DriverLifeStyle USA March | Page 12

THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF A BEST SELLER EPISODE 1: FIRST GENERATION 1948 - 52 The Ford F-Series is a series of full-size pickup trucks from the Ford Motor Company which has been sold CONTINUOUSLY since 1948. The most popular variant of the F-Series is the F-150. It has been the best-selling vehicle in the United States for the past 32 years, and the best-selling pick-up for 43 years, and the best SELLING VEHICLE in Canada,though this does not always include combined sales of GM pick-up trucks. In the tenth generation of the F-series, the F-250 and F-350 changed body style in 1998 and joined the Super Duty series. During the post-World War II era, smaller Canadian villages had access to either a FORD DEALER or a Lincoln-Mercury-Meteor DEALER, but not both; a Mercury-badged version was sold at Lincoln-Mer 12 driverlifestyle.com cury-Meteor DEALERS there from 1946–68. Other than the grilles, trim, and badging, these pick-ups were identical to their Ford counterparts. As of 2014, the Ford F-150 is sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, most Caribbean countries (except Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Cuba),Suriname, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, the Middle East, Iceland, the Dutch territories of Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten and the British overseas territory of the Cayman Islands whilst the SVT Raptor is sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Middle East, Ecuador, Chile and Peru. Both are available in LHD only. In Mexico, the Extended cab versions of the F-150 is called the Ford Lobo, while the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is called the Ford Lobo Raptor.