Ford Workers Celebrate Truck’s Release, Expanding Production
Assembly line workers in Kansas City celebrate the launch of the 2009 Ford F-150, the world's best selling full-sized pickup truck for the past three decades.
There is probably no greater symbol of the struggles America’s automakers have been encountering than the big pickup truck, one of the most profitable vehicles built by Ford, General Motors and Chrysler.
For years, these trucks along with their big SUV brethren, have provided the bulk of the profits needed to sustain the Big 3 automakers, but for 2008 that segment has taken a beating in the face of unexpected high gas prices. Demand is down by hundreds of thousands of vehicles and with that big decrease has come sharp losses for their respective automakers.
Big Trucks Are Still Very Much In Demand
Yet, large trucks are still very much needed as working class professionals, outdoorsmen and families cannot imagine life without them. With heavy incentives attached, Dodge Ram, Chevrolet Silverado, Nissan Titan, Ford F-150, Toyota Tundra, and GMC Sierra trucks have sold and will continue to sell even as the big truck pie shrinks.
Both Ford and Dodge have new trucks out for the 2009 model year and yesterday Ford workers in Kansas City and Dearborn, MI had two big reasons to celebrate: the delayed F-150 was launched and Ford announced that 1000 workers would be added to the Dearborn plant as the automaker ramps up a third production shift beginning in January.
F-Series sales are down by 27% year to date and the model is, according to the Detroit Free Press, representative of a full one-quarter of Ford’s sales in North America.
New Marketing Campaign
Underscoring how important the F-150 is to Ford’s success, the company is launching a new marketing campaign that will debut this Sunday on NFL on Fox. A large print and radio campaign will follow, a marketing initiative that Ford hopes will increase demand for America’s best selling vehicle.
Can’t Sell Them Here, So Ship Them Over There
Toyota Plans To Ready US Built Sequoias And Tundras For Export
Toyota has a big problem that rivals what General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler are experiencing, namely a bloated inventory of big trucks and SUVs which they cannot sell stateside. True, gas prices have dropped considerably over the past six weeks, but Toyota won’t be able to sell as many of its Sequoia SUV and Tundra truck as it has the capacity to build. Thus, the two vehicles are being readied for sale outside of the US.
Markets in Latin America and the Middle East are being targeted for the American built trucks, regions of the world which have a proven demand for big US made vehicles including trucks already being sold by America’s Big 3 automakers. The Sequoia is destined primarily for Middle Eastern markets while the Tundra will head to Latin America.
Sequoia exports to the Middle East are predicted to number about 15,000 units annually, while Sequoia exports to Latin America will be quite limited, perhaps just 150 units annually. Tundra exports to Latin America are predicted to number just 1,000 units annually; Toyota hasn’t said whether the Tundra will be offered to customers in the Middle East.
2008 Truck of the Year
With its big vehicles, Toyota has made a rare misstep – attempting to take on the last bastion of American autodom supremacy, but getting caught red-handed like everyone else. Up until the 2008 model year, the Tundra was a small time player, finishing a distant fourth behind trucks from the Big 3.
Toyota anticipated that demand would remain strong for the Tundra, invested hundreds of millions redesigning the truck and opening a new plant in Texas, producing a much more capable model that won Motor Trends’ Truck of the Year award for 2008. When gas prices spiked earlier this year, Tundra sales plummeted forcing the automaker to consolidate protection and keep employees busy with other tasks in a bid to avoid layoffs.
(Source: Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc.)
2010 Ford Fusion Models Promise Class Leading Fuel Economy
Filed under: 2008 L.A. Auto Show, Auto Shows/Displays, Ford, Mercury
Cars To Make Their Debut At L.A. Auto Show
The Ford Fusion has arguably been one of the best midsize vehicles to ever uphold the Ford name, a five passenger sedan that is attractively designed, made well, and delivers very good fuel economy.
Approaching its second generation, the upcoming variation of the Fusion (and its sister model the Mercury Milan) promises to build on that foundation by delivering a car with superior fuel economy as well as the introduction of a new hybrid model.
At November’s L.A. Auto Show, Ford will be introducing the 2010 Fusions, cars that will go on sale in Spring 2009. Ford, which typically is close to the vest on new model releases, is going all out to let people know what the new Fusions are all about.
New Class Leading Engine
Key improvements in the 2010 Ford Fusion is a new 2.5L I4 Duratec engine, a model that Ford says will beat the Toyota Camry and Honda Civic in highway fuel economy by three and two miles to the gallon respectively. In addition, the Ford Fusion Hybrid is expected to beat the Toyota Camry Hybrid in city fuel economy by 5 mpg. The engine will be paired with a six-speed automatic transmission which will help deliver superior fuel economy for the Ford.
Also being rolled out with the hybrid models is a new feature to help owners gain a more connected driving experience — SmartGauge with EcoGuide, a unique new instrument cluster designed to help coach drivers to improve fuel efficiency.
“Offering consumers more fuel-efficient vehicle choices, including maximizing the efficiency of our gasoline-powered engines, improving and increasing our hybrid vehicle offerings and increasing our use of fuel saving technologies such as six-speed transmissions, is part of Ford’s plan to deliver technology solutions for affordable fuel economy for millions,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice president for Global Product Development.
New Class Leading Hybrid System
The newly designed hybrid system will allow Fusion and Milan drivers to rely on electric-only power for 47 miles, which is about twice as far as what most competing brands provide. Moreover, the city driving range on a single tank of gasoline is expected to top a whopping 700 miles.
Adding the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan to its line up will easily make the Ford Motor Company the largest producer of hybrid powered vehicles in North America. That distinction is likely to help Ford garner a greater piece of the hybrid pie while enabling Ford to stay ahead of rising Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) rates.
(Source: Ford Motor Company)
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