Raptor Outshines Ridgeline Big Time
Given the current economic situation and global concerns about environmental and atmospheric changes, it’s no surprise that people are tracking sales of vehicles like the Ford Raptor and the Honda Ridgeline closely, since they are larger trucks that are fuel inefficient and have been the target of environmental groups for many years.
But the overall view by many people is that these trucks have declined in sales most dramatically within just the last decade or so. However, examining the April 2011 sales reports for Raptors and Ridgelines, it’s easy to see that there is still a niche market willing and interested in buying vehicles that might not get the best gas mileage on the road, but which are nonetheless fun and exciting to own and drive.
Sales Figures
Ford SVT spokesman Henry Platt has confirmed that Ford sold 1,183 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor trucks during the month of April 2011. This means that monthly sales of that vehicle for April of this year exceeded the sales of the Honda Ridgeline by 231. The Ridgeline sold 952 units during the month of April 2011. Both of these figures are to be considered alongside the fact that gas prices in April of 2011 were the highest globally since mid 2008.
Specs of Vehicles and Differences Between Them
When the Honda Ridgeline was released in 2005 for the 2006 model year, the company hoped to sell approximately 50,000 units per year. Then along came the Raptor.
The Ridgeline is admittedly in a different class from the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor, however both trucks appeal to the off-road crowd, as both trucks raced in the Baja 1000. The Raptor has a 6.2 liter V8 engine, while the Ridgeline has a 3.5 liter V6 engine. The Raptor is a full size truck that was rated by the EPA to 11 miles per gallon in the city and 14 miles per gallon on the highway. The Ridgeline, on the other hand, is a mid-size truck that was rated by the EPA to 15 miles per gallon in the city and 20 miles per gallon on the highway.
Conclusions About Sales Figures
Though it’s difficult to draw larger conclusions on the sales figures for two different vehicles from just one month, it is clear that there is still a market of buyers who are interested in the off-road truck, regardless of the additional costs for gas that it will require. 4 out of every 5 Raptors sold during April 2011 were of the new SuperCrew model, and most of the vehicles sold were the color black. As fuel costs continue to fluctuate, only time will tell if Ford can keep up the impressive sales that they’ve achieved thus far with the F-150 SVT Raptor vehicles, but honestly, the truck is so cool looking, it would be more surprising if it didn’t sell!
