Sales of Ford’s Big Trucks on a Roll
In contrast to overall sales of Ford vehicles in the U.S. in August, which were down, big truck sales are rolling at full throttle.
So get this: Ford has outfitted fleets with more F-650 and F-750 trucks in the first eight months of 2016 than all year in 2015.
Sales of the all-new medium-duty Ford trucks are up 59 percent year-over-year through August, with 10,160 sold. That’s the best year-to-date sales total for Ford’s largest trucks since August 1997.
The sales growth has come quickly: The redesigned F-650 and F-750 trucks rolled off the line at Ford’s Ohio Assembly Plant near Cleveland for the first time in August 2015. Ford shifted production to Ohio from Mexico in 2015 and invested $168 million in the Ohio plant.
The F-650 and F-750 line-up includes Regular Cab, SuperCab and Crew Cab body styles, as well as straight-frame, kick-up frame Pro Loader and a new dedicated tractor model for heavy towing applications.
“We’re seeing growing interest in the new tractor from beverage and hauling fleets,” says Kevin Koester, Ford medium-duty truck and Super Duty fleet marketing manager. “Giving our customers the choice of two exclusive powertrains, available across all body styles and designed specifically for the unique needs of the vocational truck market, has really helped drive sales of our new trucks.”
Ford remains the only automaker to offer a gasoline-powered engine in the medium-duty truck segment. The 6.8-liter V10 with 320 horsepower and 460 lb.-ft. of torque is available for both F-650 and F-750 models with the heavy-duty, Ford-built TorqShift HD six-speed automatic transmission. The 6.8-liter engine can be factory-prepped for converting to compressed natural gas or liquid propane gas as cost-effective alternatives to gasoline.
The company has other competitive advantages: Ford is the only medium-duty truck manufacturer that designs and builds its own diesel engine and transmission combination – ensuring the powertrain will work seamlessly with all chassis components and vehicle calibrations, and providing customers with streamlined service.
Category: General Update, Vehicles
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