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So the Ford Ranger is history?

K

KDOG

Diamond Member
From what I'm reading, there will be no 2012 Ranger. (Only for the Austrailan market.) I understand their logic from manufacturing perspective (less tooling, etc). But I think its a mistake sales wise. I see that they have come out with a new "base" engine for the F150 - a 3.7L V6 that pumps out 302hp and 278 lbs of torque - that I think would be just perfect for the Ranger. But alas...


Kinda sad to see it go...
 
I'd really like my next vehicle to be a Ranger, it's too bad it's going to be discontinued since that will probably keep resale value of used trucks higher than it need be. I recall reading the Ranger was slated to be discontinued back in 2008 or 2009, it's apparently been saved from the chopping block at least once. Perhaps 2011 sales can keep it off the block for 2012. Obviously the compact pickup market isn't as strong as it once was, but with gas prices creeping up I expect those who really need a truck will be looking to trade in their gas guzzling full size for a more economical compact in the next couple years. If Ford has no plans whatsoever to have a compact truck, I see them missing out on a lot of business, then again, the new F150 gets MPG comparable to the average compact.
 
I think Ford is miscalculating by assuming that gas mileage is the only thing that matters. Not everybody wants to drive a huge full size truck.
 
Throckmorton said:
I think Ford is miscalculating by assuming that gas mileage is the only thing that matters. Not everybody wants to drive a huge full size truck.
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I don't really want a full size truck, even the canyon/colorado and Dakota are larger than I want, heck the new tacomas are too big to be of much interest. Other than the Frontier the only true compact pickup is the Mazda B-series which is in danger of being phased out with the Ranger I assume.
 
Throckmorton said:
I think Ford is miscalculating by assuming that gas mileage is the only thing that matters. Not everybody wants to drive a huge full size truck.
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Yup. And I think they are missing out on having a pickup that gets great mileage and tow capacity for its size. Think about it. If their new 3.7L V6 they are putting in the F150 gets 23mpg and tows 6100 in THAT truck, imagine the improved numbers in a Ranger. I really think they should think about this... but looks like they've made their decision though.
 
That would be quite the little rocket truck with the V6 in it.
I LOVE 2WD regular cab short box trucks, but nobody makes em anymore. Its all these ugly heavy crew cab behemoths that barely fit in a normal garage on an angle.
Hopefully Ford brings it back soon, and maybe Chevy will get themselves a proper small truck too. Preferably with a V8 of some sort.
 
KK said:
I was lucky to get 24 out of it, most of the time 22.
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Do any highway driving? I commuted highway for a few months in my 06, and got near 28 regularly. I can put my foot in it and act like a slow jacknape around down and I still wind up around 23.

The v6 ecoboost would have been interesting in the Ranger, but I'd have been more interested in the i4 ecobost that is heading for the Explorer, would have upped the hp and mpg in the Ranger I imagine.

Besides mpg, the other place the F150 can't compete with the Ranger is price.
 
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RedRooster said:
That would be quite the little rocket truck with the V6 in it.
I LOVE 2WD regular cab short box trucks, but nobody makes em anymore. Its all these ugly heavy crew cab behemoths that barely fit in a normal garage on an angle.
Hopefully Ford brings it back soon, and maybe Chevy will get themselves a proper small truck too. Preferably with a V8 of some sort.
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Sorta off topic here.. A friend of mine has a ranger with the old 5.0 V8 swapped into it. That thing is DEFINITELY a rocket truck :thumbsup:
 
coxmaster said:
Sorta off topic here.. A friend of mine has a ranger with the old 5.0 V8 swapped into it. That thing is DEFINITELY a rocket truck :thumbsup:
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How does he get the power down? That thing must be as light in the rear as a choir boy's arse during private tutoring after Sunday school.
 
RedRooster said:
That would be quite the little rocket truck with the V6 in it.
I LOVE 2WD regular cab short box trucks, but nobody makes em anymore. Its all these ugly heavy crew cab behemoths that barely fit in a normal garage on an angle.
Hopefully Ford brings it back soon, and maybe Chevy will get themselves a proper small truck too. Preferably with a V8 of some sort.
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Well, the Colorado is available with the 5.3L, but not in that exact form.

Whether it's a proper truck is debatable. 😀
 
kornphlake said:
Obviously the compact pickup market isn't as strong as it once was
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That's kind of sad because at one time they seemed (to me) to be really popular. Heck, I remember it being the "in" thing to have slammed mini trucks (I recall a few S10) with subs in the bed! 😱 Also, for a while seemed like Toyota pickups with lift kits and huge tires were popular.

My dad had a 1982 Ford Courier (badge engineered Mazda B2000?) and my wife had a 1993 Toyota P/U. Both of these were standard cab stripped down vehicles with manual transmission, but they were both workhorses. Didn't pay attention back then with the Courier, but the Toyota actually got really great gas mileage, probably 25-30MPG depending on the conditions.
 
Zap said:
That's kind of sad because at one time they seemed (to me) to be really popular. Heck, I remember it being the "in" thing to have slammed mini trucks (I recall a few S10) with subs in the bed! 😱 Also, for a while seemed like Toyota pickups with lift kits and huge tires were popular.
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In the late 80's and early 90's it seems like mini trucks were all you'd see, especially the imports. My Dad had a 93 Nissan pickup, it seemed like they were a dime a dozen, at least in SoCal. Toyota pickups, S10 pickups, Mazda B series trucks and the Ranger were all quite common, even more common than full size trucks. Back in those days the cheapest vehicle you could buy was a compact pickup with a 4 banger and 5 speed, they lacked a few seats and didn't have a lot of options, but for a lot of people who needed cheap transportation it was a good choice. Once the trucks started getting names besides "pickup" they started getting getting options like power windows, crew cabs and air conditioning became standard options and the prices shot up and you stopped seeing them in high school parking lots.
 
Do you honestly think Ford would discontinue the Ranger just to spite people? They've done their research and figured it wouldn't make money to keep it going.
 
Rangers are still really popular here as work trucks. Gas is expensive in Hawaii.

Not only that but I'm pretty sure the most popular vehicles are the Tacoma and the Ranger. Oh yeah, also the Wrangler.
 
JeffreyLebowski said:
Do you honestly think Ford would discontinue the Ranger just to spite people? They've done their research and figured it wouldn't make money to keep it going.
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I'd guess that there is something else besides just sales. It probably needs a major redesign to meet emissions or safety requirements in the future and the current sales aren't strong enough to justify the expense of engineering and tooling up a significant redesign.
 
kornphlake said:
I'd guess that there is something else besides just sales. It probably needs a major redesign to meet emissions or safety requirements in the future and the current sales aren't strong enough to justify the expense of engineering and tooling up a significant redesign.
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Which is a shame too, because IMO the Ranger is long over-due for a serious remodel. That, and I like the cosmetic direction Ford is going with most of their vehicles, which I would think would lead to a very nice looking new body style.

It just isn't meant to be I suppose.
 
Turin39789 said:
Do any highway driving? I commuted highway for a few months in my 06, and got near 28 regularly. I can put my foot in it and act like a slow jacknape around down and I still wind up around 23.

The v6 ecoboost would have been interesting in the Ranger, but I'd have been more interested in the i4 ecobost that is heading for the Explorer, would have upped the hp and mpg in the Ranger I imagine.

Besides mpg, the other place the F150 can't compete with the Ranger is price.
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My 94 never got anywhere near 28, ever in its ~17 year life. Probably yours being 12 years newer has alot to do with the difference.
 
basslover1 said:
Which is a shame too, because IMO the Ranger is long over-due for a serious remodel. That, and I like the cosmetic direction Ford is going with most of their vehicles, which I would think would lead to a very nice looking new body style.

It just isn't meant to be I suppose.
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They got a new Ranger in the rest of the world. I doubt it will be discontinued. Too bad US consumers get screwed again.

01-ford-ranger-geneva_580op.jpg

03-ford-ranger-geneva.jpg
 
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