Government and Municipality Fleets Depend on Ford Trucks

[kscarbel2]

Ford Trucks International  /  August 5, 2020

Ford heavy trucks are ready to serve day and night, wherever they’re needed in your city.

Whether it’s keeping the roads clean or keeping people safe, Ford Trucks is always proud to support public services.

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[Red Horse]

Well KSC when you read all the collective news articles covering Jim Farley's new position as top dog at Ford, one thing he repeatedly is quoted on is his reference to the importance of "commercial vehicles" to Ford's future.

The big question will be, just what is Farley's definition of "Commercial trucks".  Is it Transit and F-550/600 down?  Or does it at the very least include class 6 and 7-to  say  nothing of 8.  And that definition of "8" does not have to include the "large car" sleeper but rather the true vocational truck-where Ford was such a key player in the Louisville days.

[kscarbel2]

In no small part due to the enthusiasm and passion of the people at Ford Otosan, Ford Trucks is fast reestablishing itself as a major global market truckmaker.

But I scratch my head when I think of Ford North America............the foolish management who kept the new-for-2011 Ranger out of N.A. until 2020. I think "medium" there is merely an afterthought, rather than an adventure to success.

My gosh, look at the "world class" Ford F-MAX, including its proprietary components.

[Maxidyne]

How does Ford expect to be taken seriously in the commercial vehicle market place in America when even Daimler offers a broader range of vehicles from compact cars up to the heavy end of Class 8?

[RoadwayR]

Ford North America's definition of 'commercial' is the Transit and whatever commercial versions of the F series they can sell.

[Maxidyne]

And Ford is leaving a lot of Transit sales "on the table" at that. I've been dickering on a van for a couple years now and came close to buying a Transit Connect a couple months ago. I want a "Kombi"- 2nd and maybe 3rd row seats that are easily removable so I can easily switch between people hauling, mobile workshop, motorcycle hauler, and farm supply hauling, but Ford wants to sell me either a panel van or a passenger van with no options in between. I want a few useful options like Trailer Tow Package, Roof Rack and Bars, HID Lights, etc. and find few in stock Connects with these options, but almost every one has stupid gadgets like Synch and the usual smarmy automatic braking, lane centering, etc. for the "text while sort of driving" market, which being "Old School" I have no need for. And because they've flooded the dealers with such poorly spec'd vehicles, they sit on the lot despite 10-20% discounts, while if I order what I want even with "X Plan" discount I only get about 5% off and hope the message gets to Spain to build it my way. And they wonder why the Connect is a slow seller?

[RoadwayR]

These Otosan 'Fords' are indeed very impressive, and seem to have been done with little or no help from Dearborn.  Though they are growing, they are still a relatively small regional builder.  Long term I think they may need to align with a large global heavy truck manufacturer to stay viable. 

[Hayseed]

Ford threw the baby out with the bathwater back in 1997 when the gave the HN80 away to Benz. They've got 23yrs of catching up to Do,

& It Ain't gunna happen.

[kscarbel2]

22 hours ago, RoadwayR said:

These Otosan 'Fords' are indeed very impressive, and seem to have been done with little or no help from Dearborn.  Though they are growing, they are still a relatively small regional builder.  Long term I think they may need to align with a large global heavy truck manufacturer to stay viable. 

You say that, but remember that Ford is building the Cargo and F-MAX in China (the world’s largest truck market) at the JMC heavy truck joint venture.

Sales from Portugal to China, not shabby at all. In 10 years time, Ford Otosan has created a global footprint.