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Awesome Year for Ford Trucks: Two Million in Record Time

10 November 1998

Awesome Year for Ford Trucks: Two Million in Record Time

            Introduced a Year Ago, Twelve Door Strategy on Pickups
                    Powers Ford to 1998 Truck Sales Record

    DETROIT, Nov. 10 -- Customers lifted Ford Motor Company's
1998 U.S. truck sales past the two million mark today, the earliest
date that any company has reached that milestone.  The foundation for this
year's truck sales record was laid twelve months ago at the Specialty
Equipment Marketing Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas when Ford President
and CEO-elect Jac Nasser announced that all three of Ford's "Built Tough"
pickups would offer four-door SuperCabs in 1998.
    "No doubt about it," said Bob Rewey, Ford's group vice president of
marketing, sales and service, "the increased versatility provided by the four-
door SuperCab on light duty and Super Duty F-Series and Ranger pickups has
been a big contributor to this year's record-breaking truck sales."
    In 1995, Ford became the first company in history to sell two million
trucks in a calendar year, and then surpassed that performance in 1996 and
1997.  Last year, Ford sold its two millionth truck on November 24 and went on
to sell an industry record 2,248,793 trucks.  In 1998, Ford will set a new
industry truck sales record.
    As in past years, the Ford F-Series pickup has led the way.  More than
800,000 customers will purchase or lease a new F-Series pickup this year
because they trust the "Built Ford Tough" F-Series to get them through the
workweek and the weekend.  No other vehicle, car or truck, has eclipsed
800,000 sales in a single year since 1978.
    "Earlier this year, the all-new Super Duty pickup put an exclamation point
on F-Series' 'Built Tough' reputation," said Rewey.  "We knew that Ford's two-
platform strategy was the best approach to meeting the needs of today's pickup
buyers, but we did not expect the response to be so strong at the high end of
the market.  Even though we boosted Super Duty capacity at the Kentucky Truck
Plant by almost 60 percent, our dealers still have less inventory than they
did a year ago."
    The Super Duty F-Series was the first of Ford's pickups to offer a four-
door SuperCab.  Next, came Ford's "Built Tough" compact pickup, the Ranger.
Production of the four-door Ranger started in April.  At that time, Ranger
sales were three percent lower than a year ago, but since then, Ranger sales
are 19 percent higher than a year ago.  Ranger is on track to achieve its
second best sales year in history, and a place on the list of Top 10 selling
vehicles in the U.S.
    "That's a big plus for our Ford dealers," said Rewey, "because for many
young people, Ranger is the first new vehicle they buy.  It introduces them to
Ford quality, value, and features."
    The last piece of the twelve door strategy was implemented in August when
1999-model F-Series light duty pickups (F-150/F-250) started rolling off the
assembly line in Kansas City, Norfolk, and Ontario.  Now, all Ford pickups
provide customers with this popular feature -- a feature that will propel Ford
to sales of 1.2 million pickups in 1998 -- an all-time record for a full-
size/compact pickup duo.
    But pickups aren't the only reason why truck buyers are choosing Ford in
record numbers.  Each of Ford's sport utility vehicles likely will set a sales
record in 1998.
    The Ford Explorer has been America's best-selling sport utility vehicle
since 1990.  This year, over 400,000 U.S. customers will purchase or lease an
Explorer -- setting an all-time sales record for SUVs.  Competing in the
fastest growing market in the U.S., the Explorer outsells its nearest
competitor by almost 2:1.  Now, consumers have even more reasons to consider
an Explorer, or any of Ford's other sport utility vehicles (Ford Expedition,
Mercury Mountaineer, or Lincoln Navigator).
    "Ford is the only manufacturer to have a complete range of sport utility
vehicles certified as low emission vehicles," noted Rewey.  "This has a huge
immediate positive impact on our environment because about 750,000 customers
purchase one of these vehicles each year."
    In the 1990's, pickups and sport utility vehicles have been the fastest
growing segments in the U.S. automotive market and Ford has the best selling
products in each of these segments.