Ford's Louisville flex

Ford Motor Co. recently showed off the latest iteration of its large Expedition SUV in Louisville.

Was the reveal a sign of confidence for the automaker? After all, it gave the company a chance to boast about its high level of domestic production — something important in the wake of a trade war. 

We chat about that as well as the auto industry overall on this week's episode of the Access Louisville podcast. 

Let's face it, this event may have just been a good reason for Ford executives to come to Louisville on Derby Week.

The new 2025 Ford Expedition is rolling off the line at the Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville after the company invested $500 million at the facility. The reveal took place on Wednesday, April 30, and included a visit from Ford CEO Jim Farley as our partners at WDRB News reported. He spoke about the auto industry reactions on tariffs as well as the economy as a whole.

The price for the new SUV ranges anywhere from $62,000 to $100,000, by the way.  

After the automotive talk, we switch gears to talk about the Kentucky Derby. Reporter Michael L. Jones has covered a couple of Kentucky Derby related stories in the run-up to the big event, including a conversation with George Zambelli of the Zambelli fireworks family. 

Obviously, this was a rough year for the company after a huge flood in April canceled Thunder Over Louisville.

“I always wondered what it would be like if there was no Thunder, and unfortunately, we got to see what it was like,” Zambelli told Jones. “It's certainly an economic impact on the city. So, maybe this is a good wake-up call to say, ‘Hey, let's be supportive of this.’"

We also talk about the Belle of Louisville being scratched from the Great Steamboat Race and Jones' recent visit to Kern's Kitchen, makers of the famous Derby Pie.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify (which are linked above.)