IMAGES: Available at www.media.ford.com.

SUMMARY:

• Interest in the 2010 5.4-liter F-150 SVT Raptor is exceeding expectations, with more than 1,500 customer orders already received and 300,00 visits to Raptor Web page, reflecting high demand and excitement for all-new truck
• Initial dealer orders for Raptor max out capacity at plant
• To meet demand for more F-150 SVT Raptor content, a series of Webisodes will be released featuring NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, off-road racing legend Rob MacCachren and SVT Chief Nameplate Engineer Jamal Hameedi

CONTEXT / BACKGROUND:

Ford’s 2010 F-150 SVT Raptor is a high-performance off-road truck with an avid audience that’s been waiting a long time to get behind the wheel. Able to perform both off-road and on-, the truck has been teasing fans with video clips circulating on both YouTube and the F-150 SVT Raptor Web page. The excitement that has been building is showing up in tangible numbers – more than 1,500 orders for the 5.4-liter SVT performance truck, which is now arriving in dealer showrooms.

DETAILS:

It survived the grueling Baja 1000 and earned a podium finish. It’s desert-tested and street-ready. And now the F-150 SVT Raptor is ready to go home with its customers.

More than 1,500 orders received for the 5.4-liter F-150 SVT Raptor exceeds expectations and shows the extraordinary level of anticipation for this high-performance truck. In fact, initial dealer orders have the Dearborn Truck Plant building Raptors at maximum capacity, reflecting the strong demand for the first-ever factory high-speed off-road truck.

Color popularity is decidedly in favor of Raptor-exclusive Molten Orange Metallic Tri-Coat, and Tuxedo Black, with each color representing 40 percent of orders. Customers also want their off-road truck complete with lots of options. Orders reflect consumers’ appetite for technology with:

• More than 80 percent ordered with Luxury Package, which includes heated seats, 10-speaker Sony® Audio system and dual zone temperature control
• 55 percent with Navigation, Sony Audio and SIRIUS Travel Link™
• 60 percent with Exterior Graphics Package
• 70 percent with power moonroof

Orders for Raptor have come from all across the United States, with 94 percent coming from males with a median age of 39. A survey of customers placing retail orders shows that:

• 16 percent purchased F-150 SVT Raptor as a collectible
• 31 percent purchased F-150 SVT Raptor for off-roading
• 19 percent purchased F-150 SVT Raptor for towing and hauling

The very first 5.4-liter F-150 SVT Raptor was sold last year at Barrett-Jackson for $130,000, and now trucks are arriving at dealerships. The first F-150 SVT Raptor retail sale was recorded as going to an off-road enthusiast in Sterling Heights, Mich. The owner of the new Raptor actually had to walk the last two miles to the Suburban Ford dealership to pick it up after getting a flat tire on his bike. And he isn’t wasting any time – the off-roader has already hit the sand dunes in northern Michigan with his new Raptor.

Fully loaded Web page lures in visitors
When customers want to learn more about F-150 SVT Raptor, they know where to go – http://www.fordvehicles.com/f150raptor – which focuses on everything Raptor. After launching in March, the Web page has tallied more than 300,000 visitors through June. Since the site first came to life, visitors haven’t stopped checking it out – on average, 75,000 potential customers continue to visit each month.

More than half of all visits last more than five minutes, with plenty of videos, images and information available to give potential customers the latest on F-150 SVT Raptor. In fact, the videos have been viewed nearly 400,000 times and the video completion rate is at or above that of other very successful vehicle launches.

Links are provided to other off-road sites and nearly 20,000 visitors have entered a contest to win a ride in an actual off-road desert race. Whether consumers are watching the F-150 SVT Raptor R race across the Baja Peninsula or listening to what Linsey Weenk, driver of Ford’s “Blue Thunder” monster truck, has to say about F-150 SVT Raptor, they can’t get enough. Unique applications on the Web page, like a 360-degree view of Raptor going through its paces, also give visitors a thorough perspective of the truck and allow them to get a closer look at the features that make it such a highly capable off-road vehicle. By clicking over Raptor components, such as the FOX Racing Shox internal bypass shocks, massive skid plates, unique design cues and wheels and tires, visitors can learn more about what gives this truck a competitive edge.

Another high-interest Web page element is the “Build a Raptor” feature, where visitors can select the color and options to create a truck with the content they desire. Almost half of all visitors have gone into the page, with 97 percent finishing it. Customers are encouraged to take the downloadable spec sheet to dealers to order their own truck. To get Raptors in the hands of off-road racing enthusiasts, Ford is prioritizing production scheduling of those orders.

A little something from the experts
Customers know that the F-150 has legendary Built Ford Tough durability and toughness, but some might not be familiar with proper off-roading techniques. Or they might not realize how and why the F-150 SVT Raptor does so well in all off-road environments, not just the desert. A series of videos will be added to the F-150 SVT Raptor Web page that will provide customers with everything they want to know about this one-of-a-kind truck.

Featuring NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, off-road racing legend Rob MacCachren and SVT Chief Nameplate Engineer Jamal Hameedi, the Webisodes will give consumers an even closer look inside the SVT performance truck so they’ll know all the ins-and-outs.

Building momentum
The all-new 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor has been touring the country, giving enthusiasts a taste of what it’s like behind the wheel. Stops at auto shows, NASCAR races, Monster Truck events, Barrett-Jackson auctions and off-road races have exposed more than 10 million enthusiasts to Raptor. Some events include the unique opportunity for a high-speed ride in the Raptor with a professional driver, with more than 1,000 rides given.

QUOTES:

“Nobody has ever done a product like this, so people are really excited. This is the ultimate expression of “Built Ford Tough.” They’re anxious to get this truck in their driveway and then take it off-roading on weekends. Customers appreciate the authenticity of the F-150 SVT Raptor and realize the value for money, given the capabilities of this truck. The initial response for the 5.4-liter engine is fantastic, and there’s even more demand for the upcoming 6.2-liter engine.”

– Mark Grueber,
F-150 marketing manager

“People want to see the F-150 SVT Raptor in action, and they want to know everything about the truck. Raptor’s Web page provides that and the numbers are impressive – it shows a need for as much Raptor content as we can throw at them.”

– Brian Bell,
F-150 consumer marketing manager

###

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 205,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com.