One Million 1998 Truck Buyers Trust Ford Oval
25 June 1998
One Million 1998 Truck Buyers Trust Ford Oval DETROIT, June 25 -- With 1998 less than half over, more than
one million U.S. truck buyers have purchased or leased a Ford truck, announced
Jim O'Connor, newly-appointed vice president - general manager of Ford
Division.
"We're very appreciative of the trust that truck buyers continue to place
in the Ford brand," said O'Connor. "The entire Ford team is totally focused
on exceeding the expectations of today's and tomorrow's truck buyer."
For the last 12 years, Ford has been the No. 1 truck brand. In 1997, a
record 2.1 million truck buyers purchased or leased a truck from Ford dealers,
over 40% more than the nearest competitor. This year, Ford Division is on
pace to eclipse two million in U.S. truck sales for the third consecutive
year.
"Employees at our assembly plants have been working maximum overtime to
meet the demand for Ford trucks," said O'Connor. "It's been twenty years
since F-Series sales have exceeded 70,000 three months in a row, and it's
certain to happen again in June."
What makes Ford the No. 1 brand among truck buyers?
"We make sure that all Ford pickups, sport utility vehicles, and vans
consistently deliver on the promise -- Built Ford Tough," said O'Connor. In
addition, Ford trucks were rated No. 1 in initial quality among full-line
truck manufacturers in J. D. Power and Associates' latest survey.
The F-Series pickup is the cornerstone of Ford's truck reputation. It's
been the best-selling truck in America for 21 consecutive years, outselling
its nearest competitor by more than 200,000 in each of the last two years.
"Customer response to the all-new Super Duty F-Series has been fantastic,"
noted O'Connor. "The Ford-UAW team has set a new standard for product
launches, ensuring that the F-Series will remain the best-selling truck for
years to come."
One of the most popular innovations on the Super Duty -- a standard four-
door Supercab -- will debut this fall on the F-150 as well.
Pickup buyers looking for "built tough" quality in a smaller package have
made Ford Ranger the best selling compact pickup for the last 11 years. In
May, more than 33,000 customers purchased or leased a Ranger -- the most for
any month since March 1985.
"The key to Ranger's success in 1998 has been the 4x4 Supercab with the
V-6 engine," noted O'Connor. "Now, customers can get four-door versatility in
all Ranger Supercabs -- a feature not available on any other compact pickup."
When it comes to sport utility vehicles, Ford's Explorer and Expedition
have been America's best sellers ever since they were introduced. (The
Explorer was introduced in March 1990 and the Expedition was introduced in
October 1996.) In 1997, Explorer outsold its nearest competitor by almost
50 percent. In 1998, the enhanced value of the two-door Explorer Sport model
has put America's most popular SUV within reach of a wider audience and
widened the gap to almost 60 percent.
The Ford Expedition is America's best-selling full-size sport utility
vehicle, and also the best truck in initial quality according to J. D. Power &
Associates. The Expedition is built at the Michigan Truck Plant (Wayne, MI),
which was rated North America's No. 1 truck plant in initial quality.
Introduced in October 1996, U.S. customers have purchased or leased almost
360,000 Expeditions in less than two years.
Among full-size vans, the Econoline and Club Wagon have been best sellers
nearly as long as the F-Series. Over 50% of all full-size van customers
choose the Ford brand to meet their cargo and passenger carrying needs.
Ford's minivan, the Windstar, is No. 2 on the sales charts, but a new
Windstar is on the way. "The 1999-model Windstar, which will be introduced
this fall, incorporates several industry-exclusive safety features," said
O'Connor, "which are so important to minivan customers."
How do you improve the strongest truck lineup in America?
"Next on the list is to give U.S. customers the 'greenest' sport utility
vehicles and minivans in the industry," said O'Connor, referring to the fact
that Ford's 1999-model Explorer, Expedition, and Windstar will meet low-
emission vehicle (LEV) requirements. "Our customers drive Ford's product
innovation," added O'Connor, "so we're looking for opportunities to improve
and expand our industry-leading truck lineup."
