Ford unveiled a compact pickup concept in Thailand on Friday called the Ranger Max. The show car is intended as a preview of the next-generation Ranger for the Thai market. For years, the Ranger sold in the Asian country has been a completely distinct model from its American counterpart of the same name. At this point in time, it’s not known if that will change, but this new Ranger does draw on Ford’s ‘Bold American’ design language.
Ford says the Ranger Max concept was developed by a team of truck specialists in Thailand working closely with Ford’s Australia-based Asia Pacific and Africa design team. The next-gen Ranger, code-named T6, is being developed by the same group.
“The Ranger Max is not just about creating show excitement,” said chief designer Paul Gibson. “We have a great opportunity to test design themes that may make their way into production. Ranger Max says exciting things about the possibilities for truck fans in Ranger’s future.”
So what, if anything, does this mean to those of us in North America? Well, there are a few possibilities. Recent rumors suggest Ford might be planning a separate compact model called the F-100, specifically built for the U.S. market. Alternatively, there is speculation Ford might simply offer different versions of the F-150 with smaller engines. Lastly, there have been some whispers about Ford importing a version of the Thai Ranger to America. At this point in time, there’s not enough information out there to place any reliable bets.
