Future Ford Plans Go All in on Trucks
Photo: Ford
In what may come as one of the least surprising developments in the auto biz, Ford Motor Company is planning to push all its chips into the center of the table when it comes to trucks. Future plans at Ford call for the Blue Oval to launch at least three new trucks over the next several years, giving it arguably the most well-rounded truck lineup on the market.
Ford Stays on Top: How the F-150 compares to rivals like the Ram 1500
This week, Automotive News released its Future Product Pipeline for Ford. The report details Ford’s plans for vehicles currently in the lineup and vehicles coming over the next few years. Two vehicles named on the list are the upcoming compact pickup likely named the Maverick and the Bronco-based pickup, both of which have been rumored for some time.
Auto News’ insights are consistent with what we’ve already heard. The Ford Maverick is slated to hit dealerships in the second half of next year and would start below $20,000, giving Ford an entry-level pickup that will only further cement its standing as America’s top truckmaker.
There’s speculation that Ford could push the Maverick as part of the Bronco sub-brand — it’ll be built alongside the upcoming 2021 Bronco Sport in Mexico. More likely, Ford will save that sweet Bronco berry juice for a proper Bronco-based pickup, which Auto News has dropping around 2024. Introducing a Bronco-styled pickup would allow Ford to further encroach on Jeep’s territory, giving it a proper competitor for the Gladiator.
Were it to go electric between now and then, the Bronco pickup could also match up nicely against the soon-to-be-revealed GMC Hummer electric truck.
F-Series keeps growing
Automotive News’ Future Product Pipeline also re-confirms some of the plans in store for the all-new F-150 full-size truck. Namely, the high-performance Raptor variant should bow late next year — though it’s not mentioned whether that truck would get a supercharged V8 to compete with the Ram TRX. Ford will also add a fully electric F-150 to the lineup by mid-2022.
The Ford Super Duty is scheduled for major updates in 2023, which is also the scheduled timeline for the launch of the new Ranger. Auto News suggests that the focus on the Bronco (and eventual launch of a Bronco pickup) could mean no dice for the much-desired Ranger Raptor. But if the demand is there, there’s always the hope that Ford obliges with a fiercer midsize pickup.
EcoSport, Edge on shaky ground
Photo: Ford
Though trucks are Ford’s biggest bread and butter by far, its SUV lineup is another key to its future success. Ford is aiming to keep its showroom offerings as fresh as possible, so there are already redesigns lined up for the Explorer and Expedition in 2023 and Escape in 2024.
Ford SUVs Head-to-Head: How the new Ford Escape and Ford Edge stack up
The future is less certain for the Ford EcoSport and Edge. The former is due for a redesign for 2023, but Ford could drop the ax on the EcoSport altogether in favor of a new segment competitor.
There are also currently no plans to keep the Edge going beyond 2023, but Ford remains firm that it isn’t leaving the segment. Its fate could change depending on the outcome of negotiations between Ford of Canada and Unifor. Automotive News posits that it’s more likely the Edge will be replaced by an electric midsize crossover.
Whatever the future does hold for Ford — and, given 2020, it seems fair not to make any particularly bold predictions — it’s a fair bet that trucks, SUVs, and electrification are key.
Kyle S. Johnson lives in Cincinnati, a city known by many as “the Cincinnati of Southwest Ohio.” He enjoys professional wrestling, Halloween, and also other things. He has been writing for a while, and he plans to continue to write well into the future. See more articles by Kyle.