Ford at the NTEA Work Truck Show (Photos)
North America's largest work truck event played host to Ford and everything the brand had in store for attendees at this year's show.
1. Ford was featured at the 2017 NTEA Work Truck Show
From the F-150 to the Transit Van and other popular brands, Ford is arguably the United States' most iconic proprietor of trucks. With that out of the same, it's no wonder that they were featured heavily in this year's National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) Worth Truck Show. The focus of this year's Ford presentation focused on branching out with new features and alternatives. This outlook will be felt with their existing vehicles, as well as updating their brand to match current market trends.
>>Join the conversation about Ford at the NTEA Truck Show right here in Ford-Trucks.com.
2. The F-150 line is being renewed
Everyone knows the F-150. It's arguably the most iconic pickup truck around, and certainly the most popular. Ford was quoted as saying there will be a significant "refresh" of the model with the upcoming F-150 2018 iteration. Among these changes, the F-150 will be getting its first-ever diesel engine for next year's model. With everything said, it's pretty cool that such a standard and well-established brand is still finding new ways to innovate itself to stay current and relevant.
>>Join the conversation about Ford at the NTEA Truck Show right here in Ford-Trucks.com.
3. Ford engines were featured heavily
This was a significant event for Ford's truck engines. Specifically, they revealed at the NTEA that the 2018 F-150 iteration will get its first ever diesel engine: a 3.0L V6 Power Stroke diesel. Ford's E-Series is also getting a fresh engine: a 6.2L V8, replacing the 5.4L model that came before it.
>>Join the conversation about Ford at the NTEA Truck Show right here in Ford-Trucks.com.
4. The 2018 Ford Transit Van upgraded
The 2018 Transit Van was given a special feature at the NTEA show. Ford has a lot of new features promised for this model and will be made available in a whopping 64 different configurations. Other notable added features include; extended-length running boards, power-folding short-arm heated mirrors with turn signals, a leatherbound interior, and heavy-duty cargo area flooring.
>>Join the conversation about Ford at the NTEA Truck Show right here in Ford-Trucks.com.
5. Ford hinted at what's to come
Ford has a lot up its sleeve for the coming year. Most interesting among these was the idea of finally pushing into the EV market-- something Ford hasn't much dabbled with, especially in the area of trucks. Over the next several years, Ford wants to make its most popular truck products with an electrified option. Part of their plans includes subsidizing companies that will replace existing customers' powertrains with electric and hybrid equivalents without losing their warranty. Considering Ford is generally seen as a fairly conservative US auto brand, it is promising to see them take a more sustainable approach to their future line of products.
>>Join the conversation about Ford at the NTEA Truck Show right here in Ford-Trucks.com.
6. Updating marketing and relationship with dealers
A new plan was unveiled by Ford concerning their marketing techniques and relationship with licensed dealerships. This new plan is replacing the Ford Business Preferred Network setup that has dictated their relation with dealerships since 1987. Ford reported an intent to rebrand their dealership network, updating dealership requisites and benefits to coincide with the current market. Among these changes, dealer service departments will have to be open at least 55 hours a week now, and a new stocking program will assist in maximizing the availability of parts in demand. It may be some time before these changes are implemented, and we're curious to see how dealerships will react when the updates take place.
>>Join the conversation about Ford at the NTEA Truck Show right here in Ford-Trucks.com.
7. Ford reported great success with their trucks
Ford proudly announced that the 2016 period had been the best year for new truck sales since 1997, marking a 54% sales hike over the prior year. While this may have a lot to do with the fact that the economy has been on the upswing again, it does bode well that people are choosing Ford over their many competitors. With the ambitious plans and innovations, Ford presented at this year's NTEA show, it's clear they deserve this success and more.
>>Join the conversation about Ford at the NTEA Truck Show right here in Ford-Trucks.com.
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