FORD F-SERIES CELEBRATES 40 YEARS AS NATION'S BEST-SELLING TRUCKS
Originally published at soundfordwa.com
What do chia pets, the high five, the Star Wars franchise and the Ford F-Series have in common? They're all celebrating 40-year milestones this year - the former three made their debut in 1977, and the F-Series began its consecutive reign as America's top-selling truck. Overall, Ford has sold over 26 million F-Series trucks since January 1977; that staggering number of trucks could circle around the world over three times.
The momentous year marked the sixth generation of the F-Series, which caused a sales wave for the Blue Oval. The brand new F-150 light-duty pickup, introduced at the time, sported an upgraded 351-series V8 engine, an extended SuperCab offering, and standard front disc brakes. Despite the resounding success and popularity of the F-Series, Ford's engineers refused to settle, celebrating their accomplishments while working hard at an all-new, seventh-generation lineup that eventually set truck sales records and became the overall best-selling vehicle nationwide by 1982.
As James Wagner, a historian and author, reflected, “The 1980 model was a breakthrough generation for Ford. It was all new – probably the greatest change in 40 years.”Considering that 1977 also signified the start of a divide for F-Series into two separate platforms - namely, the 10th-generation F-150 on one and the new F-250 and F-350 Super Duty trucks on another - it goes without saying that 1977 was the beginning of an era.
Learn more about the award-winning and beloved F-Series trucks at Sound Ford in Seattle, Washington today.
