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Ford Ranger (North America)
Encyclopedia
The Ford Ranger is a pickup truck
produced by the Ford Motor Company
. The "Ranger" name had previously been used for a premium styling package on the F-Series
full-sized pickup trucks since 1965. The name was moved to this line of North American compact trucks for the 1983 model year.
In North America, the Ranger is Ford
's compact pickup truck. The Ranger replaced the Ford Courier
, an American version of the Mazda B-Series, in a segment largely defined by the Toyota and Datsun pickup trucks. The Ranger was the best-selling compact pickup in America from 1987 to 2004.
The Ranger and related Mazda B-Series are manufactured at Ford's Twin Cities Assembly Plant
in St. Paul, Minnesota, which is now scheduled to close in 2011. They were also assembled in Louisville, Kentucky
until 1999 and in Edison, New Jersey
until the plant's closing in 2004.
Second-generation models were also sold as the Mazda B-Series. Mazda
has used the engine
displacement to determine the name. Thus, the B2500 had a 2.5 L
I4 engine, and the B4000 has a 4.0 L V6. For 2002, the name was changed to simply Mazda Truck in the United States. Mazda's partnership with Ford
has resulted in the sharing of this vehicle—the Mazda B-Series and Ford Ranger
are essentially the same after 1994.
, but in a more economical package. The compact Ranger had a similar styling to the full-size Ford F-Series, used a similar architecture, and was offered with a four-wheel drive capability. This ability allowed the Ford Ranger to haul a four-foot-wide (1.2 m) sheet of plywood, which is a common standard for a pickup truck. In the compact Ranger, however, the space between the wheel wells was less than four feet; Ford designed the box with provisions to allow hauling of a standard sheet of plywood.
1983 Ranger production began January 18, 1982 at the Louisville Assembly Plant
, hitting showrooms in March. Available engines were the 72 hp 2.0 L and 86 hp 2.3 L OHC four-cylinders
, a four-cylinder 59 hp 2.2 L Mazda/Perkins diesel, and a 115 hp 2.8 L Cologne
V6. In 1985, a Mitsubishi-built 2.3 L turbodiesel with 86 hp replaced the Mazda diesel engine, and in 1986, the 2.8 L engine was replaced with a 140 hp 2.9 L Cologne
V6. The Super-cab was introduced in 1986, offering an extra 17 inches (432 mm) of storage space behind the front seats, with a pair of jump seats available as an option. A lot of the parts of the interior such as the steering wheel and the window cranks were similar to those in other Ford vehicles like the Bronco, Escort, and the F-Series.
Mid-year 1986 saw the introduction of the Ranger GT. Available only as a standard cab with a short bed, it had a 2.9 L Cologne V6 with either a 5-speed Toyo Kogyo manual transmission or an optional A4LD automatic transmission putting power to a Traction-Lok differential with a 3.73 gear ratio. Inside, the pickup was equipped with special bucket seats, full instrument cluster, and an optional center console. Front and rear sway bars were installed, and 14x6 aluminum wheels completed the package. A long bed option was added for 1987, and a new ground effects package was introduced in 1988.
The new steering column included, on automatic transmission-equipped models, a column-mounted gear shift, and key removal on manual transmission models became a simpler, one-handed operation. Manual-equipped 1983–88 models had the key release button beneath the column on the left-hand side, requiring drivers to use both hands to remove the key.
Rear-wheel antilock brakes were added, and a 21 US gal (79 l; 17 imp gal) fuel tank was now optional on extended-cab models.
The 2.0 L engine was discontinued, and the 2.3 L now had a distributorless ignition system with two spark plugs per cylinder, giving it a 14 hp boost and better fuel economy. The three-speed automatics
were dropped, leaving only the A4LD. The new 160 hp 4.0 L Cologne
V6 was added to the option list for all models in 1990. The 145 hp 3.0 L Vulcan
V6 was introduced to replace the 2.9 L Cologne
in rear-wheel drive trucks later in 1990. With the new engines, the only manual transmission available was the 5-speed M5OD-R1
.
The Ranger GT was discontinued, although the Ford Truck Public Affairs office did build a prototype for 1990 powered by a 3.0 L SHO
V6.
option. A new "Splash" model was introduced, which had a flare side bed, unique chrome wheels, 1 inches (25 mm) lowered rear suspension and a 2 inch lowered front suspension (on 4x2 models), and special vinyl "Splash" decals on the sides and the tailgate. The 1993 Splash models were only available as a regular cab, and were offered in arctic white, gloss black, red orange, and sky blue. The Mazda B-Series became a rebadged Ranger for the 1994 model year, but the Mazda B-Series did not offer an equivalent to the Splash model. For the 1994 model year, the Splash trim had options which all included; a 1 in (25 mm) lowered rear suspension and 2 inch lowered front suspension (on 4x2 models), flare side bed, an extended cab, and unique chrome wheels. The decals also underwent subtle changes. While the 1993 – 1994 models donned red, yellow and blue stripes, the 1995 – 1996 models had lime green stripes with more emphasis on the "scatter" design. Additionally, the available colors for the Splash model changed from the 1993 – 1994 models to the 1995 – 1997 models. The latter were offered in Maroon Red, Gloss black, White, and Canary Yellow. The Splash model was the first Ranger to offer power mirrors, and throughout the 3rd generation's production run, power mirrors remained exclusive to the Splash models. For the 1997 and final model of the Splash, only the name "Splash" was used, without the stripes.
and the dashboard was completely redesigned in a similar way to the new-for-1995 Explorer
, except that the passenger air bag was optional and not available until 1996. The dashboard change also meant the head unit went from single DIN
to double DIN. The A4LD transmission was updated. 2.3 L and 3.0 L models got the 4R44E, while 4.0 L trucks got the 4R55E. The front brakes were changed to use the same 2-piston brake calipers as the second-generation Explorer
, and four-wheel anti-lock brakes were added as standard on 4x4 and 4.0 L models.
V6 gasoline engine. As demand increased, Ford decided to build it locally in Buenos Aires
Argentina
at the Ford General Pacheco Assembly Plant
for the Argentinian, Chile
an, Brazil
ian, Peru
vian, and Mexican
markets. Ford started local production in 1996 with a single cab, gasoline engine version, but by November 1997 the supply is increased with diesel and gasoline engines, two-wheel
, four-wheel drive
and different levels of equipment.
.Mazda continued to manufacture its own trucks in Japan and elsewhere, but for the North American market, the design was shared, as were the engines.The new B3000 and B4000 boasted large Ford V6 engines, and the M5OD-R1 manual transmission
returning to the options sheet.Extended cab models were available, as was all-wheel drive, and two trim lines, LE and SE.The 3.0 L B3000 was dropped for 1997, and the entire line was refreshed after that year.
Engine options:
, bringing with it a beefier M5OD-R1HD
manual transmission. Also in 2001, the five-speed automatic transmission that was introduced in 1997 for the 4.0 V6, was now also available with the 2.3 I4 and 3.0 V6. The Ranger received a facelift, including a new grille, hood, and front bumper, as well as updated headlights and taillights. SLP produced a version of the Ranger called "thunderbolt". This model included different options such as a unique front and rear bumper, air intake, exhaust and even a spoiler. In 2004 the Ranger received minor updates to the grille, hood, and front bumper. New front bucket seats were also added in 2004 to meet the new U.S. Federal safety requirements. In 2006 the Ranger received more minor updates to the grille, front turn signals and taillights, along with a bigger rear Ford logo that was now centered in the middle of the tailgate.
The current Ranger is offered with a 143 hp 2.3-liter I4 and a 207 hp 4.0-liter V6. The 3.0 Vulcan V6 was discontinued as of the 2009 model year. The FX4 Level II version comes with a special 31-spline 8.8 inches (223.5 mm) rear axle
equipped with a Zexel-Torsen limited-slip differential, three skid plates, upgraded tow hooks, 31" BFGoodrich All Terrains, 15-inch Alcoa wheels, and Bilstein shocks. Inside, the Level II package added leather front bucket seats and rubber floors along with a six-CD MP3 headunit as standard options. The truck uses code R1 (for two-door) and R4 (for four-door) in the 5th and 6th positions of the VIN
.
In December 2009, Ford announced that specialty-designed custom graphics would be applied to the Ranger beginning with the 2010 models. The feature will be exclusive to Ford Dealers and will allow customers to pick a design that they want customized for their Ranger trims.
As of 2010 in the US, the Ranger is no longer offered with the FX4 trim level. The FX4 is still available in Canada; however, it is a $2500 option on top of the Sport trim level. The FX4 package cannot be applied to an XLT. The FX4 for the 2010–2011 model years in Canada come with a 4.10 limited slip rear end.
For the 2011 model year, the level trims have adjusted. The XL trim will be the standard level, followed by the XLT and Sport trims. The latter two will include Sirius radio as a optional feature.
The Ford Ranger was the first small pickup to introduce dual air bags as safety features. It received an "acceptable" frontal crash test rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety when they were first tested in 1998, while many of its competitors received "marginal" or "poor" ratings at that time. The exception was the Toyota Tacoma
, which also got an "acceptable" rating.
The 2010 model year brought the addition of front seat combination head and torso airbags to improve passenger safety in a side-impact collision and earned Good rating through the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
's Side Impact Test. Also Electronic Stability Control was added for the 2010 Models as Standard Equipment.
In the Roof Strength Test conducted by Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
, the Ford Ranger earned an Acceptable rating.
undergoing development.
There was a choice of two powerplant options including a 3.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder diesel
with 163 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque mated to a Eaton FSO-2405-A five-speed manual transmission.
In 2007 Ford invested US$156.5 million in its facility in General Pacheco, Argentina
. For 2008, the Ranger received a makeover with a grill and headlights similar to the 2006 North American version; bed extenders became available for all boxes. The 2010 Ranger was updated further with new sheet metal giving it a more aggressive stance; it also received its own version of the corporate three-bar grille completely different from its North American counterpart. Other changes included redesigned outer door skins with pull-out door handles and wider wheel arches, though the 2008 interior was retained as well as the two engine choices.
In 2010 Ford also introduced a new optional engine to run exclusively on compressed natural gas
, which makes it the first pick up of Argentina to offer a factory-built natural gas vehicle
(NGV) commercially available in Argentina.
Outside of Argentina, the Ranger was sold as a badge-engineered version of the Mazda B-Series
(to 2006) and the BT-50
(2006-2011); these was assembled in Colombia
and Ecuador
(in CKD form). As the North American Ranger became the basis of the first-generation Explorer, the Mazda-based Ranger is the basis of a body-on-frame SUV named the Ford Everest
sold in markets outside of North America and Europe.
After 2011, the Ranger T6
designed by Ford of Australia will replace both the North American and Mazda-based versions; it will be produced in Argentina.
2010 Ford Ranger (Argentina) Wheelbases and bed lengths:
Engines:
The Ford Ranger EV was a battery electric vehicle
produced by Ford Motor Company; it was produced from 1998 to 2002. The chassis of the four-wheel drive model was used, but the Ranger EV was strictly a rear-wheel drive vehicle. Unlike other versions, the EV was designed with an independent rear suspension (with de Dion tube
). 1998 models employed lead-acid batteries while subsequent models used Nickel metal hydride (NiMH)
batteries.
The Ranger EV is largely indistinguishable from a standard Ranger except for its grille. On EV models, a door for a charging port is located on the right third of the grille.
North America saw a redesigned B-Series again for 1998, with a larger base engine. A five-speed automatic transmission
was available.The 1999 B-Series added four doors, a first in the extended-cab pickup truck market. In 2001 a more powerful SOHC version of the 4.0 L V6 replaced the old OHV
engine, while Ford's Duratec engine replaced the ancient Lima engine in four-cylinder models the following year. 2007 was the last year for 3.0 L B-Series trucks. For 2009, the B4000 Cab Plus SE model was discontinued in the United States market. The full B-Series lineup was discontinued, in the United States, at the end of the 2009 model year, while the Ford Ranger remains in production. The B-Series was sold in the Canadian market for one more model year.
Engine options:
Ford chose to invest improvements in the Ford Explorer
SUV
which was branched to a more advanced platform than the Ranger, letting Ranger's sales decline. However as a result of the shift toward smaller and more fuel efficient vehicles in North America, Ford has said it will continue to produce the current Ford Ranger through 2012 at its Twin Cities, Minn. plant, which was previously scheduled to close in 2009.
This production extension has led to speculation that the next-generation Asean Ranger, codenamed T6, already at an advanced stage of development by Ford Australia
, would be sold in North America despite being designed for global markets outside of North America. The T6 Ranger entered production in 2011.
As of May 2010, T6 engineering prototypes are being tested in various countries including the U.S. It is expected that the new truck will come with at least two engine choices: a 2.0 L EcoBoost
four-cylinder, and the 3.0 L Duratorq
diesel for models sold outside the U.S.
In recent years, Ranger's competitors, from the Nissan Frontier
to the Toyota Tacoma
have been redesigned and enlarged towards the mid-size market, leaving the Ranger the only truck in the US compact market segment. The Ranger remains a decent seller for Ford, with companies like Auto Zone buying them regularly as well as those individuals seeking good fuel mileage in a compact truck (Ranger gets better MPG than any other pickup with its Mazda-derived 4cyl engine).
Ford initially considered a smaller-than-F-150 pickup truck, one based on the F-Series (following the older F-100 offering). This proposal was cancelled in favor of offering an EcoBoost engine in the F-150 product line.
Ford has confirmed that they will end production on the Ranger in 2011, and have no plans to offer the next generation in the United States, which means that the T6 version will only be available outside the US. The decision as to why the Ranger will no longer be available in the United Staes is that the new global platform is simply too close in size to the F-150. Another factor is due to declining sales, as Ford's Vice President of Global Product Development, Derrick Kuzak, notes that the compact pickup market in the United States has been declining for the past 15 years, dropping from eight percent of the industry in 1994 to around two percent in 2010. The ending of the Ranger in the United States also marks a departure for Ford from the compact truck segment after 30 years.
On June 22, 2011, a report from the United Auto Workers
879, which represents workers at the factory where the North American Ranger is produced, was released which stated that production of the Ranger was planned to end on December 19, 2011.
Pickup truck
A pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area .-Definition:...
produced by the Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
. The "Ranger" name had previously been used for a premium styling package on the F-Series
Ford F-Series
The F-Series is a series of full-size pickup trucks from Ford Motor Company which has been sold continuously for over six decades. The most popular variant of the F-Series is the F-150...
full-sized pickup trucks since 1965. The name was moved to this line of North American compact trucks for the 1983 model year.
In North America, the Ranger is Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
's compact pickup truck. The Ranger replaced the Ford Courier
Ford Courier
- North America :This was a commercial model based on Ford's full-size stationwagon line. Its model code was designated 78A.From 1952 to 1956 access to the rear storage area was through a unique door hinged on the side. For 1957 and 1958, the rear access door was a combination of the lift gate and...
, an American version of the Mazda B-Series, in a segment largely defined by the Toyota and Datsun pickup trucks. The Ranger was the best-selling compact pickup in America from 1987 to 2004.
The Ranger and related Mazda B-Series are manufactured at Ford's Twin Cities Assembly Plant
Twin Cities Assembly Plant
Ford Motor Company's Twin Cities Assembly Plant is located next to the Mississippi River in the Highland Park neighborhood of St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest Ford plant still in operation, having been first built in 1924. Today, the plant manufactures the Ford Ranger pickup...
in St. Paul, Minnesota, which is now scheduled to close in 2011. They were also assembled in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
until 1999 and in Edison, New Jersey
Edison, New Jersey
Edison Township is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey. What is now Edison Township was originally incorporated as Raritan Township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1870, from portions of both Piscataway Township and Woodbridge Township...
until the plant's closing in 2004.
Second-generation models were also sold as the Mazda B-Series. Mazda
Mazda
is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Fuchū, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.In 2007, Mazda produced almost 1.3 million vehicles for global sales...
has used the engine
Internal combustion engine
The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high -pressure gases produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine...
displacement to determine the name. Thus, the B2500 had a 2.5 L
Litér
- External links :*...
I4 engine, and the B4000 has a 4.0 L V6. For 2002, the name was changed to simply Mazda Truck in the United States. Mazda's partnership with Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
has resulted in the sharing of this vehicle—the Mazda B-Series and Ford Ranger
Ford Ranger
The Ford Ranger is a pickup truck produced by the Ford Motor Company. The "Ranger" name had previously been used for a premium styling package on the F-Series full-sized pickup trucks since 1965. The name was moved to this line of North American compact trucks for the 1983 model year.In North...
are essentially the same after 1994.
1983–1988
Ford began development of the Ranger in 1976, focusing on quality and fuel efficiency. The intent was to build a truck that was as capable as the full-size F-SeriesFord F-Series
The F-Series is a series of full-size pickup trucks from Ford Motor Company which has been sold continuously for over six decades. The most popular variant of the F-Series is the F-150...
, but in a more economical package. The compact Ranger had a similar styling to the full-size Ford F-Series, used a similar architecture, and was offered with a four-wheel drive capability. This ability allowed the Ford Ranger to haul a four-foot-wide (1.2 m) sheet of plywood, which is a common standard for a pickup truck. In the compact Ranger, however, the space between the wheel wells was less than four feet; Ford designed the box with provisions to allow hauling of a standard sheet of plywood.
1983 Ranger production began January 18, 1982 at the Louisville Assembly Plant
Louisville Assembly Plant
The Louisville Assembly Plant is an automobile manufacturing plant owned by Ford Motor Company in Louisville, Kentucky. The plant on opened in 1955 and currently employs a total of 2,000 people. It is located adjacent to the Louisville International Airport on the south side of the city...
, hitting showrooms in March. Available engines were the 72 hp 2.0 L and 86 hp 2.3 L OHC four-cylinders
Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
, a four-cylinder 59 hp 2.2 L Mazda/Perkins diesel, and a 115 hp 2.8 L Cologne
Ford Cologne V6 engine
The original Ford Cologne V6, also known as the 'Ford Taunus V6', is a series of 60° cast iron block V6 engines produced continuously by the Ford Motor Company in Cologne, Germany since 1968...
V6. In 1985, a Mitsubishi-built 2.3 L turbodiesel with 86 hp replaced the Mazda diesel engine, and in 1986, the 2.8 L engine was replaced with a 140 hp 2.9 L Cologne
Ford Cologne V6 engine
The original Ford Cologne V6, also known as the 'Ford Taunus V6', is a series of 60° cast iron block V6 engines produced continuously by the Ford Motor Company in Cologne, Germany since 1968...
V6. The Super-cab was introduced in 1986, offering an extra 17 inches (432 mm) of storage space behind the front seats, with a pair of jump seats available as an option. A lot of the parts of the interior such as the steering wheel and the window cranks were similar to those in other Ford vehicles like the Bronco, Escort, and the F-Series.
Mid-year 1986 saw the introduction of the Ranger GT. Available only as a standard cab with a short bed, it had a 2.9 L Cologne V6 with either a 5-speed Toyo Kogyo manual transmission or an optional A4LD automatic transmission putting power to a Traction-Lok differential with a 3.73 gear ratio. Inside, the pickup was equipped with special bucket seats, full instrument cluster, and an optional center console. Front and rear sway bars were installed, and 14x6 aluminum wheels completed the package. A long bed option was added for 1987, and a new ground effects package was introduced in 1988.
1989–1992
The truck received a facelift for 1989, which included flush composite headlamps, new front fenders, hood, and grille, along with some upgrades to the frame. Inside, there was a modern new dashboard and steering column.Rear-wheel antilock brakes were added, and a 21 US gal (79 l; 17 imp gal) fuel tank was now optional on extended-cab models.
The 2.0 L engine was discontinued, and the 2.3 L now had a distributorless ignition system with two spark plugs per cylinder, giving it a 14 hp boost and better fuel economy. The three-speed automatics
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
were dropped, leaving only the A4LD. The new 160 hp 4.0 L Cologne
Ford Cologne V6 engine
The original Ford Cologne V6, also known as the 'Ford Taunus V6', is a series of 60° cast iron block V6 engines produced continuously by the Ford Motor Company in Cologne, Germany since 1968...
V6 was added to the option list for all models in 1990. The 145 hp 3.0 L Vulcan
Ford Vulcan engine
The Ford Vulcan V6 is a 3.0 L , 60° V6 engine with an iron block and iron heads, used in some of Ford Motor Company's vehicles from model years 1986 through 2008. It was originally designed to be the optional engine in the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable. In 1992, it became the standard engine for...
V6 was introduced to replace the 2.9 L Cologne
Ford Cologne V6 engine
The original Ford Cologne V6, also known as the 'Ford Taunus V6', is a series of 60° cast iron block V6 engines produced continuously by the Ford Motor Company in Cologne, Germany since 1968...
in rear-wheel drive trucks later in 1990. With the new engines, the only manual transmission available was the 5-speed M5OD-R1
Mazda M5OD transmission
The M5OD is a line of manual transmissions produced by Mazda and used in Mazda and Ford cars and trucks. Two variants, light-duty R1 and medium duty R2, are made. R1 transmissions have been used in the Ford Ranger, Explorer, Aerostar, and Bronco II...
.
The Ranger GT was discontinued, although the Ford Truck Public Affairs office did build a prototype for 1990 powered by a 3.0 L SHO
Ford SHO V6 engine
The Ford SHO V6 is a family of DOHC V6 engines fitted to the Ford Taurus SHO from 1989 to 1995. The designation SHO denotes Super High Output....
V6.
1993–1997
In 1993 there was another redesign, with a shape more aerodynamic than before. Overall the truck had smoother lines, and other changes included flush-mounted door glass, wider doors, and slight fender flares. The 1989-style dashboard remained, but the seats and door panels were new. The 2.9-liter engine was discontinued. The engines offered were offered in displacements of 2.3-, 3.0- and a 4.0 liters. The Mazda M5OD-R1 was now the sole manual transmissionManual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
option. A new "Splash" model was introduced, which had a flare side bed, unique chrome wheels, 1 inches (25 mm) lowered rear suspension and a 2 inch lowered front suspension (on 4x2 models), and special vinyl "Splash" decals on the sides and the tailgate. The 1993 Splash models were only available as a regular cab, and were offered in arctic white, gloss black, red orange, and sky blue. The Mazda B-Series became a rebadged Ranger for the 1994 model year, but the Mazda B-Series did not offer an equivalent to the Splash model. For the 1994 model year, the Splash trim had options which all included; a 1 in (25 mm) lowered rear suspension and 2 inch lowered front suspension (on 4x2 models), flare side bed, an extended cab, and unique chrome wheels. The decals also underwent subtle changes. While the 1993 – 1994 models donned red, yellow and blue stripes, the 1995 – 1996 models had lime green stripes with more emphasis on the "scatter" design. Additionally, the available colors for the Splash model changed from the 1993 – 1994 models to the 1995 – 1997 models. The latter were offered in Maroon Red, Gloss black, White, and Canary Yellow. The Splash model was the first Ranger to offer power mirrors, and throughout the 3rd generation's production run, power mirrors remained exclusive to the Splash models. For the 1997 and final model of the Splash, only the name "Splash" was used, without the stripes.
1995 updates
A number of changes were made for 1995. The steering wheel was modified to include a driver's side airbagAirbag
An Airbag is a vehicle safety device. It is an occupant restraint consisting of a flexible envelope designed to inflate rapidly during an automobile collision, to prevent occupants from striking interior objects such as the steering wheel or a window...
and the dashboard was completely redesigned in a similar way to the new-for-1995 Explorer
Ford Explorer
The Ford Explorer is a sport-utility vehicle sold in North America and built by the Ford Motor Company since 1990, as a replacement for the smaller but related Ford Bronco II. It is manufactured in Chicago, Illinois...
, except that the passenger air bag was optional and not available until 1996. The dashboard change also meant the head unit went from single DIN
ISO 7736
International standard ISO 7736 defines a standard size for car audio head units. The standard was originally established by the German standards body Deutsches Institut für Normung as DIN 75490, and is therefore commonly referred to as the "DIN car radio size"...
to double DIN. The A4LD transmission was updated. 2.3 L and 3.0 L models got the 4R44E, while 4.0 L trucks got the 4R55E. The front brakes were changed to use the same 2-piston brake calipers as the second-generation Explorer
Ford Explorer
The Ford Explorer is a sport-utility vehicle sold in North America and built by the Ford Motor Company since 1990, as a replacement for the smaller but related Ford Bronco II. It is manufactured in Chicago, Illinois...
, and four-wheel anti-lock brakes were added as standard on 4x4 and 4.0 L models.
South America
In 1995 Ford started importing the two-door Ranger SuperCab from the US to South America with the 4.0-liter CologneFord Cologne V6 engine
The original Ford Cologne V6, also known as the 'Ford Taunus V6', is a series of 60° cast iron block V6 engines produced continuously by the Ford Motor Company in Cologne, Germany since 1968...
V6 gasoline engine. As demand increased, Ford decided to build it locally in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
at the Ford General Pacheco Assembly Plant
Ford Motor Company of Argentina
Ford Motor Argentina is a subsidiary of Ford Motor Company and was founded in Buenos Aires in 1913.Its first products were Model Ts assembled from Complete Knock Down kits provided by Ford Motor Company in 1917...
for the Argentinian, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
vian, and Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
markets. Ford started local production in 1996 with a single cab, gasoline engine version, but by November 1997 the supply is increased with diesel and gasoline engines, two-wheel
Two-wheel drive
Two wheel drive or 2WD describes vehicles with a drivetrain that allows two wheels to receive power from the engine simultaneously.-Four wheeled vehicles:...
, four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...
and different levels of equipment.
Mazda B-Series
The North American 1994 Proceed/B-Series was new, the design having been merged with the Ford RangerFord Ranger
The Ford Ranger is a pickup truck produced by the Ford Motor Company. The "Ranger" name had previously been used for a premium styling package on the F-Series full-sized pickup trucks since 1965. The name was moved to this line of North American compact trucks for the 1983 model year.In North...
.Mazda continued to manufacture its own trucks in Japan and elsewhere, but for the North American market, the design was shared, as were the engines.The new B3000 and B4000 boasted large Ford V6 engines, and the M5OD-R1 manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
returning to the options sheet.Extended cab models were available, as was all-wheel drive, and two trim lines, LE and SE.The 3.0 L B3000 was dropped for 1997, and the entire line was refreshed after that year.
Engine options:
- B2300
- 1994 – 2.3 L (2311 cc) OHC I4Straight-4The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
, 98 hp - 1995–1997 – 2.3 L (2311 cc) OHC I4Straight-4The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
, 112 hp
- 1994 – 2.3 L (2311 cc) OHC I4
- B3000
- 1994 – 3.0 L (2983 cc) VulcanFord Vulcan engineThe Ford Vulcan V6 is a 3.0 L , 60° V6 engine with an iron block and iron heads, used in some of Ford Motor Company's vehicles from model years 1986 through 2008. It was originally designed to be the optional engine in the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable. In 1992, it became the standard engine for...
V6, 140 hp - 1995–1996 – 3.0 L (2983 cc) VulcanFord Vulcan engineThe Ford Vulcan V6 is a 3.0 L , 60° V6 engine with an iron block and iron heads, used in some of Ford Motor Company's vehicles from model years 1986 through 2008. It was originally designed to be the optional engine in the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable. In 1992, it became the standard engine for...
V6, 145 hp
- 1994 – 3.0 L (2983 cc) Vulcan
- B4000
- 1994–1997 – 4.0 L (4016 cc) CologneFord Cologne V6 engineThe original Ford Cologne V6, also known as the 'Ford Taunus V6', is a series of 60° cast iron block V6 engines produced continuously by the Ford Motor Company in Cologne, Germany since 1968...
V6, 160 hp
- 1994–1997 – 4.0 L (4016 cc) Cologne
1998–2011
In 1998 the Ranger got another redesign, giving it a longer wheelbase and a three-inch (76 mm) longer cab for the regular cab models (part of which provided more room in the interior. The 1995–97 interior look was retained. The twin I-beam front suspension was replaced by the wishbone-style system found on the Explorer and the front half of the frame was of "boxed", rather than C-channel construction. Rack and pinion steering was also added. Also, for the 2000 model year, amber rear turn signals were discontinued. The four-cylinder engine was bumped up to a 2.5 L SOHC I4 giving it a 6% increase in power over the old 2.3 L. It put out 120 hp and 149 lbft of torque. That engine was replaced by a new DOHC 2.3 L Duratec I4 in mid-2001. 2001 also saw the pushrod 4.0 L V6 replaced by the SOHC version from the ExplorerFord Explorer
The Ford Explorer is a sport-utility vehicle sold in North America and built by the Ford Motor Company since 1990, as a replacement for the smaller but related Ford Bronco II. It is manufactured in Chicago, Illinois...
, bringing with it a beefier M5OD-R1HD
Mazda M5OD transmission
The M5OD is a line of manual transmissions produced by Mazda and used in Mazda and Ford cars and trucks. Two variants, light-duty R1 and medium duty R2, are made. R1 transmissions have been used in the Ford Ranger, Explorer, Aerostar, and Bronco II...
manual transmission. Also in 2001, the five-speed automatic transmission that was introduced in 1997 for the 4.0 V6, was now also available with the 2.3 I4 and 3.0 V6. The Ranger received a facelift, including a new grille, hood, and front bumper, as well as updated headlights and taillights. SLP produced a version of the Ranger called "thunderbolt". This model included different options such as a unique front and rear bumper, air intake, exhaust and even a spoiler. In 2004 the Ranger received minor updates to the grille, hood, and front bumper. New front bucket seats were also added in 2004 to meet the new U.S. Federal safety requirements. In 2006 the Ranger received more minor updates to the grille, front turn signals and taillights, along with a bigger rear Ford logo that was now centered in the middle of the tailgate.
The current Ranger is offered with a 143 hp 2.3-liter I4 and a 207 hp 4.0-liter V6. The 3.0 Vulcan V6 was discontinued as of the 2009 model year. The FX4 Level II version comes with a special 31-spline 8.8 inches (223.5 mm) rear axle
Ford 8.8 axle
The Ford 8.8 is an automotive axle manufactured by Visteon at the Sterling Axle Plant in Sterling Heights, MI. It was first used in model year 1983 Ford trucks. The axle was developed to replace the Ford 9-inch axle...
equipped with a Zexel-Torsen limited-slip differential, three skid plates, upgraded tow hooks, 31" BFGoodrich All Terrains, 15-inch Alcoa wheels, and Bilstein shocks. Inside, the Level II package added leather front bucket seats and rubber floors along with a six-CD MP3 headunit as standard options. The truck uses code R1 (for two-door) and R4 (for four-door) in the 5th and 6th positions of the VIN
Vin
Vin may refer to:*Voltage input, an alternative form for Vin-People:*Vin Diesel*Vin Scully*Vin Suprynowicz*Vin, the name of a character from the video games Jak II and Jak 3*a diminutive of the name "Vincent"...
.
In December 2009, Ford announced that specialty-designed custom graphics would be applied to the Ranger beginning with the 2010 models. The feature will be exclusive to Ford Dealers and will allow customers to pick a design that they want customized for their Ranger trims.
As of 2010 in the US, the Ranger is no longer offered with the FX4 trim level. The FX4 is still available in Canada; however, it is a $2500 option on top of the Sport trim level. The FX4 package cannot be applied to an XLT. The FX4 for the 2010–2011 model years in Canada come with a 4.10 limited slip rear end.
For the 2011 model year, the level trims have adjusted. The XL trim will be the standard level, followed by the XLT and Sport trims. The latter two will include Sirius radio as a optional feature.
The Ford Ranger was the first small pickup to introduce dual air bags as safety features. It received an "acceptable" frontal crash test rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety when they were first tested in 1998, while many of its competitors received "marginal" or "poor" ratings at that time. The exception was the Toyota Tacoma
Toyota Tacoma
The Toyota Tacoma is a pickup truck produced and manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation since 1995. The Tacoma was a compact pickup until a model redesign in 2005 when it was reclassified to a mid-size...
, which also got an "acceptable" rating.
The 2010 model year brought the addition of front seat combination head and torso airbags to improve passenger safety in a side-impact collision and earned Good rating through the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is a U.S. non-profit organization funded by auto insurers, established in 1959 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It works to reduce the number of motor vehicle crashes, and the rate of injuries and amount of property damage in the crashes that...
's Side Impact Test. Also Electronic Stability Control was added for the 2010 Models as Standard Equipment.
In the Roof Strength Test conducted by Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is a U.S. non-profit organization funded by auto insurers, established in 1959 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It works to reduce the number of motor vehicle crashes, and the rate of injuries and amount of property damage in the crashes that...
, the Ford Ranger earned an Acceptable rating.
South American production
After two years of local production in Argentina, Ford introduced the same version of the newly updated 1998 Ranger. Along with the single cab (the North American SuperCab), South America received an exclusive double cab body variant. The crew cab was not sold in North America, as it was essentially identical to the Ford Explorer Sport TracFord Explorer Sport Trac
The Ford Explorer Sport Trac, also known just as the Ford Sport Trac, is a mid-size sport utility vehicle with a pickup truck bed that was sold mostly in North America. The Sport Trac was based on the Ford Ranger pickup and was built by the Ford Motor Company from 2000 to 2010. The pickup truck...
undergoing development.
There was a choice of two powerplant options including a 3.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder diesel
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
with 163 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque mated to a Eaton FSO-2405-A five-speed manual transmission.
In 2007 Ford invested US$156.5 million in its facility in General Pacheco, Argentina
Ford Motor Company of Argentina
Ford Motor Argentina is a subsidiary of Ford Motor Company and was founded in Buenos Aires in 1913.Its first products were Model Ts assembled from Complete Knock Down kits provided by Ford Motor Company in 1917...
. For 2008, the Ranger received a makeover with a grill and headlights similar to the 2006 North American version; bed extenders became available for all boxes. The 2010 Ranger was updated further with new sheet metal giving it a more aggressive stance; it also received its own version of the corporate three-bar grille completely different from its North American counterpart. Other changes included redesigned outer door skins with pull-out door handles and wider wheel arches, though the 2008 interior was retained as well as the two engine choices.
In 2010 Ford also introduced a new optional engine to run exclusively on compressed natural gas
Compressed natural gas
Compressed natural gas is a fossil fuel substitute for gasoline , diesel, or propane/LPG. Although its combustion does produce greenhouse gases, it is a more environmentally clean alternative to those fuels, and it is much safer than other fuels in the event of a spill...
, which makes it the first pick up of Argentina to offer a factory-built natural gas vehicle
Natural gas vehicle
thumb|right|200px|2009 [[Honda Civic GX]] hooked up to Phill refueling system.A natural gas vehicle or NGV is an alternative fuel vehicle that uses compressed natural gas or liquefied natural gas as a clean alternative to other fossil fuels...
(NGV) commercially available in Argentina.
Outside of Argentina, the Ranger was sold as a badge-engineered version of the Mazda B-Series
Mazda B-Series
The Mazda B-Series is a pickup truck, first manufactured in 1961 by Mazda Motor Corporation. From the first B-Series, Mazda has used the engine displacement to determine the name. Thus, the B1500 had a 1.5 L engine and the B2600 had a 2.6 L engine...
(to 2006) and the BT-50
Mazda BT-50
The Mazda BT-50 is a 1-ton pickup truck from Mazda. It is a larger version of the predecessor B-Series pickup and is not sold in the Japanese and North American market. Ford has also sold a version of the first generation BT-50 as the Ford Ranger...
(2006-2011); these was assembled in Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
and Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
(in CKD form). As the North American Ranger became the basis of the first-generation Explorer, the Mazda-based Ranger is the basis of a body-on-frame SUV named the Ford Everest
Ford Everest
The Ford Everest is a midsize SUV produced by Ford since 2003. Everest is a five-door wagon variant of the Ford Ranger four-door utility. The Everest is known as the Ford Endeavour in the Indian market....
sold in markets outside of North America and Europe.
After 2011, the Ranger T6
Ford Ranger (T6)
The Ford Ranger, code named T6, was unveiled at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney. The T6 replaces two regional Ranger platforms: the Mazda BT-50-derived model sold in the Latin America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific regions and the North American model sold in select Latin American...
designed by Ford of Australia will replace both the North American and Mazda-based versions; it will be produced in Argentina.
2010 Ford Ranger (Argentina) Wheelbases and bed lengths:
- 2010–present – 2831 millimetres (111.5 in) – 6 ft. bed (1,732mm) Single Cab
- 2010–present – 2987 millimetres (117.6 in) – 7 ft. bed (2,129mm) Single Cab
- 2010–present – 3192 millimetres (125.7 in) – 5 ft. bed (1,467mm) Double Cab
Engines:
| Engine | Years | Power | Torque |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.3 L Duratec HE Gasoline I4 | 2004–2011 | 148 hp | 159 lbft |
| 3.0 L Diesel I4 | 2004–2011 | 163 hp | 280 lbft |
Electric Ranger
Battery electric vehicle
A battery electric vehicle, or BEV, is a type of electric vehicle that uses chemical energy stored in rechargeable battery packs. BEVs use electric motors and motor controllers instead of, or in addition to, internal combustion engines for propulsion.A battery-only electric vehicle or...
produced by Ford Motor Company; it was produced from 1998 to 2002. The chassis of the four-wheel drive model was used, but the Ranger EV was strictly a rear-wheel drive vehicle. Unlike other versions, the EV was designed with an independent rear suspension (with de Dion tube
De Dion tube
A de Dion tube is an automobile suspension technology. It is a sophisticated form of non-independent suspension and is a considerable improvement over the alternative swing axle and Hotchkiss drive types. A de Dion suspension uses universal joints at both the wheel hubs and differential, and uses a...
). 1998 models employed lead-acid batteries while subsequent models used Nickel metal hydride (NiMH)
Nickel metal hydride battery
A nickel–metal hydride cell, abbreviated NiMH, is a type of rechargeable battery similar to the nickel–cadmium cell. The NiMH battery uses a hydrogen-absorbing alloy for the negative electrode instead of cadmium. As in NiCd cells, the positive electrode is nickel oxyhydroxide...
batteries.
The Ranger EV is largely indistinguishable from a standard Ranger except for its grille. On EV models, a door for a charging port is located on the right third of the grille.
Mazda B-Series
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
was available.The 1999 B-Series added four doors, a first in the extended-cab pickup truck market. In 2001 a more powerful SOHC version of the 4.0 L V6 replaced the old OHV
Overhead valve
An overhead valve engine, also informally called pushrod engine or I-head engine, is a type of piston engine that places the camshaft within the cylinder block , and uses pushrods or rods to actuate rocker arms above the cylinder...
engine, while Ford's Duratec engine replaced the ancient Lima engine in four-cylinder models the following year. 2007 was the last year for 3.0 L B-Series trucks. For 2009, the B4000 Cab Plus SE model was discontinued in the United States market. The full B-Series lineup was discontinued, in the United States, at the end of the 2009 model year, while the Ford Ranger remains in production. The B-Series was sold in the Canadian market for one more model year.
Engine options:
- B2500
- 1998–2001 – 2.5 L (2507 cc) OHC I4Straight-4The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
, 119 hp
- 1998–2001 – 2.5 L (2507 cc) OHC I4
- B2300
- 2002–2010 – 2.3 L (2300 cc) Duratec I4Straight-4The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
, 143 hp
- 2002–2010 – 2.3 L (2300 cc) Duratec I4
- B3000
- 1998–2001 – 3.0 L (2957 cc) VulcanFord Vulcan engineThe Ford Vulcan V6 is a 3.0 L , 60° V6 engine with an iron block and iron heads, used in some of Ford Motor Company's vehicles from model years 1986 through 2008. It was originally designed to be the optional engine in the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable. In 1992, it became the standard engine for...
V6, 150 hp - 2002–2003 – 3.0 L (2957 cc) VulcanFord Vulcan engineThe Ford Vulcan V6 is a 3.0 L , 60° V6 engine with an iron block and iron heads, used in some of Ford Motor Company's vehicles from model years 1986 through 2008. It was originally designed to be the optional engine in the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable. In 1992, it became the standard engine for...
V6, 147 hp - 2004–2007 – 3.0 L (2957 cc) VulcanFord Vulcan engineThe Ford Vulcan V6 is a 3.0 L , 60° V6 engine with an iron block and iron heads, used in some of Ford Motor Company's vehicles from model years 1986 through 2008. It was originally designed to be the optional engine in the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable. In 1992, it became the standard engine for...
V6, 154 hp
- 1998–2001 – 3.0 L (2957 cc) Vulcan
- B4000
- 1998–2000 – 4.0 L (4025 cc) CologneFord Cologne V6 engineThe original Ford Cologne V6, also known as the 'Ford Taunus V6', is a series of 60° cast iron block V6 engines produced continuously by the Ford Motor Company in Cologne, Germany since 1968...
V6, 160 hp - 2001–2010 – 4.0 L (4025 cc) CologneFord Cologne V6 engineThe original Ford Cologne V6, also known as the 'Ford Taunus V6', is a series of 60° cast iron block V6 engines produced continuously by the Ford Motor Company in Cologne, Germany since 1968...
V6, 207 hp
- 1998–2000 – 4.0 L (4025 cc) Cologne
Discontinuation in North America
It was reported in 2005 that an all-new Ranger, codenamed P273, was in the works to be introduced by 2010. The P273 was slated to be world pickup, presumably to be merged with the Mazda world pickups. A 2007 Ranger for the Thai market based on the Asian 4Trac concept was unveiled, but it is not scheduled to replace the North American truck. According to a recent article in the Car and Driver, there are three alternatives for Ford: 1) to redesign and continue to build the next generation in North America; 2) to import the new Ford Australian developed midsize 35+ mpg diesel version ute from the plant in Thailand; and 3) to discontinue the Ranger line and exit the compact pickup market in North America. There are rumors that Ford's future product plans in the compact pickup market segment will be announced closer to the end of Ford Ranger production at the St. Paul, Minnesota plant in 2010–2011. There are reports that the plant will be sold and redeveloped once the production is ceased.Ford chose to invest improvements in the Ford Explorer
Ford Explorer
The Ford Explorer is a sport-utility vehicle sold in North America and built by the Ford Motor Company since 1990, as a replacement for the smaller but related Ford Bronco II. It is manufactured in Chicago, Illinois...
SUV
Sport utility vehicle
A sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...
which was branched to a more advanced platform than the Ranger, letting Ranger's sales decline. However as a result of the shift toward smaller and more fuel efficient vehicles in North America, Ford has said it will continue to produce the current Ford Ranger through 2012 at its Twin Cities, Minn. plant, which was previously scheduled to close in 2009.
This production extension has led to speculation that the next-generation Asean Ranger, codenamed T6, already at an advanced stage of development by Ford Australia
Ford Australia
Ford Australia is the Australian subsidiary of Ford Motor Company and was founded in Geelong, Victoria, in 1925 as an outpost of Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited. At that time, Ford Canada was a separate company from Ford USA...
, would be sold in North America despite being designed for global markets outside of North America. The T6 Ranger entered production in 2011.
As of May 2010, T6 engineering prototypes are being tested in various countries including the U.S. It is expected that the new truck will come with at least two engine choices: a 2.0 L EcoBoost
Ford EcoBoost engine
EcoBoost is a family of turbocharged and direct injected six-cylinder and four-cylinder gasoline engines produced by the Ford Motor Company. Engines equipped with EcoBoost technology are designed to deliver power and torque consistent with larger displacement, naturally aspirated engines while...
four-cylinder, and the 3.0 L Duratorq
Ford Duratorq engine
The Ford Duratorq engine, commonly referred to as Duratorq, is the marketing name of a range of Ford diesel engines first introduced in 2000 for the Ford Mondeo range of cars....
diesel for models sold outside the U.S.
In recent years, Ranger's competitors, from the Nissan Frontier
Nissan Frontier
Nissan Navara is the name for the D22 and D40 generations of Nissan pickup trucks sold in Asia while in the North, Central and South America and the Philippines it is sold as Nissan Frontier. The line was started in 1998, and its immediate predecessor is the D21 Nissan Hardbody truck...
to the Toyota Tacoma
Toyota Tacoma
The Toyota Tacoma is a pickup truck produced and manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation since 1995. The Tacoma was a compact pickup until a model redesign in 2005 when it was reclassified to a mid-size...
have been redesigned and enlarged towards the mid-size market, leaving the Ranger the only truck in the US compact market segment. The Ranger remains a decent seller for Ford, with companies like Auto Zone buying them regularly as well as those individuals seeking good fuel mileage in a compact truck (Ranger gets better MPG than any other pickup with its Mazda-derived 4cyl engine).
Ford initially considered a smaller-than-F-150 pickup truck, one based on the F-Series (following the older F-100 offering). This proposal was cancelled in favor of offering an EcoBoost engine in the F-150 product line.
Ford has confirmed that they will end production on the Ranger in 2011, and have no plans to offer the next generation in the United States, which means that the T6 version will only be available outside the US. The decision as to why the Ranger will no longer be available in the United Staes is that the new global platform is simply too close in size to the F-150. Another factor is due to declining sales, as Ford's Vice President of Global Product Development, Derrick Kuzak, notes that the compact pickup market in the United States has been declining for the past 15 years, dropping from eight percent of the industry in 1994 to around two percent in 2010. The ending of the Ranger in the United States also marks a departure for Ford from the compact truck segment after 30 years.
On June 22, 2011, a report from the United Auto Workers
United Auto Workers
The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, better known as the United Auto Workers , is a labor union which represents workers in the United States and Puerto Rico, and formerly in Canada. Founded as part of the Congress of Industrial...
879, which represents workers at the factory where the North American Ranger is produced, was released which stated that production of the Ranger was planned to end on December 19, 2011.
Yearly American sales
| Calendar Year | Total American sales |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 348,358 |
| 2000 | 330,125 |
| 2001 | 272,460 |
| 2002 | 226,094 |
| 2003 | 209,117 |
| 2004 | 156,322 |
| 2005 | 120,958 |
| 2006 | 92,420 |
| 2007 | 72,711 |
| 2008 | 65,872 |
| 2009 | 55,600 |
| 2010 | 55,364 |