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The Latest in Ford's Growing Commercial
Truck
Lineup
Ford Offers an F-650/F-750 Tailored to Every Truck Need Flexible Assembly Plant Brings Efficiency, Quality and Choice DALLAS, Sept. 6 -- Ford Motor Company took the covers off its 2004 F-650 and F-750 Super Duty trucks today -- giving the world its first glimpse of these exciting new players in the medium duty truck market. "Ford is reinventing, expanding and updating its entire commercial truck lineup -- and a big part of that is the 2004 F-650 and F-750," said Dave Tarrant, chief nameplate engineer, Medium Truck and Joint-Venture Products. "These new trucks are the latest offerings in Ford's product-led transformation." The 2004 F-650 and F-750 Super Duty trucks were unveiled today at the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas. "The 2004 models offer tremendous breadth and depth of product -- it's the right product for hard work, no matter what that work may be," said John Fink, commercial truck marketing manager, Ford Division. "Ford offers three cab configurations in this class, and offers a new wide range of frames, axles, engines and transmissions. There's a Class 6 and 7 F-Series Super Duty for just about every job." Typical uses for trucks in this category include dump, utility, van and stake bodies for construction, urban-suburban delivery, and service applications. Powerful Options Three diesel engine families are available with a wide variety of horsepower choices. Customers also can choose between ten manual and seven automatic transmissions. The base engine will be an all-new direct injection, 32-valve, 6.0-liter Power Stroke(R) diesel with four power ranges, generating up to 230 horsepower and 620 foot-pounds of torque. Other engine offerings include a 3126 Caterpillar 7.2-liter diesel with up to 300 horsepower and 860 foot-pounds of torque, and a 5.9-liter Cummins ISB diesel engine (available late spring 2003) with up to 260 horsepower and 660 foot-pounds of torque. Product Features F-650 or F-750 customers will be able to order the vehicle exactly as they need it. There is a choice of three cab configurations: Regular Cab, four- door SuperCab, and four-door Crew Cab, each with a wider variety of seating choices than last year. There are 38 wheelbase choices -- up from 11 last year -- allowing the trucks to be easily upfitted across a wide spectrum of body types. Customers also can choose from nine different frames, including one of the strongest rated frames in its class (120,000 psi and 3,580,000 RBM). An array of rear axles is offered including two-speed axles and single-speed axles with driver-controlled locking differentials. There are five multi-leaf and five air suspensions to choose from. Air suspension is offered on all models, with or without air brakes, and ten fuel tank combinations are available. Each of these design elements and others have been creatively packaged to allow for the most fuel capacity and highest ground clearances for given applications -- especially those requiring clear frame rails for skirted bodies. In addition, Ford offers a low profile cab, ideal for height-restricted applications. Tractor versions also are available as a F-650 and F-750, in all cab configurations. "We allow the customer the opportunity to tailor a truck to specific needs while providing good value at an attractive price, " said Fink. "Ride, braking, steering, and handling have been enhanced over the previous model." "Blue Diamond" Produces Efficiency, Quality and Customer Choice These new commercial vehicles are the first products from the Ford Motor Company and Navistar International Corporation joint venture -- Blue Diamond Truck. The 50-50 joint venture was formed in 2001 to build a variety of commercial trucks. Production of the 2004 model year vehicles begins in December, with the trucks arriving in dealerships early next year. Blue Diamond Truck is producing both Class 6 and 7 medium commercial trucks for Ford and Navistar at a highly flexible state-of-the-art assembly plant in Escobedo, Mexico. In subsequent years, Blue Diamond plans to expand the range of commercial trucks available from both companies. "This is just the start,"said Tarrant. "With the quality, the efficiency and the depth of customer choice made possible through creative use of the joint venture, you'll see many new offerings in the years ahead, adding even further to Ford's broad commercial truck lineup. Blue Diamond blends the best of both Ford and International to deliver industry-leading truck designs to each brand." Expanded Level of Service To keep its trucks on the road, Ford is committed to providing the highest level of service. Ford has established an uptime critical parts program providing next day delivery of 9,600 mission-critical parts with orders taken 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Ford has established a parts joint venture to support F-650 and F-750 customer needs while further developing and strengthening the Ford dealer diesel expertise. The goal of the parts JV is to make the Ford dealer the in-market diesel expert, to service all the needs of diesel customers. With a staff of more than 30 experienced customer service representatives, the parts JV provides in-dealership medium duty parts expertise, diesel product tools and training to Ford Dealers. Additionally, the parts JV offers an all-makes service part program to eligible Ford dealers. Through the program, dealers have access to a full range of industry service parts allowing the dealer to service not only the new F-650 and F-750 trucks, but other original equipment manufacturers' trucks in the medium duty truck segment. The program provides access to the complete service parts lines of approximately 185 truck industry vendors including approximately 650,000 part numbers. F-Series Lineup The 2004 Ford F-650 and F-750 Super Duty trucks join America's best- selling truck lineup for 25 years running -- Ford F-Series. "These trucks follow in the F-Series tradition -- honest, dependable trucks that get the job done," said Fink. Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is the world's second largest automaker, with approximately 335,000 employees in 200 markets on six continents. Its automotive brands include: Aston Martin Ford Jaguar Land Rover Lincoln, Mazda Mercury and Volvo. Its automotive-related services include: Ford Credit Quality Care Hertz With world headquarters in Dearborn, Mich., Ford Motor Company will officially observe its 100th anniversary on June 16, 2003. |
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