33 Years Running: F Series Tops Again

The champ wins again!

2009 model year sales winner, Ford F-150

Ford did everything in December to push its popular full sized F-Series trucks selling a whopping 48,209 units, the best performance seen by the line since March 2008. As a result, the F-Series continues to maintain its position as the best selling truck in America, a position it has held consistently since the 1977 model year.

What’s more, the Ford F-Series remains the most popular vehicle sold in America, the undisputed model leader for 28 consecutive years.

Staying On Top

The F-Series’ reign appeared to be in jeopardy early on in 2008, when ultra high gas prices pushed down demand for big trucks. This segment which also includes the Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra, Dodge Ram, Toyota Tundra, and Nissan Titan, has long been dominated by the American makes who still sell 91 percent of all big trucks.

Yet, when gas prices gyrated in 2008, Ford’s position as the top selling passenger vehicle model looked to be in jeopardy with perhaps the Toyota Camry or Corolla overtaking its lead. That was not to be as gas prices retreated and sales eventually stabilized.

True, Ford’s 413,625 units sold in 2009 were well below the 939,511 units sold in the record selling 2004 model year, but the entire segment is down. Indeed in a depressed US market where just 10.5 million units were sold for the year compared to 17 million plus in the early 2000s, the F-Series numbers remain impressive.

Core Truck Owners

The big news for Ford is the type of person who is buying their trucks, someone the company identifies as a core trucker. These are people who use their truck’s towing and hauling capability for work and play; owners who now make up 40 percent of the light-duty full-size pickup market up from 30 percent just six years ago. These owners choose better contented trucks which means that Ford is able to drive home a higher per vehicle profit.

In the commercial/fleet portion of this core trucker sub-segment, Ford F-Series continues to dominate. The F-150 has 44 percent of the light duty commercial/fleet market; and Super Duty is stronger still with over 56 percent of heavy duty commercial/fleet market.

The modern Ford truck line made its debut in 1948 when the F-1 hit the market. Over the years, the F-Series has enjoyed a five year product life cycle, with the 2009 model year being the most recent change over for the perennial sales leader.

See Also: Trucks Trends 2009 Sales Report

Photo Credit: Ford Motor Company

Tundra Pricing, Miniscule Increase For 2009

With gas prices now under $2 a gallon and falling, will you consider purchasing a big pick up truck? Nissan, Toyota, GM, Ford, and Chrysler sure hope that you do.

For its part, Toyota has announced pricing for the 2009 Tundra, for each of its 45, count’ em, 45 model variations — in three wheelbases, three cab styles, three bed lengths, three engines, three trim levels, and with 4×2 and 4×4 drivetrains.

Ranging from a base two door two wheel drive model all the up to and including a four door, four wheel drive Tundra, including gas and flex fuel models (sorry, no diesel).

Prices do not reflect incentives which have lopped off thousands of dollars off of the sticker price for 2008 models. Though you probably have to dig for that information, here’s betting that you’ll be able to do the same with ‘09 models despite much more reasonable fuel costs. After all, does anyone think that we’ve seen the last of $4 per gallon gasoline? Not a chance.

  4x2 TUNDRA        Grade                     Doors    Body Style    Trans
  ----------        -----                     -----    ----------    -----
     8202           V6                          2      Reg Cab        5ECT
     8204           V6                          2      Reg Cab LB     5ECT
     8222           V8 4.7L                     2      Reg Cab        5ECT
     8224           V8 5.7L                     2      Reg Cab        6ECT
     8226           V8 4.7L                     2      Reg Cab LB     5ECT
     8228           V8 5.7L                     2      Reg Cab LB     6ECT
     8215           Tundra Grade                4      Double Cab     5ECT
     8216           SR5 V6                      4      Double Cab     5ECT
     8239           Tundra Grade V8 4.7L        4      Double Cab     5ECT
     8240           SR5 V8 4.7L                 4      Double Cab     5ECT
     8241           Tundra Grade V8 5.7L        4      Double Cab     6ECT
     8242           SR5 V8 5.7L                 4      Double Cab     6ECT
     8243           Tundra Grade V8 4.7L        4      Double Cab LB  5ECT
     8245           Tundra Grade V8 5.7L        4      Double Cab LB  6ECT
     8252           LTD 5.7                     4      Double Cab     6ECT
     8259           Tundra Grade V8 4.7L        4      CrewMax        5ECT
     8260           SR5 V8 4.7L                 4      CrewMax        5ECT
     8261           Tundra Grade V8 5.7L        4      CrewMax        6ECT
     8262           SR5 V8 5.7L                 4      CrewMax        6ECT
     8272           LTD V8 5.7L                 4      CrewMax        6ECT
     8322           V8 4.7L                     2      Reg Cab        5ECT

  4x4 TUNDRA
  ----------
     8323           Tundra Grade V8 5.7L(FFV)   2      Reg Cab        6ECT
     8324           V8 5.7L                     2      Reg Cab        6ECT
     8326           V8 4.7L                     2      Reg Cab LB     5ECT
     8327           Tundra Grade V8 5.7L(FFV)   2      Reg Cab LB     6ECT
     8328           V8 5.7L                     2      Reg Cab LB     6ECT
     8331           Tundra Grade V8 5.7L(FFV)   4      Double Cab     6ECT
     8332           SR5 V8 5.7L (FFV)           4      Double Cab     6ECT
     8335           Tundra Grade V8 5.7L(FFV)   4      Double Cab     6ECT
     8339           Tundra Grade V8 4.7L        4      Double Cab     5ECT
     8340           SR5 V8 4.7L                 4      Double Cab     5ECT
     8341           Tundra Grade V8 5.7L        4      Double Cab     6ECT
     8342           SR5 V8 5.7L                 4      Double Cab     6ECT
     8343           Tundra Grade V8 4.7L        4      Double Cab LB  5ECT
     8345           Tundra Grade V8 5.7L        4      Double Cab LB  6ECT
     8352           LTD V8 5.7L                 4      Double Cab     6ECT
     8354           LTD V8 5.7L (FFV)           4      Double Cab     6ECT

     8359           Tundra Grade V8 4.7L        4      CrewMax        5ECT
     8360           SR5 V8 4.7L                 4      CrewMax        5ECT
     8361           Tundra Grade V8 5.7L        4      CrewMax        6ECT
     8362           SR5 V8 5.7L                 4      CrewMax        6ECT
     8363           Tundra Grade V8 5.7L(FFV)   4      CrewMax        6ECT
     8364           SR5 V8 5.7L (FFV)           4      CrewMax        6ECT
     8372           LTD V8 5.7L                 4      CrewMax        6ECT
     8374           LTD V8 5.7L (FFV)           4      CrewMax        6ECT

                             2008          MSRP        2009         %
  4x2 TUNDRA                 MSRP         CHANGE       MSRP       CHANGE
  ----------              ---------   -----------  ---------    --------
     8202                  $22,390        $100      $22,490       0.4%
     8204                  $22,720        $100      $22,820       0.4%
     8222                  $23,530        $100      $23,630       0.4%
     8224                  $24,480        $200      $24,680       0.8%
     8226                  $23,860        $100      $23,960       0.4%
     8228                  $24,810        $200      $25,010       0.8%
     8215                  $24,815        $130      $24,945       0.5%
     8216                  $26,205        $100      $26,305       0.4%
     8239                  $24,960        $130      $25,090       0.5%
     8240                  $26,950        $100      $27,050       0.4%
     8241                  $26,150        $240      $26,390       0.9%
     8242                  $28,210        $200      $28,410       0.7%
     8243                  $25,890        $130      $26,020       0.5%
     8245                  $27,140        $240      $27,380       0.9%
     8252                  $35,810        $200      $36,010       0.6%
     8259                  $27,785        $130      $27,915       0.5%
     8260                  $29,775        $100      $29,875       0.3%
     8261                  $28,975        $240      $29,215       0.8%
     8262                  $31,035        $200      $31,235       0.6%
     8272                  $39,110       ($565)     $38,545      -1.4%
     8322                  $26,580        $100      $26,680       0.4%

  4x4 TUNDRA
  ----------
     8323                                           $27,740
     8324                  $27,540        $200      $27,740       0.7%
     8326                  $26,910        $100      $27,010       0.4%
     8327                                           $28,070
     8328                  $27,870        $200      $28,070       0.7%
     8331                                           $29,440
     8332                                           $31,460
     8335                                           $30,430
     8339                  $28,010        $130      $28,140       0.5%
     8340                  $30,000        $100      $30,100       0.3%
     8341                  $29,210        $230      $29,440       0.8%
     8342                  $31,260        $200      $31,460       0.6%
     8343                  $28,940        $130      $29,070       0.4%
     8345                  $30,200        $230      $30,430       0.8%
     8352                  $38,870        $200      $39,070       0.5%
     8354                                           $39,070
     8359                  $30,835        $130      $30,965       0.4%
     8360                  $32,825        $100      $32,925       0.3%
     8361                  $32,035        $230      $32,265       0.7%
     8362                  $34,085        $200      $34,285       0.6%
     8363                                           $32,265
     8364                                           $34,285
     8372                  $42,170       ($565)     $41,605      -1.3%
     8374                                           $41,605

(Source: Toyota Motor Corporation)