Ford has introduced its first-quarter gross sales for 2024, posting a modest 5.7-percent enhance total versus 2023. Issues look good on the floor, however a deeper dive reveals some attention-grabbing tendencies. And admittedly, we would be shocked if there is not somewhat little bit of concern swirling round Ford headquarters proper now.
The Bronco and Mustang are trending downward. The Bronco is approach off the mark, sliding 25.8 p.c with 24,066 gross sales in comparison with the identical interval final yr. In the meantime, the Jeep Wrangler stepped as much as 38,308 items bought for 2024 thus far, a really minor 1-percent enhance. It firmly establishes the Wrangler because the gross sales chief on this area of interest off-road section.
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Ford Mustang gross sales aren’t down practically as a lot, however they’re nonetheless 6.8 p.c off final yr’s tempo, or 13,707 pony vehicles. It isn’t susceptible to dropping the highest spot, clearly, because the Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger are lifeless. That being mentioned, Dodge nonetheless bought 9,737 Challengers this yr thus far. It isn’t that far behind the Mustang, a automobile that is nonetheless younger in its present era. Moreover, Mustang gross sales have largely declined lately to the bottom they’ve ever been.
Truck information is often good for Ford, however not this time. F-Collection gross sales are down 10.2 p.c, with 152,943 pickups bought so in 2024 thus far. It is simply sufficient to prime the Chevy Silverado’s 129,987 items bought. The poor Ranger, nonetheless, is languishing on the backside of the leaderboards. Simply 1,918 of Ford’s midsize vehicles discovered properties.
There’s a main caveat to each F-Collection and Ranger gross sales, after all. A facelifted F-150 solely reached dealerships in March, so it is affordable to consider consumers have been ready for the newest model. Equally, the next-generation Ranger additionally arrived in March, changing the outgoing mannequin that was over 10 years outdated. Q2 gross sales will reveal how consumers really feel concerning the new vehicles.
The actual acquire is coming from Ford’s crossovers. The Edge jumped up 73.3 p.c with 35,157 bought for the interval. The Escape additionally had a 73-percent enhance, reaching 36,595 gross sales. There’s some terrific irony right here, as a result of the Edge is lifeless after 2024 and rumors level to the Escape being killed after 2025. There’s additionally the Ford Maverick, which had 39,061 gross sales within the first quarter. That is an 81.9-percent enhance for the tiny truck. The massive Expedition’s gross sales additionally elevated by 11.4 p.c.
Briefly, mainstream SUVs and the Maverick are performing some heavy lifting proper now, however EVs are holding on, too. The F-150 Lightning, Mustang Mach-E, and E-Transit mixed for an 86-percent enhance in electrical gross sales, led by the Mach-E at 9,589 items. Ford bought 7,743 Lightnings, with 2,891 E-Transits rounding out the group. With electrical manufacturing already scaled again at Ford, it will be attention-grabbing to see how Q2 EV gross sales examine to hybrid and combustion fashions.