Sales of Ford’s ever-popular F-Series continue to grow at an impressive pace, with The Blue Oval selling more units of the pickup truck line through by mid-November 2013 than in all of 2012. So when The Blue Oval shares noteworthy information about F-150 sales, we listen. And so should you.
Innovation, Economic Recovery Key Drivers
As it currently stands, F-Series sales in key markets leading the economic turnaround of the United States, including the Northwest, West, and Southeast, are outpacing the nearest competitor by 50 percent. Known as “trendsetting” markets, these locations often serve as signals of what other regions, “the followers” will do several months later. Ford cites the EcoBoost engine and the MyFord Touch infotainment system as vital in helping it “expand its truck leadership”.
Speaking of the economic turnaround, the F-150 STX model is “targeted at customers hit hard by the economic downturn but returning to work in the housing, energy, and other markets that are seeing strong growth.” Sales of the STX have quickly grown to make up 10 percent of all F-150 sales in 2013 compared to 3 percent in 2012.
Additionally, high-end Ford trucks such as the King Ranch, SVT Raptor, Platinum, and Limited continue leading the high-end segment with over 50 percent market share. It’s noteworthy that Ford pioneered the high-end pickup truck segment a decade ago.
The West
Speaking of dominating a segment, Ford’s F-Series is outselling its nearest competitor by over 65 percent in western markets. These include California, which is experiencing rapid real estate growth, as well as Oregon and Washington, two of the country’s fastest-growing states thanks to the technology industry.
Highlights from the West:
- From 2008 to 2013, more F-Series vehicles were sold in California than any other state except for Texas
- Fuel economy resonates more in the West, with 45 percent of customers in northwestern states opting for the EcoBoost engine compared to the 38 percent average
- MyFord Touch was added to F-150 in 2012, and resonates particularly well in the Northwest
Central
Over the past five years, the upper Midwest and Plains states have become responsible for the highest percentage growth in F-Series trucks. This growth, according to The Blue Oval, is primarily associated with the expansion of domestic energy exploration and the renewable energy industry.
Highlights from Central:
- From 2008 to 2013, F-Series sales grew 156.8 percent in North Dakota — the automaker’s fastest-growing state by percentage, quadrupling the growth of second-place Texas; Montana is in third at 121 percent, and South Dakota is fourth at 112.5 percent
- Natural gas-powered Ford vehicle sales, which the F-150 just became part of, are expected to rise 25 percent this year
- The energy sector, along with housing, is driving F-Series sales in the traditionally-strong Texas market, with growth of 27 percent since 2008, to 500,000 trucks
2014 F-150 Launched
The 2014 Ford F-150 is now on sale across the country. Notable additions to the 2014 lineup include the F-150 Tremor sport truck (reminding us of the SVT Lightning) and a new compressed natural gas prep option that allows fleets and individual owners to convert the truck to run on clean-burning and inexpensive CNG/LPG.
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