TRUCKS ADD A SPECIAL DIMENSION TO 58TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW

Americans just keep on truckin’. The American Trucking Association, reports that 30.7 million trucks are registered for business purposes in the United States. By definition, trucks are motorized vehicles designed to transport cargo. They are descendants of heavy-duty carts drawn by horses for centuries until some smart person unhitched the horse and attached the wagon to one of those “newfangled” cars being produced on the cusp of the 20th century. The San Francisco Chronicle 58th Annual International Auto Show, set forNov. 21-29 at theMoscone Center, will feature trucks manufacturedby some companies that have been in business inthe United States since the early 1900s as well as products introduced into the U. S. from manufacturers from around the world. Trucks come in all sizes, from behemoths that carry food to supermarkets and concrete mixers to construction sites to spiffy open-cargo-space pickups with many of the bells and whistles offered in cars.

“If you got it, a truck brought it,” said auto buff Jeff Hadlich. Autocar built the firstU.S. truck in 1899, followed within a decade by Ford, Mack and Chevrolet, One of the early companies, Rapid, changed its name in 1911 to GMC. Dodge trucks debuted in time to participate inWorldWar I. Japan entered the U. S. market after WorldWar II. Honda Motor Co.’s, first product in the U.S. was motorcycles in 1960. The company, released its first pickup in 2005 for model year 2006. Datsun changed its name to Nissan in 1981 for the American market. Toyota has been making trucks since 1935, but nonewere available in the U.S. until 1964. Several generations of the Hi-Lux model led to the U.S., launch of the Tacoma in 1995. It is now the 9th generation Toyota compact pickup truck. “The Tacoma, built in Texas, has been with us the longest and has a 65 percent market share in the San Francisco Bay Area,” said Briana Nelson, assistant generalmanager of Toyota San Francisco Region. Polk Co. shows 96,538 Tacomas have been registered so far this year, she said. “The 2016 model, which will be in the San Francisco Auto Show, is a complete redesign—it has been about 10 years since we made such extensive design changes,” Nelson, said. “When we think of Tacoma we think of utility, but people are going to be impressed with the interior. You can drive kids to school—the double cabs can seat as many as five people-- and go out to dinner in it.” A GoPro ismounted on the windshield, believed by Toyota to be an industry first. Toyota’s runningmate, Tundra, which premiered in1998, will also be exhibited in the show. The name is meant to convey strength and ruggedness. Television audiences were mesmerized in 2012 by the sight of the 5,600-pound pickup pulling the almost-300,000 pound Endeavor space shuttle to its new home at the California Science Center. That same year, Motor Trend magazine named the Tundra Truck of the Year. Ford Motor Co. began building trucks in 1907. The company’s Lewis Brandt developed the first open cargo pickup in 1933 at the request of a farmer’s wife who wanted a vehicle that would take her to church on Sunday and pigs tomarket onMonday, reported the American Truck Historical Society. The F-series was introduced in 1948, designated from F-150 to F-850, depending on load capacity and has been the best-selling trucks in the U.S. for 38 years, according to Michael Sego, Regional Sales Business Development Specialist. “The F-series trucks account for 32 percent of all Ford sales, said Sego. “The best year was 2004 when 939,511 trucks were sold.” “An F-series Ford is sold every 42 seconds. We think it is because of the attention we pay to customers’ wants and needs. It goes back to a Ford ad in 1925 that starts with Henry Ford’s original vision to open the highways to all mankind and making mobility accessible to everyone.

“We capture that vision today in our ‘Go Further’ brand promise.” The 2016 F-150 features military grade aluminum alloy on the body and a steel frame, a carry-over from the 2015 model. A new feature is trailer back-up assist which allows the truck to control steering and speed. “We tested the technology for almost a decade and earned five patents along the way,” said Sego. Besides an array of the F-Series trucks to be seen at the show, Ford will offer the F-150 Trailering Demonstrations and Test Drives at the Auto Show. Dodge trucks saw duty in WorldWar I. In the aftermath, truck buyers clamored for a civilian version. The DodgePower Wagon was launched in response.

TheDodge namewas dropped inNovember 2009 in favor of Ram. “Creating a distinct identity for RamTrucks has allowed the brand to concentrate on core customers and features they find valuable,” said Nick Cappa, of R AM public relations. “Engineering, design, planning and marketing efforts are product centric, something thatwasnot true when combined with Dodge.” Lately, Ramhas seen a steady flowof new customers to the pickup segment, moving out of crossovers and SUVs. Pickups now offer the same features as a passenger car, but with added utility and capability. Cappa reported sales of about 500,000 to date in 2015. TheRam1500 is the highest volume and it offers best-in-class fuel efficiency as the only half-ton truck with diesel engine, according to Cappa. “Our EcoDiesel Ram 1500 posts an impressive 29 MPG, besting even small pickup fuel economy ratings, said Cappa. “Fuel economy is theNo.1 unmet need among pickup truck owners and Ram owns the title.” Trucks are an important component of the San Francisco International Auto Show. Anyone who wants to know all about trucks, can see the 2016 model trucks from the major manufacturers all in one place at the Auto Show.