And then there was one. All of the Ford Ranger's contemporaries have forsaken the compact segment for the middleweight class. The Ranger is long in the tooth, to say the least, but we love the smaller size and many find it a good blend of truck functionality without the bulk and heft of a full-size. You can buy into a Ranger for $15 grand, which is a reasonable point of entry for a work truck. There used to be F150s outfitted for labor in that price range, but good luck finding a decontented full-sizer now. While the Ranger's platform is now exclusive to the model, it did sire the Explorer, via the Bronco II. Lineage aside, it's typically expensive for an automaker to have a platform that doesn't get shared, but the underpinnings of the Ranger have long been paid for. We suspect that's part of why we're not seeing much action in the trucklet arena from Ford. To engineer a new Ranger would cost money (that's arguably better spent elsewhere right now), and moving the smallest Ford Truck to a new platform raises conflicts with other models.

PHOTOCHOPS TO ILLUSTRATE IDEAS



One potential move for Ford would be to revisit the familial ties between the Explorer and the Ranger. The Sport Trac is already filling a niche for weekend warriors, and likely swiping some Ranger sales. Shortening the Sport Trac's cab to a two door affair and lengthening the bed would get you 99% of the way there. The IRS under the Sport Trac could be replaced by a leaf-sprung live axle to keep costs down, though it'd require an infusion of cash to engineer the retrofit. Following this recipe would give Ford an offering in the mid-size truck segment that everyone else has fled to. This seems to be the way Ford went in Thailand with the 4-Trac concept. The problem with this scheme, we think, is that a truckier Sport Trac would be an F150 competitor. The size gulf isn't wide between the two, and the optional V8 in the Sport Trac is powerful enough to do some real work.



Another tack may be to develop a unibody "suburban duty" compact pickup off a car platform. Think of the Ridgeline – sure, it's not capable of towing houses like other pickups, but it's a far more pleasant driver, which matters for people who use their trucks mainly to commute. It's a more sensible option for people that will use the truck like a car. While its styling is polarizing, the Ridgeline shows that there's more than one way to build a pickup, and not everyone needs body on frame construction. The C1 platform that the Euro Focus rides on would lend itself well to truckination. Alternatively, think of how good the clean lines of the Flex might look with a bed. Ford's got AWD across their platform range now, which would boost pulling prowess. We would hate to see a car-based Ranger be more of a Ranchero-y type thing, so increased ride height is a must. Of course, the car platforms cost more to build than Ranger (well, what doesn't?), and there's only so much capacity.



Alternatively, an Escape with two thirds of the roof lopped off and no rear doors would make a credible entry, too. The availability of hybrid drivetrain sweetens the pot, too. It's not just passenger cars that can maximize their fuel economy. In fact, we see a hybrid system developed with trucks in mind as a great thing. The low-rpm torque characteristics of electric motors lend themselves to truck work, and a series hybrid layout would ensure that the motors never run out of juice, even if you're towing up the Continental Divide. A more conventional hybrid with a larger engine using cylinder deactivation could also reap efficiency benefits. By recalibrating the cylinder shutoff to keep the "extra" cylinders off until the batteries are depleted or max forza is required, even a truck could be a fuel-sipper.

Of course, all of these alternatives to the current Ford policy of riding out the incumbent Ranger until it has fully withered require money. Executed correctly, however, a re-thought Ranger could create demand, imagine that. We hope that the Ranger continues on and keeps its smallish proportions. There were rumors of a new Ranger dropping in 2010, but we're not sure what the state of that program is. If the compact truck segment is fully vacated when this current Ranger is finally taken out and shot, we think it'll be a loss.

source: autoblog

__________________

Keep the lines of the Ranger the same. I think the first two pics look like toy trucks and the middle one is just goofy. The Rangers look good these days. I hope they don't mess this up

This really irks me. At one time the Ranger was 1 of the best selling compact trucks on the market. Over 330,000 sold in 2000. That number has been declining ever since.
Last year only 92,000 were sold. For 2007 it looks like that figure will drop by 10,000-15,000 units. At the same time Toyota Tacoma sales have climbed to above 180,000 in 2006.
That's up 10,000 from 2005 and they've sold over 46,000 Tacoma's in the first 1/4 of this year. Also Kia and Hundi have announced they are planing to enter the American pickup market.
So I find it extremely difficult to believe there is no market for a compact pickup. It seems to me that Ford has been purposely cutting back or not upgrading for the last several years.
They can now use "poor sales" figures as an excuse to drop the line.

I hate to say it, but if Ford drops the Ranger, I've purchased my last Ford. It seems like every time I find a Ford I like, Ford decides to drop that model.
In the 50's I wanted a T-Bird but I was a teenager and couldn't afford one. Ford stopped making a 2 seat T-Bird after only 3 years anyway.
Claiming "no market" for a 2 seater sports car. I was in my 20's by then and I wanted a sports car. I considered a Vett, but couldn't bring myself to buy a bow-tie.
So I bought an MG-A. In the early 60's I got all excited when I saw the prototype for the Mustang. A 2 seater. When I saw the production model
I was so disgusted I went out and bought an Alfa Romeo. In the late 60's I liked/bought a Cortina. A few years later Ford stopped importing them.
In the 70's I liked/bought a Maverick. I think they lasted 7-8 years. In the 80's I fell in love with and was planing to buy a Probe. I'm happy I didn't.
I think that 1 lasted what 7 years? In the 90's I liked/bought an Escort. It's gone now. Replaced by the Focus. Which will probably be dropped in a few years also.
The only thing that saved the Mustang was the uproar from all the loyal, some would say fanatical Mustang owners groups.
I guess I shouldn't complain. The compact Ranger has been around since 1983. That's an eternity in Ford years.
The Ford GT is gone, so I guess the next will be the T-Bird. That's assuming Ford itself survives.

I cant imagine the Ranger going the wayside.

I love em'.

Instead of discontinueing the model they ought to make it more buyer freindly.

The issue I have with them is the packaging, three basic manufactured models, with a bevy of sub-models and dealer packages consisting of a variety of cup holders, mud flaps, and stickers that dont even come close to when they 'allowed' you to order your desired package from the factory.

The best looking Ranger design is the one on the top. i realize the others are photochopped. but if it ain't broke don't fix it. Just update it.

Funny thing..Colorado sales not what the s-10 was. Dakota sales not what the older ones were either. Ford was smart in this case not to invest big bucks & get bigger. Any of them they make, gotta be sheer profit...just like Crown Vic...platform paid for years ago. Amazing thing, both platforms are well worth the money asked for them today. Both are very good designs....ageless almost.

__________________
...... BRIAN ......

Good points. And the Colorado is nothing special at all. Stupid move. Ford needs to just keep evolving the Ranger. if it aint broke.

I like the fact that my 2000 has virtually the same proportions as my 87. Not 100% interchangeable; but close enough. I buy the Ranger because in my mind, it is a perfect mix of functionality and usability. I like the capacity of the compact form to fitting most places the full-sized trucks can’t, but still do many of the same jobs that the bigger guys do. Add to that the fact that the Ranger has an attractive design and doesn’t feel like it’s going to trip over itself like a Wrangler and I think you have yourself the perfect truck.
There is no need to change it, short the small alterations to keep up with the market (such as, say, air bags and alarms). I will in the future need a new truck as these things don’t last forever, but should one of those new designs replace the original Ranger, you certainly won’t find me driving one.

__________________
It isn't a fire unles they can see it from space!

WAR SOLVES NOTHING!.....

(except ending slavery, defeating Nazism and Communism, removing evil murdering dictators from power, and securing freedom)


1987 Ranger:
Roll Bars & Bull Bars, fair share of battle scars, plenty of lights, rock crawling lights under chasis, small lift, Tonoeau Cover, most of the electrical wireing is my own, Sony Head Unit with 500watt amp & 3 12" subs. Extended Cab, 11 meter 5 watt CB/PA radio, 800 CM transciever, 2 meter Yaesu 50 watt transciever / weather reciever, + much more! (nicknamed "The Batmobile") See me driving around with the 12 foot antenna and red flag on back (easy to find in parking lots or if I ever loose it in some big puddle.)

I like the next to last offering. But there's something to say about the Ranger. If ya want just take the body off and useing an old hot rod, just an idea. Say a 27-36 Ford body.

__________________
Down the two lane blacktop.
Oldskool Is Kool :thumbsup:
Ford Man From Way Back



Check out: hotrodhotline.com for my pictures.