Blue Bird Ford F-53 F-59 Chassis Next Generation

On August 5, Blue Bird Corp announced a definitive agreement with Ford Motor Co. Under the arrangement, the companies will create the next-generation Blue Bird Ford F-53 F-59 chassis, with new production anticipated to begin in early 2028. Blue Bird will take responsibility for the design, manufacturing, and sales of the next-generation F-53 and F-59 commercial stripped chassis, which will be paired with Ford powertrains. The platforms serve applications including box trucks and motorhomes, building on established customer demand for the chassis.

To accelerate development and launch activities, Blue Bird will acquire the Detroit Assembly Plant assets of Detroit Chassis LLC, the long-time manufacturer of Ford's F-53 and F-59 stripped chassis platforms. The transaction is intended to combine Detroit Chassis' manufacturing knowhow with Blue Bird's chassis design and production capabilities and Ford's powertrain technology. "From box trucks to motorhomes, customers have placed their trust in Ford's F-53 and F-59 stripped chassis platforms for generations," said John Emmert, Ford Pro's global director of product marketing.

Blue Bird said the combination of the three companies' capabilities is expected to support the next-generation platform's market introduction. “By combining the knowhow of Detroit Chassis, with Blue Bird's proven chassis design and manufacturing capabilities, along with Ford's industry-leading powertrain technology, we will bring the next generation F-53 and F-59 platform to market,” said John Wyskiel, President and CEO of Blue Bird Corp. The agreement establishes a development and manufacturing pathway toward production beginning in early 2028 while maintaining Ford powertrains within the commercial stripped chassis platforms.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is production of the next-generation F-53 and F-59 chassis expected to begin?
Production is anticipated to begin in early 2028 following development and launch activities under the agreement between Blue Bird Corp and Ford Motor Co. Blue Bird will assume responsibility for the design, manufacturing, and sales of the commercial stripped chassis, while the platforms will use Ford powertrains. To accelerate the program, Blue Bird plans to acquire the Detroit Assembly Plant assets of Detroit Chassis LLC, which has been the long-time manufacturer of Ford's F-53 and F-59 stripped chassis platforms.