By Aaron Bragman
Global Insight
Ford has unveiled a new Special Service Vehicle package for its F-150 pick-up.
The package, which will be made available at no extra charge to fleet, municipal, and government buyers, essentially turns the F-150 into a police, fire, or rescue-ready vehicle.
The truck will include a heavy-duty 220-amp alternator for increased electrical load (such as lights or sirens), as well as vinyl seats that can be hosed off if necessary.
The package will be available nearly across the board on the F-150, with a choice of SuperCab or SuperCrew (full four-door), rear-wheel-drive or 4x4, and with either the 5.0-litre V-8 or 3.5-litre EcoBoost turbocharged V-6 engine.
The move mimics what Chrysler has offered for its Ram pick-up, and is part of an increasing trend for the domestic automakers to offer special service versions of vehicles in the hopes of picking up some business from the nearly 60,000 Ford Crown Victorias that will not be sold to fleet buyers annually, given that Ford has stopped producing them.
That volume is being met by automakers with a variety of models, as nobody is certain what is going to be the most popular now that the ubiquitous Crown Victoria is being retired.
“Our fleet customers have been asking us to create this option for F-Series trucks,” said Ford Government Sales Manager Tony Gratson in a statement. “We’re confident the current and updated 2013 F-150 equipped with the SSV Package will be of particular interest to our government customers with rugged jobs such as law enforcement, firefighting, and national and state park patrols.”
Copyright 2012 World Markets Research Limited