Manoli Katakis 
The Ford Maverick pickup truck is heading into 2022 with a momentum that supersedes its compact proportions. Catching the eye of young customers seeking both utility and fuel efficiency in these times of high gasoline prices, the Maverick is off to a hot start. Of course, it’s just the beginning. And if the 2021 SEMA Show is anything to go off of, the Ford Maverick family tree looks ready to branch off into several exciting directions.
SEMA Influencing Future Of Ford Maverick
“I will say we had three different executions of Maverick at SEMA,” Ford Maverick marketing manager Trevor Scott told MC&T in a one-on-one interview. “There was obviously a more street performance truck derivative that I think was really well received (the Tucci Hot Rods Ford Maverick). And on the other side of the spectrum, there was something that’s more capable than the FX4 offering we have today (Ford Maverick Air Design Concept), sort of testing the limits.”
The third Maverick concept, the DRAGG, demonstrated the possibilities of emergency response use, as a beachfront lifeguard truck. Ultimately, Ford took a calculated approach to showcasing these specific SEMA concepts for the Maverick, and recognizes its potential as being a strong product either as a street performance truck, a fleet solution, or a more rugged off-roader.
“The encouraging thing is that we’ve heard a lot of feedback that really enforced many of the things we were already investigating,” Trevor Scott continued. “Knowing we have this flexible architecture we can build off of, we have the ability to adjust track width, and wheelbase, and make some of those modifications, to either go more performance oriented or to test the boundaries from an off-road capability standpoint. That’s the encouraging thing coming out of SEMA.”
The SEMA Show will continue to be a barometer for Ford Performance as it continues to shape future product, as it monitors demand for certain accessories, upgrades, and add-ons.
“I think at SEMA we’re pushing the envelope. It’s an opportunity for us to get more input, gauge interest, and help direct the team and the company,” a Ford Maverick engineer added. “A lot of folks already putting on lift kits, slamming them, monotone body color… as I try to get more engrained into Maverick culture, I take opportunities like SEMA and even social media as a big plus.”
What Could Be Next
While Ford hasn’t completely shown its hand, it’s not exactly being subtle on it wants to do with the Maverick, either. Largely uncontested in the market, save for the Hyundai Santa Cruz, the Maverick is likely next in line to be the automaker’s next “horizontal” brand of vehicles, based on remarks from Ford CEO Jim Farley himself. Prior to saying that, Farley mentioned that the Maverick lineup is expected to grow.
Further painting a picture are various trademark filings both in the US and abroad, which are suspected to be for the Maverick in some fashion. The Rattler trademark is one such name, while the Maverick Tremor name was trademarked in far-off Chile. A Maverick Tremor could resemble something close to the Air Design Concept from the 2021 SEMA Show, while a Rattler could find itself on a more street-performance oriented variant of Ford’s smallest, most affordable new truck.
As for the aftermarket, there are some exciting new developments. Germany’s Racechip recently announced a piggyback engine controller unit for the 2022 Ford Maverick 2.0L EcoBoost, while Tucci Hot Rods is expected to offer builds and a la carte performance accessories based on the popular SEMA Show truck from last November. Other aftermarket companies have already begun to offer lift and lowering kits for the Maverick which are likely to gain in popularity.
Ford Motor Company is also evaluating Pro Power Onboard for the Maverick – news which we broke last month.
We’re sure that more high-profile announcements for the Ford Maverick are set to happen this year, especially as we approach the 2022 SEMA Show. And you can bet that we’ll have detailed reports here at MC&T for each and every announcement.
