Ford F-Series, World's Best-Selling Vehicle, Celebrates 50th Anniversary

1 October 1997

    DALLAS, Oct. 1 -- Ford Motor Company today kicked
off a yearlong 50th anniversary celebration for the best-selling vehicle in
history, Ford's F-Series line of trucks.
    Ford chose the State Fair of Texas, the biggest fair in the world, as the
site for the kickoff celebration.  Texas is the largest pickup truck market in
the world with more than 10 percent of worldwide full-size pickup sales during
1996.
    To celebrate, Ford built a gigantic, 50-foot-tall three-layer mock
birthday cake that concealed a 1998-model F-150 pickup in its second layer.
Ford revealed the truck during today's ceremonies.  Fair goers can see the
giant cake, complete with candles and vintage trucks displayed nearby, through
the last day of the fair Sunday, Oct. 19.
    The State Fair of Texas is the biggest fair in the world and F-Series is
the No. 1-selling truck in the world," said Ross Roberts, Ford Motor Company
vice president and general manager, Ford Division.  "I can think of no better
place to celebrate the 50th birthday of America's favorite truck than right
here in Texas, the heart of truck country."
    Ford introduced its F-Series truck line on Jan. 16, 1948.  In 1995,
F-Series surpassed the Volkswagen Beetle as the world's best-selling car or
truck nameplate in history.  Ford has built and sold more than 26 million
F-Series trucks, and more than 8 million are still on the road.
    F-Series, America's best-selling vehicle -- car or truck -- for 15 years,
has captured the full-size pickup crown in the United States for
20 consecutive years.  F-Series also holds a commanding lead in this year's
race for best-selling vehicle.
    To mark the anniversary, Ford plants around the world and dealers
throughout North America will hold celebrations during the 1998 model year,
which begins tomorrow when Ford's 1998-model cars and trucks go on sale.
F-Series assembly plants in Kansas City, Mo., Louisville, Ky., Norfolk, Va.,
Oakville, Ontario; Cuautitlan, Mexico and Valencia, Venezuela, will hold
celebrations Jan. 16, F-Series' 50th birthday.
    In addition, each 1998 F-Series model features a colorful 50th anniversary
logo depicting a 1948 pickup alongside a 1998 truck.  The logo appears on the
rear window of the drivers side.  F- Series' fall advertising campaign also
highlights the truck's heritage.
    "We have millions of customers to thank for this milestone," said Roberts,
a Texas native.  "Last year alone, more than 780,000 customers drove home an
F-Series truck, the most since 1978.
    "Without a doubt, the explosive growth of the truck market over the past
few years has been one of the biggest stories in business," Roberts said.
"Even with the popularity of minivans and SUVs with consumers, full-size
pickups are purchased by more customers than any other kind of truck."
    Ford has chosen the State Fair of Texas for other major celebrations.
The company revealed the new 1994 Mustang there in October 1993, and the
redesigned F-Series truck was paraded through the fairgrounds in October
1995 after its national unveiling in Mesquite, Texas.

SOURCE  Ford Motor Company