Ford Ranger, Small Truck For Big Jobs
The Ford Ranger was introduced into the market in 1983. The truck was first introduced as a replacement for the Courier, which had actually been produced by Mazda, but had the Ford name. The Ranger has been produced every year since then and remains one of the most popular sellers of Ford’s vehicles.
Although the bed of the Ranger is smaller than the standard sized Ford F-150, the design was originally made so that a four foot sheet of plywood would fit inside the bed. The sheet will have to ride on top of the wheel wells, but it will fit.
Ford designed the cab of the truck for 2 passengers. Later the trucks offered an extended cab and jump seats were added for 2 additional passengers. These jump seats were mounted on the side walls of the extended cab and truly were only suitable for small passengers on short trips.
Throughout its production, the Ranger has been a successful vehicle for Ford. With over twenty five years of history, the Ranger remains a good seller. Body style for this truck is now into its fourth generation. The body style has changed as the body styles of the F-series trucks have changed.
For a truck, the Ranger get comparatively better fuel mileage than its larger counterparts. This makes the small truck popular for commuters that want to drive a truck but need the economy of the Ranger.
The current Ranger is built with a 2. 3 liter or a 4. 0 liter engine. Although it was available in a V-6 engine in earlier models, the Ranger no longer offers this option.
As the competition has increased the size of their former small trucks to midsize trucks, the Ranger and its Mazda counterpart are now the only trucks in their size range available.
According to rumors, in 2012, the Ranger will be replaced with an Australian version of the truck, originally not meant for distribution in the United States. The engine in this truck will be a much smaller 1. 6 liter series. The truck is being test marketed in the United States currently.
Again, according to rumors, the Ranger will be replaced in 2012 by an Australian Ford truck that was not originally intended for sale in the United States. Ford has already begun test marketing the vehicle in the United States. The newer truck will be available in the United States only with a 1. 6-liter engine. In other parts of the world, buyers can opt for a diesel engine that is a 3. 0-liter engine.
Hopefully the Australian truck will continue the fine tradition of the Ford Ranger. Through the trying times of the economy on the automakers, we wish the best to Ford.
