I learned today that Ford has created a new smaller and affordable pickup truck, the Maverick. This link will probably hit a paywall, but for those who subscribe to the Wall Street Journal, here is news of a slowdown in production. Ford Shuts Off Orders for New $20,000 Maverick Pickup

Ford Motor Co. is taking the unusual step of cutting off customer orders for the Maverick, a more-affordable pickup that it rolled out last fall, saying it has maxed out on what it can build.

The move is a sign that American shoppers are hungry for more-affordable options as prices for new cars and trucks hit new records and availability remains constrained on dealership lots.

Ford told dealers Monday that it is suspending customer orders for the Maverick pickup truck because it is already straining to fill a backlog. The company will resume taking orders for the 2023 Maverick in the summer, it said in a memo to dealers, reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.

“We didn’t want to take more orders than we could build,” said Dean Stoneley, general manager of Ford trucks, in an interview. “We’re getting customers who would have perhaps bought a used car and are now buying the Maverick because it is so affordable,” he said.