Hey, Ford ... Unleash Leary!

The auto industry is a cut-throat business and over the last century few companies have drawn more blood in the marketplace than Ford.

So why is this venerable brand sobbing to its lawyers like a tear-faced toddler running for his nanny’s apron?

In a GM ad aired during this year’s Super Bowl telecast, a grizzled Chevy Silverado owner tweaks the considerable noses of Ford’s F-Series pickups.

Silverado-man suggests a counterpart was none-too-smart because he chose a Blue Oval truck over one with a Bowtie. And to back up the dig, GM cites vehicle-registration data between 1981 and 2011 to demonstrate the Silverado is “the longest-lasting, most dependable truck on the road.”

Against this backdrop, the F-Series has been America’s best-selling vehicle every year since God made dirt and the truck's recent safety ratings trump Silverado’s.

Did Ford then craft some clever response for its premier pickup pitchmen, smash-mouth comedian Denis Leary or kick-butt country singer Toby Keith?

No, it called the suits who threatened to “take all appropriate steps” to make GM stop the teasing.

Ooooooh. Bet that scared GM.

Silverado owners now are laughing themselves silly while their F-Series foils got thrown under the bus.

C’mon, Ford! Don’t get mad, get even.