Ford declares victory in ’23 truck wars
Despite ongoing turmoil in the automotive industry, Ford Motor Company closed out 2023 with bragging rights as the F-Series dominated truck sales in the U.S. for the 47th year in a row and remained the bestselling vehicle for the 42nd year in a row.
“From the Bee Gees to Taylor Swift and the Apple II to Apple iPhone, if change is the only constant in life then there’s something reassuring that more than half of Americans have grown up only knowing that Ford F-Series is America’s bestselling vehicle,” said Mike Levine, director of Ford North America product communications.
Ford sold more than 700,000 pickups during the year, topping competitors General Motors and Ram-parent Stellantis.
“We’re 200,000 trucks ahead of the Chevy Silverado. That’s a big enough gap to declare victory,” Ford spokesman Said Deep told the Free Press.
The legendary truck wars fight is significant not just because it reflects a consistent customer base but also because trucks generate massive revenue. Ford executives have told investors again and again that gas-powered trucks help fuel investment in electrification.
The year 1977, when “Star Wars” was released, marked the beginning of dominance as the bestselling truck. Ford sold 818,580 F-Series pickups. From then to November 2023, Ford has sold 32,249,288 F-Series trucks, said Erich Merkle, Ford U.S. sales analyst.
What was once seen as futuristic technology is now taken for granted. And key elements of the tech revolution have happened during the years Ford has maintained its lead with consumers.
Rival General Motors offered a completely different view of the situation.
“Our shareholders, dealers and employees would rather have us build the best trucks, sell the hell out of them and lead the market, which is exactly what we have done for the last four years with Chevrolet and GMC,” said GM spokesman Jim Cain. “The F-Series claim is nice to have but at the end of the day, it’s just marketing schmaltz for the Ford brand.”
The truck wars have been defined for years as F-Series vs. Chevy Silverado vs. Ram 1500.
Yet academics view the F-Series as so much more than a sales data point.
“The dominance of the F-Series pickup speaks volumes about how we see ourselves as Americans,” said David Schmid, an English professor at the University at Buffalo in New York who specializes in popular culture.
“Nothing says ‘Buy American’ and ‘We love America’ like buying an F-Series pickup,” Schmid said. “More importantly, the pickup truck, in general, and the F-Series, in particular, embodies the core American value of rugged individualism. Ford has been extremely successful in making this vehicle synonymous with the mythical ideal of American life on the frontier. Even if we only use our truck to carry nothing larger than the week’s shopping, and go nowhere wilder than the local park, owning an F-Series allows us to feel plugged in to the long history of frontier individualism.”
Because the messaging captures a magical ideal, it’s “easy to make fun of and dismiss but, the truth is, this thinking sells a lot of trucks,” Schmid said.
Meanwhile, Edward Catto, a business professor at Ithaca College in New York specializing in pop culture, compared
Number of pickups Ford sold during the year
Number of F-Series trucks Ford has sold from 1977 to 2023
Ford trucks to an iconic DC comic series.
“The Ford F-Series is like a pop culture automotive version of Batman,” he said. “Like the Caped Crusader, these trucks change through the years, but always with a unique ability to both reflect the times and yet still be true to the brand’s own core essence.”
The Ford sales data takes discussion beyond just pickup trucks, said Robert Thompson, former president of the National Popular Culture Association and a professor of popular culture at Syracuse University in New York.
“This isn’t just a little story about an automobile that’s been the bestseller for over four decades,” he said. “It really gets to the heart and soul – it’s incredibly powerful American symbolism.”
While nostalgia drives sales as much as anything, Ford said it remains focused on the future.
“Looking forward, we are excited to begin production of the new 2024 gas and hybrid F-150 models early in the year,” Robert Kaffl, Ford director of U.S. sales, said in a news release.
He added, “The enduring legacy of the F-Series is not just a result of our relentless pursuit of improvement but also a reflection of the trust between our company and customers. We are deeply grateful.”
America will always gravitate to the classic American pickup truck but there’s something unique about the F-Series, said Robert Kolt, a professor of advertising and public relations at Michigan State University.
“Other companies in different countries think about slimmer, more efficient, less expensive all-utility trucks. Americans over generations have wanted some F-Series trucks that are stronger, dependable and generally bigger trucks,” he said. “You can buy any truck you want in the F-Series, but know it’s just going to be tougher and stronger than any other international brand.”
GM and Ram trucks deserve recognition as good but their buyers are different, Kolt said.
“There is just a passion that Ford F-Series people have that is an unquestioned loyalty to the brand,” Kolt said. “It is difficult to explain but buying into the F-Series is more like engaging in a relationship rather than a transaction.”
“Nothing says ‘Buy American’ and ‘We love America’ like buying an F-Series pickup. More importantly, the pickup truck, in general, and the F-Series, in particular, embodies the core American value of rugged individualism.” David Schmid
English professor at the University at Buffalo in New York