Even though the Ford F150 hasn’t been performing like it once did in the way of sales, the automaker isn’t turning its back on it. Despite the high gas prices, these Ford trucks are still in high demand and they likely will be for many years to come.
Mark Fields, President of the Americas, said that large pickup trucks are “still one of the biggest segments of the industry.” Since there is still a demand for these full-size trucks, he said the Ford Motor Company will “continue to focus on the products that made us leaders.”
In order to match the falling demand, though, Ford decreased production of the F150 and other full-size trucks and SUVs in March. That’s when gas prices started hovering around $4 a gallon and drivers began to worry. But the F150 continues to outsell other trucks in the industry like it has been for more than 30 years.
In fact, the F150 was even the best-selling vehicle in the United States since June of 2005. It held the top spot until last month when sales fell by nearly 20 percent. But Ford isn’t worried. “Our philosophy is to be competitive but not excessive,” Fields said about the situation. As a result, the automaker isn’t going to overreact and offer huge discounts just for the sake of reducing the inventory on the lots. Instead, Ford is working on a smaller, more efficient version of the F150 for release in 2011.
It’s just one more way Ford continues to be a competitive force to reckon with in the automotive industry.
