Hi-Tech

Ford Ranger finally reintroduced with production set to start in 2018

January 14, 2018 11:37·
Detroit Auto Show: The 2019 Ford Ranger is a high tech little truck

Detroit Auto Show: The 2019 Ford Ranger is a high tech little truck

At long last, the Ford Ranger returns to the USA market.

Ford reintroduced its Ranger model to North America by releasing a collection of photos and facts about the midsize pickup truck early Sunday morning, January 14. North American Ford Focus production now moves to China as Michigan Assembly retools for the '19 Ranger, and about one year later, the new Bronco SUV. At the time, Ford executives said they could satisfy pickup truck demand - and make more money - by widening the price range and engine options of its larger F-150 pickup model line. Gas prices are low. Truck fans have wanted that truck to come to the USA for a long time and now they will get their wish, though Ford is doing them one better.

Sales in the U.S. compact pickup segment as a whole grew in 2017 to more than 417,000 vehicles, up more than 70 percent from 2014, according to Autodata. Ford has unveiled the 2019 Ford Ranger, which is finally coming back to the U.S. With the success of the Chevy Colorado, Toyota Tacoma and even the upcoming new Nissan Frontier, Ford has finally chose to re-enter the midsize truck segment with a new Ranger.

The Ranger has an all-new exterior design, chassis, and powertrain. But in the USA, it thought buyers who needed to haul things occasionally would gravitate toward SUVs.

The new Ranger will start arriving in North American dealerships in early 2019 and be assembled at its Wayne, Michigan, factory in suburban Detroit.

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Affordability was also an issue, says Todd Eckert, Ford's truck marketing manager. Whether or not there's a major improvement over the fuel mileage of EcoBoost- and diesel-powered aluminum F-150s, the new Ranger provides an easier entry point for-Ford hopes-younger buyers.

Ford sold more than 6.6 million Rangers in the US over its 29-year history. The Terrain Management System will control the throttle, transmission, and other vehicle systems to help the Ranger get through various types of terrain, and it will have settings for normal; grass, gravel, snow; mud and ruts; and sand. Think of it like cruise control, but for off-road driving. Per Ford Engineers, the North American Ranger is only similar in its dimensions. But to meet US safety standards and customer expectations, the frame was reinforced with high-strength steel. Yet garages remain the same standard big-enough-for-a-crossover size.

Ford has said production will begin later this year and that it will come equipped with a 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine, 10-speed auto transmission and high-strength steel frame backbone, and available in 2WD or 4WD. No power or towing load numbers yet - we'll have to wait a little closer to launch for those - but Ford is promising torque on a par with a V6 but with the efficiency of a four-cylinder. It will be mated to the 10-speed automatic with three overdrive gears co-developed with the folks at General Motors. No manual will be offered. The last model sold here hadn't been updated in what seemed like decades, and the average Ford truck buyer could get almost the same gas mileage from a V-6 F-150 (and run it on cheap gas), with a bigger cargo box and much better towing capacity for a few bucks a month more. The trucks will have SuperCab or SuperCrew cab configurations - which means the new Ranger will have an available four-door configuration. That will suit Dan MacLeod, 28, an insurance broker from Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, who wants room for auto seats and a bed that will fit his hunting and fishing gear. In a departure from the original Ranger, the 2019 truck will have plenty of driver-assistance tech too.

But other fans are already dismissing the new Ranger. "The all-new Ranger is designed for today's midsize truck buyer, delivering even more utility, capability and technology for those who blend city living with more off-the-grid adventures on weekends".

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