Several car companies, such as international giants like Honda and Toyota, struggle to deliver vehicles simply because they can’t source the components they need. Similarly, Ford has announced this week that up to 45,000 vehicles will be held in its inventory this quarter until they receive chips.
The Blue Oval has made use of Kentucky Speedway’s many lots to store its many trucks until they can be sent to dealers.
The auxiliary lots to the east of Kentucky Speedway were just the beginning. Now, the racetrack is surrounded by thousands of Super Duty pickups that have never even been titled. It’s a clear representation of what Ford and many others, both domestic and international, continue to face as demand far outpaces production capacity.
Pat Brindley Roeder, a Kentucky local who also witnessed the influx in parked trucks last year, says this is just one of the locations Ford is using for storage. Many more are being held at a former ammunition plant in Charlestown, Indiana, which is about 25 minutes from the Super Duty plant.
In a press release on Monday, Ford noted that inflation-related supplier costs are trending $1 billion higher than originally projected.
Ford is revealing its next-generation Super Duty on Monday, Sept. 27. Of course, it won’t be the company’s first new truck unveiled amidst this manufacturing crisis. Ford is prioritizing high-margin vehicle production, which includes high-trimmed F-250s and F-350s.
