Ford F-150 Wins Safety Accolades

The Ford Motor Company is basking in glory thanks to the latest generation of its full size pick up truck, the F-150. Its delayed release last summer due to high gas prices and slow moving inventory of the previous generation model seems like a distant memory; today we have what some consider to be the best pickup truck on the market and if recent awards are any indication, then those sentiments are certainly true.

On the eve of the opening of the heralded North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, Ford has received yet another accolade this one being it winning the five-star crash safety awards from the federal government as well as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Both the government and the IIHS (which is founded and funded by insurance carriers) say that the Ford F-150 meets its highest crash criteria, allowing the F-150 to garner a top five star crash rating.

“The new F-150′s leading 5-star crash ratings and ‘Top Safety Pick’ award further demonstrate Ford’s commitment to safety as we have more top government ratings than any other brand,” said Susan Cischke, Ford’s group vice president of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. “The new 2009 F-150 also offers more advanced safety features as standard equipment than any other half-ton truck, part of our aggressive roll-out of safety for millions of customers.”

Earlier this week Ford announced its sales totals for the F-150, finishing the year with 515,000 units sold, down considerably over the past year but allowing Ford to retain the title of best selling pickup truck for 32 years running.

Indeed, back during the worst of the summer gas price spike, the model’s quest to remain the best selling passenger vehicle of any type was threatened as it appeared that the popular Toyota Camry would displace the Ford. Aggressive year end selling and lower gas prices helped to keep the Ford truck the top selling passenger vehicle for the 27th consecutive year.

The automaker’s marketing campaign, “Built Ford Tough” is getting the support that it deserves thanks to these safety awards, allowing Ford to continue to boast at have a top safety pick in the competitive big pickup truck segment. This works out for what customers want as well as Ford surveys indicate that five out of six customers consider safety to be a leading purchase reason when considering a truck.

“The all-new 2009 Ford F-150′s leading crash-safety ratings add to its capability, fuel economy and technological leadership,” said Steve Kozak, Ford’s chief engineer for safety systems. “We achieved top safety ratings and unsurpassed fuel economy at the same time by using high-strength and ultra-high-strength steel in key areas of the new F-150′s structure.”

As they did at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November, expect Ford to have a significant presence at Detroit, with the F-150 being the centerpiece of the automaker’s truck and sport/utility vehicle display.

Source: Ford Motor Company