Ford News: Ford Boosting Expedition and Navigator Production

[Drew Dowdell]

Ford is adding 550 workers to their Kentucky plant that builds the Navigator and Expedition in order to meet surging retail demand for the big SUVs.  Retail sales were up 35% which has netted Ford a 5.6% gain in market-share for the Expedition.  The Navigator is doing even better with a 70% increase in sales. 

Ford has already increased line speed and split some jobs to multiple people in an attempt to increase  production. Vehicle production will be increased after the July shutdown. 

Along with the increase in production, Ford will be starting an advertising campaign focusing on the size and spaciousness of the Expedition.  

Ford increasing job and production in the US stands in sharp contrast to the steep cuts of over 6,000 jobs Ford announced for Europe. 

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[riviera74]

Good for FoMoCo.  And you wonder why Ford is essentially ditching cars for CUVs and SUVs.

[ccap41]

When you're only selling 7 a month, 70% sounds better than it is. 🤣

[Drew Dowdell]

7 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

When you're only selling 7 a month, 70% sounds better than it is. 🤣

They're moving 2,000 of them a month

[ccap41]

Just now, Drew Dowdell said:

They're moving 2,000 of them a month

Damn, that's quite a few. What's the Escalade at, 5000? 

[Drew Dowdell]

2 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

Damn, that's quite a few. What's the Escalade at, 5000? 

3,100 a month as of December..  I expect that number to continue to fall as the current model heads into retirement. 

[ccap41]

1 hour ago, Drew Dowdell said:

3,100 a month as of December..  I expect that number to continue to fall as the current model heads into retirement. 

That's a lot of dollars exchanging hands(or credit) for those two vehicles. 

[David]

Wonder who they are taking market share from? 🤔

Suburban is15,200 a month as of December 2018

[ccap41]

28 minutes ago, dfelt said:

Wonder who they are taking market share from? 🤔

Suburban is15,200 a month as of December 2018

I would think only the Escalade because those two are the only ones truly in that XXL Luxury SUV class. Nothing else touches their sheer size. 

[smk4565]

Probably will increase Navigator production just as the BMW X7 hits dealers and new GLS/Maybach comes out to steal sales back.  Gotta strike while the iron is still hot though.

[Cmicasa the Great]

18 hours ago, ccap41 said:

I would think only the Escalade because those two are the only ones truly in that XXL Luxury SUV class. Nothing else touches their sheer size. 

The Suburban, Yukon(and Denali) XL, and Escalade ESV all exist as XXLs. 

Last month (Feb)total sales of the 

Escalade+ESV= 1967

Tahoe+ Suburban =7729

Yukon + Yukon XL= 4019

GM Full-Size SUVs= 13,715

Plus don't forget that the BIG CUVS Enclave and Traverse sold 14,811

 

Ford sold :

Expy+XL =6407

Nav= 1411

Ford Full-Size SUVs = 7,818

GM has a lotta cushion considering that the Chevy and Cadillac brands all by themselves are still outselling the Ford/Lincoln combo.. before U throw in the GMC gravy..

BUT!!! the Escalade was down 29% while Nav was up 32%. I would say that the Lincoln is stealing Cadillac sales more than anything else.. plus the fact that the NAV is relatively new while the Escalade is 5 years on the market already. Hell I bought my Yukon in summer '14 because at the time the Escalade (Short) was selling out as they came into the dealer. Time for GM to go ahead and push out the new SUVs.. and I hear that they did a lot of homework to circumvent any of the current new competition from the likes of Ford/Lincoln, Jeep and BMW

[riviera74]

I am sure that the new Escalade will come out sooner than later given the results from Ford and Lincoln.

[Drew Dowdell]

 

Wonder who they are taking market share from? 🤔

Suburban is15,200 a month as of December 2018

No, you have to divide that number by 3.  GM only reports numbers quarterly now. 

[ccap41]

 

The Suburban, Yukon(and Denali) XL, and Escalade ESV all exist as XXLs. 

I said Luxury as in luxury brands.. I know Ford and GM both have XXL SUVs. 

[Cmicasa the Great]

 

I said Luxury as in luxury brands.. I know Ford and GM both have XXL SUVs. 

Gotcha.. but some would argue easily, and with a great deal of evidence.. that the Denali, a brand of its own, as in the Yukon Denali is on par with both the Caddy and Lincoln.. and prior to this redo of the Nav.. was actually considered more lux than the Lincoln. I doubt GMC is gonna take the challenge lying down come next gen, which will probably debut Fall '19. Hell.. the Suburban is still referred to as the Texas Cadillac. Just sayin.. My bigger point was about the Denali tho

 

No, you have to divide that number by 3.  GM only reports numbers quarterly now. 

I provided Feb numbers

 

[Drew Dowdell]

 

Gotcha.. but some would argue easily, and with a great deal of evidence.. that the Denali, a brand of its own, as in the Yukon Denali is on par with both the Caddy and Lincoln.. and prior to this redo of the Nav.. was actually considered more lux than the Lincoln. I doubt GMC is gonna take the challenge lying down come next gen, which will probably debut Fall '19. Hell.. the Suburban is still referred to as the Texas Cadillac. Just sayin.. My bigger point was about the Denali tho

I provided Feb numbers

 

How did you get the feb numbers?

[Robert Hall]

It's been 5 years since the GM bigs were last redesigned, so I'd assume new ones will be announced in the next year or so?  

[ccap41]

 

Gotcha.. but some would argue easily, and with a great deal of evidence.. that the Denali, a brand of its own, as in the Yukon Denali is on par with both the Caddy and Lincoln.. and prior to this redo of the Nav.. was actually considered more lux than the Lincoln. I doubt GMC is gonna take the challenge lying down come next gen, which will probably debut Fall '19. Hell.. the Suburban is still referred to as the Texas Cadillac. Just sayin.. My bigger point was about the Denali tho

Well, it isn't its own brand nor is it considered a luxury brand all of its own.. no matter how big of a fanboy you are. Platinum Fords are still Fords. 

Edited March 20, 2019 by ccap41

[Cmicasa the Great]

 

How did you get the feb numbers?

Guy over at gmi posted for both

 

Well, it isn't its own brand nor is it considered a luxury brand all of its own.. no matter how big of a fanboy you are. Platinum Fords still are Fords. 

Wow.. "fan boy? " 🤨 that wasn't really justified. Cool.. High road I'll take and say while your opinion is your opinion many would differ in looking at GMC, especially Denali, which is classified as a Sub-brand, as luxury. Ford is to Chevy.. GMC is a known premium brand and Denali is over it. 

Edited March 20, 2019 by Cmicasa the Great

[ccap41]

"I call it how I see it" - Casa

[David]

 

Guy over at gmi posted for both

If they are only reporting Quarterly, then does this person have an inside connection to see the monthly numbers?

[Drew Dowdell]

 

Guy over at gmi posted for both 

Okay, but I wonder about their source since GM isn't publishing monthly numbers anymore. I'm genuinely curious because I would like to get access to those number myself. 

[Cmicasa the Great]

 

Okay, but I wonder about their source since GM isn't publishing monthly numbers anymore. I'm genuinely curious because I would like to get access to those number myself. 

Just go over to the website and look up February sales results for GM or Ford and you'll see and he explains how it came about the numbers if it is wrong then it's wrong and we'll see at the end of this month anyway

 

"I call it how I see it" - Casa

OK... U are entitled 

[daves87rs]

Well, it’s good because I like them both. 🙂 

But, wait until the first major gas hike.. (coming soon)

[riviera74]

Oil prices have already reached $60 a barrel here, which is the highest since November 2018.  Gas prices are already around $2.50 or more as of right now.