News

Ford raises F-150 truck prices as it introduces aluminum-clad pickup

Prices for the 2015 F-150 pickup are going up from 1.5% to more than 8% depending upon the model, something Ford says is due to more new features, not the switch from steel body panels to aluminum.

“If you look at some configurations, the price actually goes down,” says Ford spokesman Mike Levine. Equipping the truck with the 3.5L EcoBoost V-6, the most popular engine on the F-150, is $100 less than it was with the 2014 model, for example.

The XLT edition, the best-selling version of the F-150, gets a $395 price increase, as does the XL base edition. But Levine notes that “buyers are getting a lot for that $395.”

Ford added several new interior features, such as display screens on the instrument panel and on the entertainment system stack, that were not previously available on the truck.

Premium editions got bigger price increases – the Lariat is up $895, and the high-end King Ranch is $3,615 more expensive for 2015. Still, those price increases are not likely to offset the higher costs Ford faces for the truck. Aluminum is about three times as expensive as steel, and the new F-150 will be the most aluminum-intensive vehicle the company has ever built. www.ford.com

Strong sales boost commercial truck OEM finances

Commercial truck producers Paccar Inc. and Navistar International Corp. both reported stronger financial results for the second quarter, compared to the corresponding time period in 2013, crediting rising sales in North America. That trend boosted earnings at diesel engine maker Cummins Inc. as well.

“Class 8 industry retail sales for the U.S. and Canada in 2014 are improving and are expected to be in the range of 230,000 to 250,000 vehicles,” says Dan Sobic, Paccar executive vice president. “Our customers are benefiting from record levels of freight tonnage, good freight rates, and the excellent operating efficiency of the new Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks.”

Increasing truck sales push Paccar’s earnings higher. At Navistar, they helped offset losses from light-duty diesel engine sales, a business it lost when Ford brought its diesel truck engine production in-house. Navistar’s loss for the second quarter was smaller than a year ago, and its losses in North American truck sales were a third of those from 2013’s second quarter.

At Cummins, sales and earnings climbed because of the truck boom in the U.S. and Canada. www.navistar.com; www.paccar.com; www.cummins.com

Freightliner adds natural gas option to severe-duty trucks

Freightliner Trucks will offer Cummins Westport’s 12L compressed natural gas (CNG) engine on the Freightliner 114SD severe-duty truck model in 2015. The 114SD is designed for use in industrial and construction settings for functions such as a mixer, crane, or sewer vacuum truck. The 114SD has been available with natural gas with the 9L Cummins Westport ISL G engine since 2011. The addition of the 12L model will make the truck more suitable to tougher assignments,

“The 114SD, when paired with the Cummins Westport ISX12 G heavy-duty natural gas engine, will provide our vocational customers with another green option for their toughest jobs,” says Mary Aufdemberg, director of product marketing for Freightliner Trucks. “Our entire natural gas product line – from the 114SD to the M2 112 and Cascadia 113 – is not only environmentally-friendly, but durable, productive, and powerful.” www.freightlinertrucks.com

Toyota remains top global automaker in first half

With 5.097 million vehicles sold during the first half of 2014, Toyota remained the world’s largest automotive producer, beating out Volkswagen by about 30,000 vehicles. General Motors, still the top-selling company in the U.S., sold 4.922 million vehicles during the same period, coming in at No. 3.

However, the gap between the top producers is shrinking. Toyota remains No. 1, but its sales were down 3.8% worldwide, while GM’s figures rose 3.7%. Though Volkswagen sales have been slumping in the U.S. for the past 18 months, the company’s international operations have been much stronger. With 5.066 million cars sold during the first half of 2014, VW’s results were up 5.6%. If VW continues to grow as quickly as it has and Toyota is unable to reverse its slump, the German automaker should become the top seller globally by the end of this year. www.gm.com; www.vw.com; www.toyota.com