[BahamaTodd]

Ford Eyes Return to Small Pickup Segment - PickupTrucks.com News

At the recent launch of the all-important 2015 Ford F-150, longtime Ford marketing leader Dave Scott told James Healey of USA Today that Ford was giving serious consideration to the idea that the U.S. market could support a smaller entry-level pickup. But it would have to meet some specific criteria.

According to USA Today, Scott noted that it would likely have to be a compact pickup, smaller in size than the recently debuted full-frame Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon midsize pickups, and may even be better served on a unibody platform. In order to succeed, the truck would also have to offer as much as 25 percent better fuel economy than the full-size pickups and cost $5,000 to $6,000 less than a base-model half-ton.

According to USA Today, Scott did note that Ford has many vehicles that could potentially work but did not name them, although he did say that the global Ford Ranger — a popular midsize pickup around the world — would not be a good choice because it sits too close in size and capability to the current half-ton product.

From our standpoint, and from the description Scott provided, it looks like Ford is considering a modified version based off the current Transit Connect or Transit, or possibly both. Either could provide a solid, capable unibody platform for a new-style Ranchero or F-100 pickup truck. And it wouldn't surprise us if we saw something (maybe a concept at one of next year's auto shows?) not long after dealerships have gotten comfortable with the all-new 2015 F-150. We have no doubt that if the response to the GM midsize pickups and the redesigned 2014 Toyota Tacoma (as well as the new Honda Ridgeline coming in 2016) brings more people into the smaller truck segment, Ford will be ready to pull the trigger on a new type of downsized pickup.

 

[Santana]

Got to love seeing information like this, first from MB and now from a big truck player, Ford. Just goes to justify Hyundai's decision and show its soundness.

 

[BahamaTodd]

Here's the original report from USA today:
Ford mulls Ranchero reprise for small-truck market

Ford Motor is considering a return to the U.S. small-pickup truck market, which it abandoned by axing its Ranger in December 2011.

Ford is scouring its international models for one that it could make work. It won't be the updated Ranger that Ford now sells outside the U.S., often seen by people outside Ford as a logical candidate.

"Too big. It's 90% of the F-150 size," says Dave Scott, Ford 's truck marketing manager.

That means it could steal sales from the 2015 F-150 at a time an expensive redesign is fresh on the market.

Scott says Ford is aiming for a true small pickup, not a midsize such as General Motors' 2015 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon, which just went on sale, or Toyota Tacoma.

"We're looking at it. We think we could sell a compact truck that's more like the size of the old Ranger, that gets six or eight more miles per gallon (than a full-size truck), is $5,000 or $6,000 less, and that we could build in the U.S. to avoid the tariff on imported trucks," he says.

The U.S. truck tariff is 25% of the wholesale price.

Scott says there are models in Ford's global array of trucks that could work, but he wouldn't name them. Nor would he say how fast Ford could get such a vehicle into showrooms.

He said it's likely such a model would have unibody construction – not the traditional body-on-frame configuration of all pickups sold in the U.S. except the Honda Ridgeline, which barely is a ripple on the sales charts.

Ford fielded compact unibody trucks called Ranchero based on the 1960s Falcon compact car.

Detroit automakers have been out of the small-truck market in the U.S. for about three years. Once all were gone, it left a void that convinced GM it could jump back in and grab significant sales. It promises to give the segment's king, the Tacoma, a strong fight by offering its Colorado and Canyon as more refined models, with more room and generally more power at prices similar to or lower than Tacoma's.

But the GM models are too big, in Scott's view.

He says a Ford F-150 XL Sport would give a buyer more room, more power, similar mileage and higher towing and hauling ratings, for payments about $20 a month more than the GM mid-size models that are expected to be the best sellers.

He says that price is close enough to pull some GM buyers into Ford's 2015 F-150. "Unless a guy really needs the smaller size," Scott says, such as urban dwellers who must park and maneuver in tight sports.

He also predicts that GM mid-size truck shoppers, steered by salespeople and dealers, often will wind up buying a full-size Silverado or Sierra because the dealerships will work harder to sell the bigger, more-profitable trucks.

 

[Colin]

It could be that some companies are thinking of jumping in because there isn't all that much competition. I still think this isn't much though. Let's hear about them actually saying they will build one. Not, they are "mulling". I just mean that it seems far from the light of day.

 

[Santana]

IMO it all comes down to timing, they want to say the right things at the right time and so when it comes time to say what they'll do here it should slot right into the right state of the market.

 

[Colin]

So we have it officially now.

Ford Ranger Slated for Return to US in 2018

According to sources familiar with Ford’s plans, the American automaker has begun contract negotiations with the United Auto Workers that will bring production of the Ranger to a Michigan Assembly Plant in 2018. If everything gets approved, the Ford Ranger will replace production of both the Focus and C-Max, which will likely be heading to Mexico.

Ford stopped selling the Ranger in 2011, but then others entered the compact truck market (Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon), and it looks like Ford has decided to return to the segment. The good news is that an American tariff on imported trucks means that production will have to be done domestically. The bad news is that Ford is just moving other vehicle production to Mexico to make room for Ranger production, so its a zero sum game in the end.

 

[BahamaTodd]

Nothing official there.

If they do plan to build the Ranger, we also have no confirmation of what that Ranger will be. I'd like to see Ford throw everyone for a loop and introduce a new compact FWD pickup similar to the SC and call it a Ranger.

 

[Santana]

Nothing official there.

If they do plan to build the Ranger, we also have no confirmation of what that Ranger will be. I'd like to see Ford throw everyone for a loop and introduce a new compact FWD pickup similar to the SC and call it a Ranger.

If Ford ends up doing that I think we can be almost sure they'll be one of the segment leaders, but depending on how fast Hyundai acts here, they could scoop up a good share of that market.

 

[Dex]

yea well people said the colorado wouldnt fly because it was too close to silvy... look how thats turned out...



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[Santa]

If the estimated arrival time for Ford's truck is in 2018, the Santa Cruz may have already taken a large slice of the compact truck pie by then assuming that the Santa Cruz comes out first.

 

[BahamaTodd]

Well that depends on what type of truck the Ranger will be. If its based on the midsize body on frame truck from overseas then it will compete directly with the GM twins, Tacoma and Frontier, and Hyundai has little to worry about. If Ford does a compact unibody truck like the Santa Cruz, they will only be a year behind, and some good advertising can easily persuade buyers to wait.

 

[Colin]

The facelifted Ford Ranger will be shown in Frankfurt wearing top-spec Wildtrak suit. The facelift includes changes to both the exterior and interior of the Ranger. Exterior cosmetic changes include the Pride Orange paint, rectangular foglights, a sports hoop, and 18-inch alloy wheels. Looking to the interior, Ford has added an eight-way power adjustable driver's seat.

clients can opt for Ford's 2.2-liter TDCi or the more potent 3.2-liter TDCi mill. The first engine is available in two power outputs, namely 130 horsepower and 160 horsepower while the three-point-two plant delivers 200 horsepower.

Managing all these resources we mentioned above can be done via a six-speed manual transmission or through an automatic gearbox while buyers can choose between the four-wheel (offered as an option) or two-wheel drive for their Rangers.

There is also safety features, like Lane Keeping Alert, Adaptive Cruise Control with Forward Alert plus the Hill Launch Assist and Hill Descent Control functions.

No information that I can find on whether or not the Ranger is going to be making its way to North America. I assume such a move would have to include having production based in the US.

 

[Santana]

Good point on where production needs to be and with that being said chances are we might hear of plant changes that hint at the ranger, just have to keep an eye out for that.

 

[Tim Issler]

If the estimated arrival time for Ford's truck is in 2018, the Santa Cruz may have already taken a large slice of the compact truck pie by then assuming that the Santa Cruz comes out first.

At this rate, with no news coming in from Hyundai, who knows when the Santa Cruz will really come out? I wish they would hurry up and act.

 

[Santana]

Patience is key.

In the coming months we might start seeing some solid information on the Santa Cruz. For the time being, follow news on changes happening at Hyundai's manufacturing plants and the platform the Santa Cruz will ride on.

 

[nathan5522]

The Dodge RAM RAMPAGE

The latest model of 2017 Dodge RAM Rampage is expected to be unveiled in the last quarter of this year. The Dodge RAM RAMPAGE has a spacious interior. Every detail is built with care. Under the hood, the Dodge Rampage will feature two engine options, as far as the 2017 model goes. Ram Rampage base model of 2017 have a price starts from $17,000.

 

[Mr.Claus]

A Dodge Ram is definitely not what I'm looking for as it isn't in the mid-sized pickup segment. Dodge Rams are full-sized trucks and unnecessary for what I need it for. A price tag of $17k is really unbelievable though so I'll be interested in waiting to see what that's like.

 

[Santana]

A Dodge Ram is definitely not what I'm looking for as it isn't in the mid-sized pickup segment. Dodge Rams are full-sized trucks and unnecessary for what I need it for. A price tag of $17k is really unbelievable though so I'll be interested in waiting to see what that's like.

Except the Rampage isn't what your making it out to be. A simple google search will tell you that. It's Dakota-based and directly rivals the Santa Cruz and future Ford Ranger.

So you might actually want the Rampage, it too is light duty.

 

[Nicholas]

The Ram Rampage is definitely a competitor for the mid-size segment. Should be powered by a 1.4T which is presumably the multiair turbo engine, or a 2.4l four-cylinder mated to either 6 speed manual gearboxes or a 9 speed automatic.

 

[Santana]

The Ram Rampage is definitely a competitor for the mid-size segment. Should be powered by a 1.4T which is presumably the multiair turbo engine, or a 2.4l four-cylinder mated to either 6 speed manual gearboxes or a 9 speed automatic.

Are you sure about that 1.4T? Although it puts out good power and torque for what it is, I still don't think that belongs in a truck. That's more for a CUV or a sedan. A bigger 4-cylinder like the 2.4 is more like it.