CLAYCOMO, Mo. — Excitement is high at the Ford assembly plant in Claycomo.
For the first time in four years, Cars.com has named the Ford F-150 truck its “Most American Car.” Editors of the website make the announcement this morning.
There’s an air of celebration around the Ford assembly plant in Clay County. Editors of Cars.com use a number of factors to judge which car is truly most American — including where auto parts are made and assembled and how many total cars each automakers sell.
The F-150 rises back to the top after a four-year absence. During that time, Cars.com says Ford’s primary pickup truck took a back seat to the Toyota Camry.
Patrick Olsen is the editor-in-chief at Cars.com. He says overall, the Ford Motor Company is having its best run in 30 years.
“I would say for Ford this year — their sales have been through the roof,” Olsen said.
Retail price points on the F-150 begin near $30,000. Olsen says the increase in truck sales serve as a positive indicator for our national economy, which is still recovering from a recession. He says truck sales often mirror trends related to construction costs.
“As housing starts to go up, we’re going to see more contractors replacing what is a very old, tired fleet with new trucks,” Olsen said.
“To move back into the number one spot after a few years off — it was good to hear,” Jeff Wright said. He’s the president of the United Auto Workers Local 249, representing the work force at the plant in Clay County.
Wright says he’s proud to be recognized, but the award from Cars.com comes as no surprise to him.
“We’re so proud of the vehicle we build anyway,” Wright said. “Now, we’re the most American made vehicle on the road. That’ll put a smile on your face.”
Here’s another economic indicator. Back in May, Ford announced it’s adding thousand additional workers and a third shift of labor, all to increase production of the F-150 line.
The Ford auto plant in Claycomo employs over 4,400 people. The automaker’s light vehicle delivers are up 13 percent so far this year, according to Autodata.
