Surprise: Ford Plans to Continue on as America’s Top Truck Brand
Photo: Ford Motor Company
If you haven’t noticed, there’s a lot of shifting and moving within Ford, from the drastic changes to the product lineup to the various changes to leadership structure. One of those moving parts, outgoing Chief Financial Officer Bob Shanks, took to the podium at the 2019 Industrials Conference in New York to let it be known to one and all that one thing ain’t changing: Ford plans to remain in the lead position as America’s top truck brand.
“That is a segment that we are not taking our foot off the pedal whatsoever,” Shanks said at the conference on May 15. “We’re in an extremely, extremely strong position relative to the products themselves. We feel comfortable in terms of our competitive position (in pickups) … ”
The New Ford Ranger: Early marketing pushes 2019 Ranger as an adventure-ready pickup
This much should come as little surprise. Ford’s F-Series has been America’s best-selling truck for 42 years and counting, and the early success of the Ranger suggests that its leadership in the pickup market is only expanding. Shanks seemed confident that Ford will overcome challenges in the heavy-duty segment from Chevrolet and Ram when the 2020 Super Duty hits the market.
Other recent moves suggest that Ford is looking ahead to maintaining its truck leadership. The Ford F-150 Hybrid is scheduled to enter production at the Rouge complex in 2020, and Ford has already confirmed plans to bring a fully electric F-150 to market in the near future. Ford also made headlines last month when it invested $500 million in electric truck-maker Rivian as part of a plan that will see the two companies collaborate on a new electric truck.
If you’re worried about dead sedans and shifting roles, just remember: Ford is good at making trucks, and it’s gonna keep being good at that.
It’s Been Good at Other Stuff, Too: A quick glance at the history of Ford Motor Company
News Source: The Detroit News
The News Wheel is a digital auto magazine providing readers with a fresh perspective on the latest car news. We’re located in the heart of America (Dayton, Ohio) and our goal is to deliver an entertaining and informative perspective on what’s trending in the automotive world. See more articles from The News Wheel.