Ford Motor Co. announced it is exporting the first United States-built F-Series truck to China in the 2017 F-150 Raptor.
It’s the first time any of the U. S.-built best-selling F-Series has been sent to China for sale. The exported model is a four-door SuperCrew, which is the second generation of the F-150 Raptor, complete with a 3.5-liter EcoBoost and 10-speed automatic transmission.
The Ford F-Series sold 820,799 trucks stateside in 2016, which marked 40 consecutive years of the automaker’s line taking America’s top spot for best selling vehicle. The F-Series topped that number north of the border, with it serving as Canada’s best-selling truck for 51 years.
«Ford is one of America’s top exporters, and F-150 Raptor’s appeal and unmatched off-road performance has earned the truck a loyal following around the globe,» Joe Hinrichs, Ford president of The Americas, said in a news release. «Export to China enables us to bring a new group of enthusiasts into the Ford family. »
While the F-150 Raptor is the first export to China for the F-Series, the Dearborn-based automaker currently exports its Focus RS and ST models, as well as the Fiesta ST.
The Raptor performance model, built at the Dearborn Truck plant, is one of the new vehicles promised by Ford by 2020.
In early January, Ford CEO Mark Fields they will invest $4.5 billion in new electric vehicles, and $700 million to «transform and expand» the Flat Rock Assembly Plant.
Fields said its hybrid Ford Mustang will arrive in 2020, and will feature V8 power and low-end torque that will make it «even more fun to drive. » It will be built at the Flat Rock Assembly Plant and will first release in North America.
The hybrid F-150 pickup truck will also be available in 2020, and will be sold in North America and the Middle East for starters. The best-selling truck will be manufactured at the Dearborn Truck plant and will include more powerful towing and payload capacity, as well as the capability to operate as a mobile generator.
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