Ford recently published some less than stellar news, confirming that the upcoming Bronco is delayed from the spring until the summer of 2021. The delay stems from part sourcing for the removable roof: Ford didn't want to deliver the cars without them. It may be a while before the Bronco hits American roads, but another new model just started arriving at dealerships that is much more important. No, not the Mustang Mach-E, which should also arrive soon, but the 2021 Ford F-150 pickup truck.

Ford confirmed that the 2021 F-150 will start shipping to showrooms nationwide starting this week. Early demand indicates that customers are eager to buy the latest version of Ford's best-selling pickup truck. "Customer sold orders are up over 210% from a year ago November, and dealer orders for stock are more than double the current production schedule," said Mark LaNeve, Ford vice president, US marketing and sales. "It's apparent that this F-150 is something that our customers both want and need."

The first official sales have already occurred in the Midwest, and more units are on their way to dealers in other parts of the country. Ford says the number of retail orders placed is at an all-time high. This news doesn't seem like too much of a surprise, considering the F-Series spent the last 43 years as America's best-selling pickup and 38 years as the best-selling vehicle in the US. This new model offers numerous improvements, including best-in-class available towing and available payload capacity, which should help it stay ahead of General Motors and Ram in terms of sales.

The 11th generation F-150 also becomes the first and only full-size pickup with a hybrid powertrain, providing 430 horsepower and a built-in Pro Power Onboard mobile generator with up to 7.2 kilowatts of electrical output. "I've been selling Fords for 28 years, and I've never seen my staff this excited about a vehicle launch," said Tim Hovik, owner of San Tan Ford in Phoenix. "The F-150 is the gold standard of trucks."

Pricing for the 2021 F-150 starts at $28,940 and goes well up from there depending on powertrains and trim configuration.