Ford vehicle customization push targets aftermarket profit
Ford is expanding factory-backed accessories, starting with a $57,350 limited Bronco, to capture more of the U.S. aftermarket.
By Hana Yoshida · Markets Reporter
3 min read
Ford Motor is trying to turn Ford vehicle customization into a larger profit source by expanding factory-backed accessories, parts and special-edition models. The effort gives the automaker a bigger claim on the U.S. aftermarket, where the Specialty Equipment Market Association says consumers spent $52.9 billion on vehicle accessories and modifications in 2025.
Matt Simpson, executive director of Ford Customization, told CNBC the company plans more releases built around exclusive, limited-run moments, comparing the idea to a sneaker launch. He said Ford is increasing investment in the group to offer buyers more choices after the sale.
What is Ford Custom Garage?
Ford Custom Garage is the automaker’s customization program, launched last year as a one-stop shop for factory-backed vehicle upgrades. Ford says the offerings include exterior detailing, vehicle wraps, performance parts and systems.
The program’s first limited “vehicle drop” arrived Monday with the Bronco Desert Rising package, part of a new Bronco Horizon Series. Ford said it will build 1,000 of the desert sunrise-inspired SUVs, with a $13,695 package that brings the vehicle’s price to $57,350.
Ford designers said the look was not developed with Mattel’s Barbie brand in mind, according to CNBC. Other Custom Garage packages start in the thousands of dollars, while some Mustang performance packages cost $16,000 to $18,000 and a special performance version of the F-150 pickup approaches $27,000.
Why does Ford want more customers to customize vehicles?
Special editions and higher-performance models have long helped automakers raise prices and margins. Ford says it now wants to make customization available across more models and price points rather than keeping it concentrated in a few enthusiast vehicles.
Ford reports that 46% of its new U.S. vehicle buyers customize their vehicles in some form. Bronco owners lead that group, followed by Mustang buyers and pickup customers, according to the company.
Simpson declined to give CNBC a specific growth target for the customization unit. He said Ford wants both a higher share of buyers choosing packages and higher spending from those who do, adding that customers who spend more on accessories with Ford show stronger loyalty.
The company is also trying to capture spending that might otherwise go to non-automaker aftermarket shops. Ford says customizations bought through its program are included in the new vehicle warranty, and buyers can roll the cost of parts or packages into monthly payments on a purchase or lease.
The push comes as vehicles become harder for individual owners and non-certified shops to work on because of added technology and specialized tools. Ford CEO Jim Farley drew criticism last month after President Donald Trump said Ford and General Motors backed legislation that would make it harder for owners to work on their own vehicles; Farley later said customers should not work on cars under warranty because newer vehicles require specialty equipment.
Farley has described Ford’s aftermarket business as a growth opportunity that includes software services as well as parts and accessories. Ford has said it aims to grow its $15 billion high-margin software and physical services revenue, which includes customization, by 8% a year through the end of the decade.
This story draws on original reporting from CNBC.