Americans aren't about to dump their trucks.
"No end to the love affair with trucks is in sight yet," says David Cole, director of the Office for the Study of Automotive Transportation at the University of Michigan.Ford and Dodge each sold more light trucks than cars in the 1991 model year, and Chevrolet was close to the 50-50 point, according to Ward's Automotive Reports. Trucks account for a third of new vehicles sold in the United States.
During the 1980s, the truck market doubled while cars only gained 10 percent. Truck sales will continue expanding at a faster pace than cars for the next several years, says Joel Pitcoff, manager of research and analysis with Ford North American operations.
Annual truck sales could hit 6 million within five years, Pitcoff says. The record year was 1989 with 5.25 million trucks sold. The record year for cars was 11.5 million in 1986, and that record might stand indefinitely if trucks keep gobbling up market share.
In vehicle sales terminology, "trucks" refers to light trucks, not the medium- and heavy-duty workhorses that sell in relatively small quantities. Light trucks include smaller pickups, vans and sport utility vehicles.
The line that distinguishes cars from trucks, vans and sport utility vehicles is blurring. As consumers seek the hauling and towing capabilities of trucks, they also want the comfort and convenience of cars, says Sharon K. Hines, manager of product information for GMC Truck.
Chrysler was the first to hit a good blend of car and truck when it created minivans for 1984.
For 1992, there are cars like Mitsubishi's new Expo that look and perform like a mini version of a minivan. The upscale offerings, such as the Bravada sport utility vehicle and Silhouette minivan from Oldsmobile, provide sedanlike comfort and luxury.
Even the regular full-size pickup, long the mechanical beast of burden for farmers, contractors and others who haul cargo, is putting on the ritz. It can haul bales of hay weekdays, go out on the town Saturday night and go to church on Sunday in style with air conditioning, a stereo and power seats.
The shift to trucks goes back to the late 1950s, when customizing pickups and panel trucks began to gain popularity in Southern California. Adding California style helped soften the stereotypical image of trucks as rough vehicles for rough work.
Other factors also have fueled the truck market.
Baby boomers are opting for the convenience of minivans and vans to haul children.
As the nation's population ages, it becomes more affluent, and wealth fosters multiple-vehicle households. A truck is often an extra household vehicle. "In that sense, trucks also represent some plus business," and not just a switch from a car to a truck, Cole says.
Recreation has boosted truck sales. Trucks are used by the recreational vehicle industry to make motor homes and luxury touring vans. Others buy trucks for sports such as off-roading and racing.
The interest in truck performance has given rise to sport trucks, ones with more power, better handling and zippy looks. GMC's Syclone is the fastest production truck, doing zero to 60 mph in about five seconds. That is quick enough to challenge a Corvette ZR-1. The Syclone costs about $25,000 - less than half the tab for a Z Vette.