Ford CEO Jim Farley spoke at a recent conference about the full-size truck market and where buyers are looking in different areas of the huge and diverse segment, according to our friends at Ford Authority. Ford is second-only to GM in automakers that sell the most full-size trucks in North America, and the Ford F-Series has consistently had the bragging right of America’s best-selling vehicle for decades (although GM sells more trucks overall). According to Farley, the Ford F-150 dominates some parts of the full-size truck world, but the Chevy Silverado has advantages in others.
“The reality is, though, the full-size truck market is in two different markets, and they’re almost completely different,” Farley stated during the recent Wolfe Research Auto, Auto Tech and Semiconductor Conference. “You have the Ram price zone, and then you have the Ford/GMC price zone. And, as Ram suffered, GMC has done a great job as Ford has gotten some market share. We’ve had four years in a row of revenue increase. A lot of it is because of Ranger, but also to that. We’ve managed the high-end mix really well between Super Duty and F-150.”
It’s interesting that Farley considers Ford trucks to be in the same “price zone” as GMC rather than Chevy. Since the Blue Oval doesn’t have a dedicated premium truck brand like GMC, the F-Series needs more diversity in its model range to compete with both the Silverado and Sierra product lines.
“And we think that, people who really want the newest trucks, really want Pro Power Onboard, the newest Super Duty, the Platinums, the commercial people want the cab chassis versions,” Farley continued. “That market is very strong right now. It’s really strong. The commodity part of the market, someone who’s on a budget and is going to buy an XL or an XLT F-150, but they’re really looking at Ram and Silverado. Yes, I think there’s going to be a lot of price pressure. And there always has been. The good news is that we invested. We have a brand-new F-150 and a brand new Super Duty.”
Sales numbers for specific trims and variants of full-size trucks can be a bit mysterious since they are reported with diverse model ranges combined, like how Ford reports F-150 and Super Duty sales together as the F-Series. So, it’s interesting to hear Farley say that folks shopping on the lower end of the price range for full-size pickups are looking at Ram and Silverado over the F-150. Although the Silverado 1500 and Ford F-150 are very similarly priced in their simpler, more affordable configurations, it seems that Chevy has a stronger reputation as a budget-friendly work truck than Ford, based on Farley’s comments.
Comments
If you’re trying to find a “cheap” Silverado, good luck. The 2wd reg cab standard bed is like finding hen’s teeth. There are some 4wd around but of course they are white.
There are no budget-minded full size pickup shoppers, except for company fleets. They all go for the top trim, remortgage the mobile home and make payments on it for 10 years.
Projecting much Beachy?
He’s delusional if he thinks the F-150 is higher than the Silverado and RAM 😂.
Everything has become atrociously expensive.
10 years ago you could get a Regular Cab Short Bed GMC Sierra 4×4 at 140k-150k Qatar Riyals.
Now? For the same trim they are charging 200K+ RIYALS!!!!!
Pathetic.
Lol and i bet GM truck buyers are shopping around better pricing with other brands too. Wtf does this prove?
I think it’s a trim option problem. Ford makes you buy high end trim packages for simple options like heated steering wheel.
It’s more than just trim. Ford’s are more expensive to make. The’ve pursued this “best in class” mentality to the point that their all aluminum bodies, active aero, gazillion options and massed produced race car engines cost an arm and a leg. Cross shopping lower trims (XL vs Silverado custom) the custom is cheaper and better optioned. Ford is only cheaper in the 2wd no options trim, and adding anything makes it more expensive. Ram isn’t even very cheap, as a mid level ram is now 60k+, and they only sell them with 15K discounts to being them down to Chevy price, and at next to no profits. Ford is a one horse show (F series) and if they can’t bring down their prices their in trouble. People knocked (mostly hoity toity auto journalist used to driving Porches) about Chevy not having best in class engines nor panoramic sunroofs, nor the same options as a Bentley, but looking at the sales during a time of hyperinflation, look who was right? In a time where Camrys cost 40K, it’s nice to be able to find a 4wd truck for the same price as a Camry.
And part of that also is how Chevy has limited their options. Everyone complains about no SBSC, but part of how Chevy makes a profit is amassing options, and offering packages like the custom value package, All Star edition, and Z71 package, which while insanely cookie cutter in implementation, gets most customers the options they want, maybe a few they didn’t, or lacking 1 or 2 they do, but at a price they can afford.
What really needs to happen is and end to the EV mandates and relaxed regulations so the companies have ample money to start competing for sales again.
It does not help that Ford engines are geared more towards assembly simplification than ability to service. I can list the number of cab off repairs needed for Fords (granted, I have seen that in GMC/Chevrolet as well, especially in Duramax versions and some engines such as the 3.6 V6 are a horrible design to work on)…..Or the mess of wires in the Braptor…
But Ford loyalists are fiercely loyal. Go over to Ford Authority and you will see deniers…(agreed, remember GM Authority had a man called “TrentonCHEVYMAN” who took things too far). Anyways, nobody is free from bias.
Bottom line- Everything has issues. But Ford could make their engines MUCH simpler.
“But Ford could make their engines MUCH simpler.”
Open the hood of a 1990’s era 351 or 460, and look at the mess of hoses staring back at you. Some things never change. “Geared more towards assembly simplification” literally goes back to the Model T!
I am not sure I understand one of the points of the article. It seems obvious to me the Ford guy is using “GMC” as a catch-all term, pretty sure he meant “gm”, encompassing Chevy and GMC.
Off topic, but are any of you guys getting a google pop up ad that covers content on every article you click on? Not just annoying, but the “x” to delete it is so small you have to enlarge screen or you get the ad anyway. Thanks.
Since the Silverado/Sierra pickups combined have outsold the F150 every year since 2020, including last year, pickup shoppers are doing more than looking at GM’s offerings.
I have never understood why gm doesn’t advertise the combined sales of the Sierra and Silverado as the best selling full size pickups. They sit back and let Ford claim that title for the past “150” years.
Chevrolet/GMC has never bragged about their powertrain ratings as compared to “BuILT fORd ToUgH!!!!!!!”.
Me: Looks shocked when WhistlinDiesel’s 2018 F 150 broke its driveshaft when dropped from a recovery truck……..
GM has 45% of the retail full size truck market as of Q3 of last year. Sierra ATP’s are several thousand (5-7 K/unit) more than Fords full size truck ATP’s, but the delta varies from quarter-to-quarter. As a CEO, Farley comes off as dufus more often than not. At least his cousin Chris was funny.
I just traded a ’22 F-150 502A in on a SLT… The big difference is in built quality. My F-150 was built in KC plant… window a 1/4″ high on drivers side.. drivers front fender a 1/4″ to far front.. hood too far front.. on and on. Right now i have a 24 Yukon and a 25 SLT… both front ends look sharp. Paint is another area where ford is not doing quality either.
The engines.. ford is using same engine in cars, trucks and SUVs. GM uses its older v8’s which are more commercial than using a car engine to do truck work like towing. It will be really hard to get me back into a ford. especially since my SLT has a duramax which does get 30 mpg too.