. After that I stuck with GM for three more cars, of which the Saturn proved the most reliable (kept it for 13 years.) Even my Jeep and Fiat 500 were more reliable than the Toronado that replaced the Buick. But I also didn’t know the Toronado was using a nylon timing gear, which effectively destroyed the engine when it shredded, two years later.
So, no, I wasn’t in love with that Torino and I acknowledge that GM as a brand lost my trust about 15 years ago. But when nobody makes what you want, you have to take what best meets your needs.
My family has had a lot of Fords, with a few GMs and Dodges, from the 1920s up through the mid-1980s. In our experience it was the GMs that gave the most trouble with day-to-day reliability and required expensive repairs on the spur of the moment. My folks, my sister and her family, and my own went with Hondas and Acuras for the next 20 years, only recently returning to domestics. My brother in law now works for Toyota so that’s more or less the default today, but I don’t regret any of my Fords. In fact, Ford just put a brand new clutch assembly in our 2013 Fusion, on recall, at 82,000 miles. I suspect I wont have to worry about that clutch ever again.
The reality is that the F-Series has higher ATPs than the GM twins and significantly higher than Rams.
So no Ford doesn’t chase sales at any cost, that is Toyota’s and Chryser’s MO. The F-series, as mentioned in the article, “(the F-Series was outselling the combined efforts of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra by 15 percent at the halfway mark)” has sold more than the GM twins combined so far this year. So they have no need to drop margins to “win” the 2018 sales race and it is unlikely that they will do so just to break their own previous record.
The fact that your Fords were heavily used and/or abused before you got them, especially ones made 40+ years ago isn’t really relevant to today’s products.
@Scoutdude: “The fact that your Fords were heavily used and/or abused before you got them, especially ones made 40+ years ago isn’t really relevant to today’s products.”
— Except that you ignored all the CURRENT owners I mentioned who complain about the quality and reliability of their newer models. Really… dropping a valve? That only happens to race cars… and Fords.
2015 F150 XLT, 60k mles. I have changed the oil, tires, and turned the front rotors. No issues. Nothing with my 18 Fiesta ST yet but it hasnt even reached its first oil change.
Seriously, the truck has been great. I had your experiences with most of the GM stuff I owned other than a couple of OG S series Saturns. S-10, crap. Astro, Crap. Saturn Vue and Ion…Crap. Heck I had a supposedly more reliable than old faithful 91 B body caprice that broke a ring land and needed a motor at 40k miles so different strokes I suppose.
Looks are highly subjective, you forgot to add “in my opinion” before “best looking truck”.
Maybe so, r_p, but I read a huge number of people claiming the RAM is the best-looking truck but they’d rather have a Ford due to Ram’s supposedly poor reputation. For what I needed, I chose neither Ford nor Ram.
I just purchased a new 2018 Silverado-4WD Crew Cab LTZ two weeks ago. I REALLY liked the Ford. I could get the coyote V8 without any cylinder cutoff nonsense. The Stop/Start can be switched off-and lastly there is advantages to aluminium body panels in Utah.
However-Ford and it’s dealers are so fat and happy big discounts are non-existent. Bottom line-I purchased a fully loaded truck (everything but sunroof) for what the Ford dealers would sell me a mid-level XLT for. Plus-the Chevrolet dealer gave me top dollar traded in for my GMC Sierra. They lost a sell-but admittedly they could care less right now.
So there you have it, Vulpine can get one way under sticker while Sierra SLT can’t get them to budge.
Someone I know (inexplicable Guangzhou-Guadalajara Motors loyalist) bought a Z71 Chinarado with a MSRP of $48,xxx for $38,xxx OUT THE DOOR – so that’s basically $12,000 off sticker because sales tax was 6%.
At least two of the Ford stealerships here post no-haggle internet pricing, which is $11-12K off sticker on an XLT and that’s been par for course for years. On top of that there are $1-3,000 PCOs floating around if you follow the forums.
At first glance that makes me feel bad about only getting $11,7 off sticker on mine, but running through the build and price and seeing the $2,000 price creep for the same truck that I already have cures that right quick.
I find there are no issues getting big discounts on the F-150. The issue with Ford’s dominance, however, is you generally get a lot less features for your money in the Ford (i.e. you are stuck with the crappy reflector halogen headlamps unless you get at least a loaded Lariat- most Lariat trim competitors have stuff like that standard with the LED headlights available or even standard on the XLT competitor trims ). Other manufacturers offer a better value to try and woo buyers away from Ford.
CKN
I said no HENCHO bro!
What is “Hencho”?
Hencho? He was a shortstop in the Dodgers system back in the ‘80s.
TwoBelugas-
I could care less when I buy ANYTHING where it’s made or put together.
There are PLENTY of foreign components in every “American made” vehicle.
And Guangzhou-Guadalajara Motors’ pickup trucks (Mexirado and Chinerra) have, BY FAR, the largest content of lowest-cost bidder foreign parts content % – 45% each.
The F-150 has 15% foreign parts content, and RAM has 22%.
DW, I can only pity you. You’re ranting so hard that you can’t even get your insults straight. Ah well… Enjoy your game. Maybe you’ll feel better once you get it alllllllllllllllllll out of your system.
Hey Vulpine, what “facts” did I get wrong, exactly?
The foreign parts content in each the F-Series, RAM and Mexirado/Chinerra are correct.
The F-Series and RAM have WAY MORE AMERICAN PRODUCED PARTS CONTENT THAN GUANGZHOU-GUADALAJARA MEXIRADO/CHINERRA.
You’ve’gotten all pro-Guangzhou-Guadalajara Motors ever since ordering your cheap, plasticky CHEVRY CHINARODO, BRO.
Make sure to post those 1 and 2 year reviews of that Chinese-sourced knock down kit plastic fantastic!
@DW: I didn’t say you got your facts wrong; I said you got your INSULTS wrong.
And believe me; the ’19 Colorado interior looks a lot less flimsy than the ’17. I, too, didn’t like the cheap looks of the older one. The ’18 looks a lot better and the ’19 better still. As for the Chinese content, like CKNSLS says, I couldn’t care less how much non-American content is aboard. I’ll keep the truck for as long as I can trust it.
The thing is that I needed a new truck NOW and nobody was making what I wanted, so I bought the best of what was available. I may regret not waiting for the Scrambler (or whatever they call the JT at Jeep) but none of the others offered the interior size so the wife could fit comfortably behind the wheel or the towing capacity since we’re also planning to buy a travel trailer. All the rest are limited to 5000# or less while the Colorado is rated to 7000# (7500# if I’d chosen the diesel.) And I flat was NOT going to buy a full sized truck; the Colorado is still larger than I want.
So no, I didn’t buy because of any fandom or political leanings or anything of that nature; I literally chose to buy what best met my needs and desires.
@DW, Of course Vulpine will give us reviews of his truck but he will certainly gloss over the problems. He has told us how he has had zero problems with his recent FCA products but then in the article about the Lexus side camera instead of mirrors he was claiming that the cameras will be trouble free, except of course if they have a cold solder joint like the one in his FCA product that failed under warranty.
Don’t bet on it, Scoutdude. I’m walking into this one ‘eyes open’. For me, the simple fact is that none of the available trucks met my needs and desires even close to perfectly–the Chevy just came the closest.
Oh, and I know how to permanently fix a cold solder joint. Do you?
You really shouldn’t go there as I’m certain I’ve fixed way more things both in total quantity and different types of things than you could ever dream of.
With your FCA products you claim to not have had a problem but then in another context you let it slip that you’ve had a problem that you glossed over in other conversations. I guess you could go the other way and complain about every tiny thing on your new Canyado and make mountains out of mole hills. Which the more I think about it might be the case since it is not the truck of your dreams and were forced to buy it.
@Scoutdude: “With your FCA products you claim to not have had a problem but then in another context you let it slip that you’ve had a problem that you glossed over in other conversations.”
Whether you want to believe me or not, an easily replaced, easily repaired camera module is NOT a reliability issue. It in no way affects how you drive the vehicle the way an engine or body control module or component would. My first JEEP had issues… one of the worst being a pot-metal handbrake lever that broke a tooth and from that moment on never fully released the parking brake… ultimately engendering two four-wheel brake jobs inside of three years before the cause was discovered. That was before the “Death Wobble” that I discovered is characteristic of ALL solid-front-axle vehicles as the ball joints wear. It’s exaggerated on the Wrangler now because it’s on much taller tires than its predecessors and even the old 4×4 pickups that were SFA were on smaller wheels and tires, so the effect wasn’t as pronounced. The single worst issue on that older Wrangler was the PDM–Power Distribution Module, as manufactured by a non-Chrysler electronics shop (Daimler sold off the Chrysler electronics division to Siemens… Remember?) Cold solder joints in that and ECM/BCM are critical to the operation of the vehicle. That back-up camera is by no means critical, though certainly useful when it’s working (which it has been since that replacement.)
Will I be making mountains out of molehills on the Colorado? No. But I will be looking for operational issues like the older Silverado’s vibrating wheels or other electro-mechanical issues that affect the safety of driving. I’ll also note any minor items but I will clearly state that they are minor, if any exist.
Oh, and the “truck of my dreams”, as you so succinctly put it, will not exist for at least four more years. So again, I chose the best of what was available rather than getting what I really wanted.
I have to wonder how the 2019 Silverado will do, I think the styling is awful, the interior isn’t a big enough step forward and the overall truck looks cost cut from the 18s. For example a 2019 truck optioned exactly like my 17 did not have the cloth wheel wells pads like mine in the rear wheel wells. Additionally and more concerning for me was the front bumper is no longer made of steel. If you grab the main strike plate of the bumper at the end corner it bends like plastic but if you knock on it it knocks like aluminum (which is very similar to a thick plastic). Regardless the small details show lack of attention from the 17. And I only gave the truck a cursory look, did not climb under the truck nor get into the truck.
But the Land Cruiser prado physical proportions just looks stupid. Tall and narrow are awful on a truck.
Silverados may be going down market pricing wise, GM is aggressively expanding Silverado production in Mexico, ironic timing considering Ram just pulled all of its 1500 line formerly in Saltillo back to Michigan and the HD will follow in 2020.
Beluga – I’m not sure I found a truck optioned almost exactly like my 17 Z71, only difference was that it didn’t have the extra cost blue paint color. And it was the same $49k my 17 was. Cloth seats, no console, in all its base truckiness. Oh but it only had 3:23 gear set whereas mine has 3:42, and let me say that 3:42 are horribly undersized for this truck so I feel pain for anyone putting down ~50k(40k) for that truck.
Unless GM is going to heighten the discounting I simply have no idea what their plan is with the 2019s. I feel like it’s a severe let down compared to the 18s, and cannot even come close to matching the redesigned Ram, a design I find a bit conservative but much better than the redesigned Silverados.
You will see some really tempting incentives on Silverados. I am starting to see some very heavy discount deals that would have been rare for the Chevy crewcabs in past years, when I checked the VINs they all started with 3.
Hummer-
The primary reason for me buying a 2018 Silverado were the looks of the 2019. Just hideous IMHO. That-and start/stop cannot be defeated.
Stop/start is a deal killer, no way I’m going to put up with that that. I’m not sure what GM was thinking with the 19s.
I’ve considered ordering the hot rod F-150. I think the RCSB with the 3.5 EB would go like stink.
But for the average consumer like me, it doesn’t make sense. With the rebate structure, Super Cabs are cheaper. I guess they only build regular cabs for fleet buyers now.
I own a 2015 F-150 SC 3.5 Ecoboost FX4. It was in last week for the door latch recall. They gave me an ’18 4×4 5.0 Coyote XLT to drive. I got on the 5.0 a few times. It sounds good at higher RPMs, but my 3.5 EB is much more responsive at downshifting and getting into the powerband RIGHT NOW. If I was to buy another truck, I would buy the 3.5 EB again hands down.
Firestorm 500-
I am keeping my latest truck I just purchase-a 2018 Crew Cab Silverado for at least ten years. What you say is accurate about the “Eco-boost” being responsive-as a mater of fact your views echo the “professional reviewers”. However-I have no desire to have twin turbos in something I’m keeping for the long haul.
No-THANK YOU.
CKNSLS: I read an article somewhere recently that reviewed the 3.5 TT Ecoboost after 208,000 miles. No oil leaks anywhere. One water pump and one power steering hose. That’s about it. Routine maintenance otherwise.
Turbo technology has been around for how long? WWII or earlier on airplanes? Proven enough for me.
EB engines are just better suited for a truck buyer. The coyote while not necessarily weak at low RPM don’t really hit their stride till over 3000-3500 rpm.
With all the realestate under the hood I wonder why Ford didnt consider a TTV8. In the Mustang it seems obvious as to why they dont do it but in the truck it seems like a no brainer plus they would certainly have a range topping engine. It would positively be loafing at 500 horsepower and probably 500 pound feet of torque.
Yes…I want Ford to build this truck with Raptorized motor, the Limited’s AWD system, all black with Lightning badges.
I think 900,000 of those F150s are bought and driven in the KC metro, no surprise as it’s made here. I think the Lacrosse is built here too, but I don’t think I’ve seen a new model yet.
I finally understand why Ford will not build the RHD version of the F150 that a third of the world wants. It seems they find it easy to sell all they can make just at home.
Its also probably too damn big to fit anywhere else in the world. US trucks are cartoonishly large these days.
Man, just look at how they flock to the good news Ford…..or anything Ford for that matter. Just look how they RabbleRabbleRabbleRabble. Got to get your BS propaganda in before the next guy! LMAO Ford kicks the S#!t out of everyone and the butthurt is strong.
GM-JUNK
No kidding. I hesitate to click on any Ford article because you have the band of trolls making every good thing a bad thing because my 20 year old truck needed a clutch and Ford sells NOTHING but F-Series trucks, not the best selling 3 row Explorer or the massively improved sales of the Expedition or the best selling pony car Mustang or the strong selling Escape and Edge, no, none of those successes exist. None. One trick pony that can’t even last 20 years without a clutch repair. DIE FORD DIE!!!
I’ve never owned an American pick-up before, but if I was to buy one tomorrow my money would be on a Ford F150 2.7 V6. I like the new Ram but don’t need the V8. All the 2019 V6s come with that mild hybrid and it sounds like a reliability nightmare waiting to happen. I like Toyota but I won’t pay that kind of money on a 10 year model. Chevy is like Deadweight says… Guangzhou motors. I don’t really mind the Nissan but I would only buy it slightly used due to depreciation. So Ford F150 has to be by default.
The RAM mild Hybrid system is relatively simple, they just essentially installed a larger “alternator” and a small lithium battery. It’s not any more complicated than the twin turbos on the Ford.
I own a truck, but I think this thing has gotten irrational. Most trucks owned by individuals are at a fairly high trim level. The depreciation is still laughably small, despite the high trim levels.
My bare bones model is not typical for a private purchase, I admit, but it’s depreciated slower than a Honda Civic.
Relative to each other, the segment is hotly competitive, so on a relative basis, at least,you get a lot for your money.
I own a truck, but I think this thing has gotten irrational. Most trucks owned by individuals are at a fairly high trim level. The depreciation is still laughably small, despite the high trim levels.
My bare bones model is not typical for a private purchase, I admit, but it’s depreciated slower than a Honda Civic.
Relative to each other, the segment is hotly competitive, so on a relative basis, at least,you get a lot for your money.
F150s advantages are always underplayed by the media. (1) Even after the three, all-new trucks from GM and Ram come to market, F150 still rules:
With respect to mpg: They’ll still be number one overall with the 3.0 V6 PowerStroke. Number one among gas power trains with a no-compromise twin turbo V6 that comes in at 20/26/22 and that’s with 325/400 ft-lb@2750 RPM HP/Torque versus Ram’s best entry @ 20/25/22 with 305/269 @3950 (which is tied with another F150 power train; the 3.3L V6 base engine which peaks at 290/265@4000). And with all the hype about GM’s new 4 cylinder turbo with 310/348@1500 one would think they’d do much better than 4th place for a gas power train in the half-ton class at 20/23/21.
With respect to payload, they are still number one by almost 800 lbs at 3280ish.
With respect to towing, they are still number one but more narrowly winning this contest; configurable up to 13,200
With respect to peak torque, they’re still number one at 470, and they have a 400 ft-lb torque gas engine mated to a ten speed that is the FE leader.
With respect to horsepower, they fall only to GM’s 6.2L V8, which is available on in a high-featured pickup, whereas Ford lets customers have the same version of their V8 always mated to a ten speed, starting under $31K.
With respect to configurations, and this is now a biggie, because GM is dropping the regular cab short bed and Ram has no regular cab available in the new-styled pickup. Not only does Ford still sale both regular cab configurations, but unlike GM who is going to let us have it only in their very lowest trim with old carryover power trains, Ford will let customers have the short bed with three gas-powered engine choices, two of which are mated to a ten speed; and with the long bed, it climbs to four total choices with three of them mated to a ten speed, and either available in max FE configuration up to 26 mpg highway and 20 city and that’s with 400 ft-lb torque. By comparison, GM’s only regular cab comes with a 5.3L V8 that gets worse rated mpg than the previous edition or the 4.3L V6 that has not been rated with respect to mpg at the time of this writing.