You can't drive down a road in America without spotting at least a handful of Ford F-150 trucks. No surprise, really; the F-150 has been our country's best-selling truck for years (keep reading to find out how many Ford has sold). You're all pretty familiar with these trucks, so tell us, did you know these facts about the F-150?
1. The great-great-grandfather to the F-150 was the Ford F-1 which debuted for 1948. It quickly became a favorite of farmers and small business owners. Despite its name, it never participated in a Formula 1 race.
2. The F-150 moniker itself debuted for the 1975 model year, as the name for Ford's half-ton pickup which slotted between the lighter-duty F-100 and the heavier-duty F-250. Massive popularity soon ensued.
3. How massive? So much so that the Ford F-Series has been not only the best-selling pickup for nearly 40 years running, but the best-selling vehicle for the last 34 years. It has consistently outsold such hugely popular rides as the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.
4. The F-Series trucks are so popular that their total production comes in at a whopping 32 million trucks. In 2018 Ford sold over 1.075 million F-Series trucks, averaging a sale every 29.3 seconds.
5. Long before it became the model name for its compact pickup truck introduced in the early '80s, Ford used the "Ranger" label in the '60s and '70s to denote an upscale trim level of the F-Series.
6. Truck and motorcycle enthusiasts had a moment of zen when Ford offered a Harley-Davidson edition of the F-150 at various times through the late-1990s and into the 2000s. It sported plenty of black leather and shiny chrome trim in tribute to the iconic American motorcycle. High-rise handlebars and loud exhaust pipes, however, were not on the options list.
7. Do you remember the Ford F-150 Lightning? It's hard to forget it. Initially available from 1993 through 1995 with a 240-hp, 5.8-liter V8, the Lightning came thundering back for 1999 after a three year hiatus sporting a supercharged 5.4-liter V8. Produced through 2004, that Ford muscle truck could sprint to 60 mph in as quick as 5.2 seconds.
8. 2019 F-150 marks the 71st year of the iconic truck. With an average sale price of $46,700 in 2018, the F-Series alone generates more revenue than Oracle, American Express or Best Buy.
Keep 'em coming, Ford.
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About the Author(s)
Obsessed with cars since age two, John ultimately pursued his passion and became an automotive journalist and editor. Now twenty years along, hitting new and classic car shows and properly exercising his old 911 still gets his motor running.
