Ford executives were hoping their new and improved SUVs would be popular among consumers, but the reaction to the new vehicles has been even better than they expected.
The company spent $900 million on a plant in Kentucky to launch the 2018 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator, and now they are spending an additional $25 million to build 25 percent more SUVs than they originally planned to build, according to AutoNews.
Sales increased for both vehicles in January. The Expedition saw a 59 percent increase in sales, while the Navigator had a 132 percent increase.
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Ford sales analyst Erich Merkle said the company is doing everything it can to produce more vehicles at a faster rate.
"Both of the vehicles are doing really well for us," Merkle said. "Because they're turning so fast, we're going to do everything we can to meet the demand that's out there."
The Navigator underwent a major redesign for the first time in a decade, while the Expedition was fully overhauled and redesigned for the first time in 20 years.
AutoNews reports that the 2018 Expeditions have been on car dealer lots for an average of 11 days before they're purchased. The cost of the vehicle starts at $52,890.
https://twitter.com/Ford/status/963078933746012160
It's a great problem for Ford to have, and it's a sign they're building vehicles the consumers want.