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Ford Ranger escapes axe thanks to high gas prices?

06/25/2008, 2:11 PM

By paulee

The Ford Ranger, as the least thirsty pick-up truck in the automaker’s line-up as well as in the industry, may have received a stay of execution, so to speak, with sales of the model picking up. The news is most welcome by workers who assemble the truck at Ford’s St. Paul, Minnesota plant, which would close next year to coincide with the end of the aging model’s life.

The Ranger would be continued to be made and sold for another two years, according to sources cited in a Detroit News report. That would give the automaker a small pick-up to sell until a replacement, likely bringing back the F-100 badge, is launched in 2011. That truck would be built overseas and sold globally.

In related news, Ford recently announced delaying the debut of its 2009 F-150 as well suspending its Boss V8 engine program.

The Ranger saw a 2.3 percent sales boost in year-to-year sales up until June, which is more impressive considering the rest of the company’s pick-up trucks sold 18.7 percent less in the same time period.

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06/25, 2:20 PM

posted by:

A-4sDOGcummer

might of missed the axe but this small ford had taken a bullet
or so. bring back the twin i beams that will be a retro throw back. dont regrill it and put itback on the lot. behind the barn and ” BLAM” end it already.
AD

06/25, 2:24 PM

posted by:

Zorlox

Put in a 2 liter turbo diesel and I’m interested

06/25, 2:25 PM

posted by:

xyunya

So instead of larger gas guzzler there will be smaller one! I wonder if there is 1 mpg difference in consumption.

06/25, 2:25 PM

posted by:

golf4me

Too bad they didn’t have the foresight to make their other “global” small truck NA-compatible. I’ve seen pics of that and it looks pretty nice and right-sized for the times. Two years from now is too long for them to wait to have a more modern small truck methinks…

06/25, 2:27 PM

posted by:

golf4me

Or, they could be bought out by Mahindra, then they’d be able to sell that one!

06/25, 2:31 PM

posted by:

murderedout

Make a 4 cylinder Hybrid Ranger that gets 35-40 mpg, or make another EV Ranger, thats more powerful.

06/25, 2:39 PM

posted by:

murderedout

Ford Rangers ****ing last a long time. Had a 1990 reg-cab, 2 wheel drive, 5 speed, 4.0L V-6, and that thing was quick, never had any problems with it whatsoever. I would race Civic SIs and Integra GSRs and bury the on Gratoit Ave.

06/25, 2:44 PM

posted by:

bigp

if they were to make it look like the f150 i would buy one and the 3.5liter v6 and 6 speed auto or manual..i want one of those f-100 every since i found out about .

06/25, 2:52 PM

posted by:

johnnycanuck

And who said that Ford were fools for leaving platforms virtually untouched for decades. It’s just like fashion: leave it long enough and eventually it’ll be back in style.

06/25, 3:10 PM

posted by:

beantownslut

Tell the truth: the Ranger is escaping the ax because it’s a stupid idea to kill the worl’s best small truck. F-100 is a good name, because it evokes the best truck, period.

@murderedout
You wrote:
Ford Rangers ****ing last a long time.
That’s something we can agree on. and How the Lakers can’t beat an Eastern team (You know the Pistons would’ve beaten those pretty boys, too.)

Maybe you need to think about why you win your Gratoit Ave. races. You racing against people without the brains or guts to get a Mustang, or at least a Camaro.

06/25, 3:17 PM

posted by:

mayer_ray_nagin

Both Los Angeles and Boston suck. LA sucks more.

06/25, 3:28 PM

posted by:

ktulu

Ford is now smart

06/25, 3:44 PM

posted by:

murderedout

The Pistons did beat the Lakers in the 2004 Championship, and that’s when they had Shaq.

06/25, 4:27 PM

posted by:

1c3d0g

Zorlox, actually they do offer such a Ranger here in the Caribbean. It’s a tough little truck, I’ll tell ya.

06/25, 6:33 PM

posted by:

wbent

For those of negative comments on Rangers, yes they are basically 20 years old but they are the only line that reflects a sales increase (excluding Tundra), highest loyalty, best on things gone wrong index, best fuel economy, second highest volume in compact class. Those who would want to mid size it would be wise to look at what happened to all except Tacoma when that was done. Rangers sell because of their consistency. Comming back in style…..only 1 year did the Ranger show a drastic drop in sales down to 70,000 units still beating all but the Tacoma. I am thrilled it is not getting axed.

06/25, 6:53 PM

posted by:

Gundy

I can’t believe the housing and strip mall developers didn’t force this plant to close already. I live in a St. Paul suburb and the land that this plant is on is unreal. Right on the Mississippi River with it’s own power plant, it’s seriously scenic. The second Ford announced that it was even thinking of closing this plant, the developers drool was causing the river to overflow.. sort of.. well.. Why can’t Ford use this plant to create some vehicle, car, truck, suv, boat, tri-motor plane, friggin’ pogo-stick, anything, that gets GOOD mileage? The Ranger should have been in “redesign” for the last 2-3-5+ years by now, and it should be the best little truck in the world by now.

06/25, 7:35 PM

posted by:

beantownslut

Cale Gundy?
My dad played Football at OSU — I don’t tell anyone about that, but he went to postgraduate at a REAL university

06/25, 10:19 PM

posted by:

lucklaster

I love these tough little nuts. One of my company Rangers t-boned a corrola at 40mph – totaled the toyota – but the little truck just needed grill work, a lens and the tow hook pulled out of their ass. Ford should keep this in their lineup – just a little tweaking with engine choices and a longer bed available.

06/26, 1:13 AM

posted by:

jdasch1

Well…I’m glad they are keeping the Ranger!! I drive an NimH Ranger EV pickup every day and love it!! It goes 100 miles without a drop of foreign oil. I drive it to its top speed of 80 MPH every day, Its a wonderful truck. It costs $.74 every 100 miles. I changed the transaxle fluid last year and a cabin air filter…thats all the maintenance! Its whisper quiet and a kick in the ass to drive! The truck hauls everything I need it to, and has the acceleration of a 3.0 liter V-6. Why the **** Ford does not build this truck today is besides me. These trucks are doing $30k now on Ebay and are in serious demand. Ford needs to be bold and offer this truck in a serial plug- in hybrid Hybrid with a 2.0 liter diesel. I would pay $35k for it and so would at least 100k others. Do you think their listening????

06/26, 11:26 AM

posted by:

Need4SSpeed

Yeah, I’m not a truck person so the Ranger was never a favorite of mine. But yeah, they do last a frieking long time. I see so many on the road. They are affordable, and with the way the market is going Ford really needs to keep it. A neighbor of mine has one from the mid-late 90’s, it’s a stick, and I know has a ton of miles on it. He’s an engineer for Visteon and it’s his daily driver because it probably gets better gas mileage than his wife’s mini van.

I also agree about using the F-100 name, make it a mini F-150 and Ford it’ll be at least one success for Ford. They could use it.

06/29, 5:10 PM

posted by:

TOZO

It’s 4.0L V6 isn’tsaving anyone any gas though. How about they give that one the ol heave-hoe?

 
 
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