With a three-pronged attack involving expansion and relocation, Ford Motor Company expects to boost production of Super Duty trucks to over 530,000 units this year.
The Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville is building 65 jobs an hour-up from 63-for a capacity of 370,000 units. Ford also has started building F-250s and F-350s in Cuautitlan, outside of Mexico City, and has the capability to build 60,000 for export to the United States and 20,000 for use in Mexico. Finally, Ford is now building motorhome chassis in Detroit rather than in Mexico.
Tom Cavanaugh, marketing plans manager for the F-Series, told a convention audience that the total number of units built will depend partly on powertrain availability, but added that Ford has "a significant order bank of units for the 2000 model year, and we're trying to satisfy our customers by getting units to them. Much of the success of Super Duty is due to you. We asked a lot of questions. We listened and we reacted."
Cavanaugh said allocation to pools had been "tight," and Ford wasn't able to distribute as many units as it wanted. With the changes, Ford hopes the extra capacity will free up more units for the pools.
"We need to be able to put those units in so that we can free up more chassis cabs," Cavanaugh said, "and we're only going to build them if we've got the right powertrains. We've been short on some powertrains-gas engines and automatics. So we're hoping that as we put more capacity in place in our powertrain world, then we'll be able to bring in these other pickups-more retail and personal-use pickups from Mexico-which will then free up capacity at KTP to build more. Some of those pickups can go to pools, too."
Ford has increased its Crew Cab capability by 4%-15,000 units-to meet the demand for that truck, while slightly decreasing units for the F-350, 450, and 550. Ford had increased production in 1999, and it still wasn't enough to meet the demand.
"It's one of those tough problems," Cavanaugh said. "People want them and we can't build them. Sometimes that's a nice problem to have. It's better to have that problem than to build them and nobody want them."
Product enhancements include: *Additional wheelbases: Reinstated 108" on Regular Cab F-450/550, 84" CA on Crew Cab F-450/550, and 84" on Regular Cab 19K F-550. *Bifuel propane: 6.8L bifuel engine, F-350 DRW, and F-450/550 chassis cabs. *Dual mid-ship fuel tanks: 42-gallon usable capacity, 23-gallon side-mounted tank, 19-gallon RPO mid-ship tank, F-350/450/550 DRW chassis cabs, with diesel applications. *Powertrain: Increase from 235 hp to 250 hp on automatics, with manuals at 275 hp and 520 ft-lb of torque. *Chassis: Optional front max GAWR, plus spare tire and spare tire lock are now standard on F-250/350, and trailer tow package is standard on pickups. *Body: Fog lamps in bumper, seven-pin trailer-tow connector, reverse vehicle aid sensor for pickups, and color-keyed body side moldings. Product Additions for First Quarter
On the Super Duty F-650/750 line, brand development manager Dave Bardsley announced product additions for the first quarter of the year: Allison 2000/2400 series automatic transmissions (26,000 lb GVWR for 2400 series, including parking pawl, and 26,000 and 30,000 GVWR for 2000 series); low-profile package (frame lowered five inches) available on F-650 with hydraulic brakes, 19.5" wheels and tires, and spacers removed from suspension; 9.5", 28.7 SM, 110K reinforced frame (available on 33,000 GVWR); and Power Stroke available on 30,000 GVWR.
Product additions for the second quarter: Additional lower axle ratios for faster highway speeds; front engine PTO accessibility, with the air-brake valve moved from the center of the crossmember; front-frame extension with 33,000 GVWR; stationary grille; truck/trailer package with air brakes; right-hand cab-mounted vertical exhaust; cruise and idle speed controls; 24,500 GVWR package for the F-650; passenger seat delete option; and radio delete option.
Larry Cooper, chief program engineer for the E-Series, described the changes for the 2001 models: an improved air conditioning system that cools the vehicle 14% more efficiently; and 235 hp on the 4.6L engine (up from 215). Standardized features include: a 78-amp alternator, rear step bumpers, and passenger-side air bags on the 3/4- and one-ton lines.