ATLANTA CAR NEWS
Ford will hype up work usage of F-150 pickupMcClatchy/Tribune
Published on: 07/19/08
DETROIT — How do you bring a new full-sized pickup to market with $4-a-gallon gas? That's the challenge Ford Motor Co. faces in launching its best-selling product, the F-150, as the market moves faster than ever away from large trucks toward affordable, fuel-efficient cars.
The automaker already has made some big decisions designed to bring Ford trucks back to their Built-Ford-Tough roots. Instead of kicking off the launch of the all-new 2009 F-150 with luxurious four-door models, Ford instead will launch the truck with the two-door models that always have been more popular among contractors, farmers and fleet customers.
 Tony Ding/Ford | ||
| With the slowed economy, Ford delayed launching the 2009 F-150 pickups to allow dealers time to sell the outgoing body style. | ||
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Ford also plans to focus most of its marketing efforts on customers who buy a truck for work instead of pleasure or everyday driving — a big shift from the past when Ford was focused on selling Harley-Davidson and King Ranch SuperCrew trucks as luxurious substitutes for cars.
"The core truck buyer is who we're going to focus on," said Mike Crowley, Ford's group marketing plans manager for trucks and SUVs. "Those who want a truck, and need a truck, will make compromises to buy it."
Crowley said Ford will spend more time talking about the F-150's improved fuel economy. The current F-150 gets an average of 12 to 16 miles per gallon, depending on the model, according to federal government ratings. Crowley said Ford has achieved an improvement of 1.5 miles per gallon by making it lighter and more aerodynamic and by adding a 6-speed transmission and a new, 4.6-liter, 3-valve V-8 engine.
By 2010, the F-150 also will be sold with an optional diesel engine, as well as gasoline turbocharged direct-injection technology that will offer up to a 20 percent improvement in fuel economy, company spokesman Said Deep said.
Last month, in response to the worsening economy, Ford announced it would delay the launch of the 2009 F-150 by two months to give dealers more time to sell down the outgoing body style.
Through May, F-Series sales were down 18.7 percent, making the year-end sell down take longer than usual.
Dealers say the delay also gives Ford two additional months to carefully consider its new strategy and sales pitch for would-be F-150 buyers in an environment far different from what Ford had anticipated for its new truck.
Given Ford's $15.3 billion in losses during the past two years and the toughening U.S. auto market, which is forcing Ford to intensify its restructuring, dealers and insiders say there's extra pressure on Ford to get the all-new 2009 F-150 off on the right foot.
The F-150 is the base model for the F-Series lineup, which represents nearly one-fourth of Ford's total sales.
"It's the flagship of the company," explained Terry Kidd, a dealership owner and a member of Ford's dealer advisory board for marketing.
While nationwide sales of full-size pickup trucks have plummeted 21.1 percent in the tough market, Ford and independent experts say there is still an opportunity for Ford to make meaningful gains in the market with its critical, new truck.
CNW Marketing Research in Bandon, Ore., which does extensive studies on pickup buyers, noted the percentage of pickup sales to contractors, fleet customers and farmers and ranchers is up.
Art Spinella, president of CNW, says that means Ford must focus on marketing decisions and messages on reaching customers who are interested in using the truck to do their jobs, to work.
"That's going to be the key for them," Spinella said.
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