OAKVILLE, Ontario, (Aug. 10, 1999) – The limited edition 2000 Harley-Davidson F-150 pickup truck – complete with throaty growl, muscular ground-hugging stance and special badging – will be built at Ford of Canada's Ontario Truck Plant (OTP).

The truck was unveiled today at South Dakota's 1999 premier annual motorcycle event, the Sturgis Rally & Races. Annual production and price are to be announced later.

This all-black truck, with distinctive Harley-Davidson orange pinstriping and chrome accessories, is a restyled and customized version of the Ford F-150, Canada's best-selling nameplate.

"The decision to build this unique, exciting new product here is recognition by Ford of our build quality and the skill level of Ontario Truck Plant workers," said Charles Shortridge, OTP Manager. "We already manufacture the SVT F-150 Lightning pickup, which has created a lot of excitement among truck enthusiasts across North America."

The new production will be integrated into existing operations, with no anticipated employment increases required. The Ontario Truck Plant employs 1,230 hourly and 110 salaried employees and produces 54 F-Series trucks each hour.

The new truck is the first product developed under a five-year strategic alliance announced in March by Ford Motor Company and Harley-Davidson Motor Company. The alliance brings together two of the best-known and admired companies in the world, both of whose customers will now have a distinctive vehicle that makes a statement about their individuality.

"Ford's F-series pickups have been the number one nameplate in Canada for an astounding 33 consecutive years," said Rob Marner, Ford of Canada's Truck Division Advertising Manager. "This truck melds the 'Built-Ford-Tough' durability of the F-150 with the almost mythic popularity and appeal of the Harley-Davidson brand name."

"Both companies produce exciting vehicles with both power and presence. This is truly a marriage of powerhouse brands."

One Ford employee in Oakville who is particularly happy that the new Harley-Davidson F-150 will be built locally is Cathy Goodale-Brown. Not only is the F-150 her "ride of choice", she is also an enthusiastic Harley-Davidson owner and Activities Director of Toronto's Harley Owners Group (HOG), the largest chapter in Canada.

When the hourly Windstar plant employee heard the truck would be built next door to where she worked, she volunteered to help in any way she could. Today she is in Sturgis as part of the launch team.

"This truck combines two of my passions in life – my truck-of-choice and my motorcycle," said Goodale-Brown, whose off-hours drive is a 1995 Dynaglide powered by Harley-Davidson's famous 1,340 cc twin-cylinder engine. "When I heard that Harley-Davidson and Ford were combining to produce a new truck, you could have peeled me off the ceiling."

The uniquely-styled Harley-Davidson F-150 embodies many of the visual cues that have made the motorcycle famous. Its unique badging, dash ornament, accessory pouch with saddle-bag-like clasp on the centre console and unique "spun metal" instrument cluster melds the pickup's sleek toughness with the motorcycle's enduring muscularity and mystique. Other interior features include ebony black leather captain's chairs with Harley-Davidson logo on the seat backs, chrome steering column stalks and door release hardware and black leather trim and steering wheel.

Outside, the vehicle is a black, monochromatic 4 X 2 SuperCab pickup with a flareside box topped by a hard shell tonneau cover. Design engineers also wove in another Harley-Davidson "signature" – its throaty growl – by specially tuning the single inlet-dual outlet exhaust. It features an SVT Lightning-tuned muffler ending in dual chrome 3.5-inch "slash cut" exhaust tips.

It comes equipped with the 260 horsepower TritonTM V-8 engine powering 20 X 9-inch, five-spoke cast aluminum wheels on P275/45R 20 Goodyear Eagle tires, the first ever 20-inch wheels on a Ford production vehicle. The Harley-Davidson F-150 is lowered one inch, with revised springs and sway bar, adding to the vehicle's brawny appearance.

Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan and Harley-Davidson in Milwaukee, Wisconsin already share some similar history: in 2003, both companies will celebrate their centennials – 100 years of rich heritage and memorable contributions to North American motoring. Both have also earned strong leadership positions in pickup trucks and motorcycles respectively, strengthened by customers who are fiercely loyal to their products.

Surrounded by the feverish excitement of the world-famous Sturgis Rally & Races event in scenic South Dakota, the two companies today introduce the first product of their recent strategic alliance.

Source: Ford Motor Company