C1 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, May 3, 2000 Ford rolls off its four-wheeled Harley B y S c o tt M a c A rth u r SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Talk about a gearhead's dream. Monday morning, in front of a throng of media at the Ontario Truck Plant, Ford of Canada and Harley-Davidson announced the production of 7,500 lim ited edition Harley-Davidson F-150 pickup trucks, all of which will be built in Oakville. The ceremony, attended by numerous Ford and Fred Deeley Imports (HarleyDavidson's Canadian importer) employ ees, marked the first time in the nearly 100-year history of both companies that they have worked together to produce a vehicle. Brant Noltie, Ford of Canada's Truck Group Brand Manager, is confi dent that the alliance will be a success. "Ford's F-Series have been the top selling pickups in Canada for an aston ishing 34 consecutive years, and the best-selling vehicle for six years," he said. "This truck fuses the 'Built-FordTough' durability of the F-150 with the almost mythic popularity and appeal of the Harley-Davidson brand name." The truck, which was originally unveiled at the Sturgis Rally & Races last August in South Dakota, is all-black with orange pinstriping and chrome accessories, and features a leather interi or with the recognizable HarleyDavidson logo on the seat backs. Ontario Truck Plant Manager Patricia Reid, who recently came to Oakville after working at Ford's Kansas City assembly plant, is proud of the fact that Ford selected her plant to produee the trucks. "This decision recognizes the manu facturing dexterity of both this plant and its employees," she said. "Our employees combine excellent productivity with top quality and they are being recognized for that." The new production will be integrat ed into existing operations, with no antic ipated employment increases required. The Ontario Truck Plant employs 1,230 hourly and 110 salaried employees and produces 54 F-Series trucks each hour. A total of 800 Harley-Davidson F- 150s will begin appearing in Canadian showrooms during the month of May. The suggested selling price is set at $43,295. Many have already been sold. Ford has acknowledged Tonight Show host Jay Leno as "customer number one" for the Oakville built Harley-Davidson F150 Ron Dennis, of the Ontario Truck Plant's Public Relations Department, said that there are no plans to make more than the original limit of 7,500 trucks. "We believe that there will be a strong subscription for this model, as their were many queries from all over North America when we unveiled the truck last year in the U.S.," he said. "However, to start making more beyond the 7,500 ceil ing we have set would cause the (HarleyDavidson) F-150s to lose their niche as a limited edition model." Photo by B arrie Erskine Ontario Truck Plant Manager Patricia Reid stands in front of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle while Fred Deeley, of Fred Deeley Imports (Harley Davidson's Canadian importer) gives the thumbs up to the Harley-Davidson F-150 pick up truck at the Ontario Truck Plant in Oakville, Monday. It even sounds like a Harley Besides special badging, the limit ed edition 2000 Harley-Davidson F150 has even incorporated a throaty growl and a muscular ground-hugging stance reminiscent of its two wheeled namesake. Ford design engineers specially tuned the single inlet-dual outlet exhaust of the Harley-Davidson F150 to give it a more "robust" aural signature. It features an SVT Lightning-tuned muffler ending in dual chrome 3.5-inch "slash cut" exhaust tips. And in keeping with the lowslung appearance of the motorcycle, the Harley-Davidson F-150 was low ered one inch, with revised springs and sway bar, to add to the vehicle's brawny appearance. 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