Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 04:39, 17 April 2021

Ford Ranger is a nameplate that has been used on multiple model lines of vehicles sold by Ford worldwide. Primarily in use for light trucks, the nameplate has been used for distinct model lines of vehicles worldwide since the 1983 model year. In North America, the Ranger is slotted below the F-150 in the Ford light truck range, serving as smallest pickup truck marketed by the company. In markets where the F-Series and Super Duty trucks are not marketed by Ford, the Ranger is typically the only Ford pickup truck offering.

In the Americas, the model line is currently in its fourth generation, derived from the third generation of the Ranger marketed worldwide since 2011. Initially developed by Ford Australia, the current Ford Ranger T6 is the first version sold as a mid-size pickup truck.

Origin of name

Prior to its use on compact pickup trucks, Ford Motor Company used the Ranger nameplate on three different model lines. The Edsel division was the first to use the name, with the Edsel Ranger introduced in 1958 as its lowest-trim sedan; the model line lasted through the 1960 demise of the Edsel brand.

For 1965, the Ranger name returned to use by Ford as a trim package for F-Series trucks; in 1972, a corresponding Bronco Ranger was introduced. Offered through the 1981 model year, the Ranger trim served as the mid-level to high-level trim package.

Following the 1981 model year, the Ranger trim line was withdrawn from its light trucks, largely in anticipation of its 1983 compact pickup truck (introduced in early 1982).

Americas (1983–present)

North America compact pickup (1983-2012)

For the 1983 model year, Ford introduced the Ranger for the United States and Canada. The first compact pickup truck designed by Ford, the American-produced Ranger replaced the Mazda-produced Ford Courier. Produced across three generations using a single chassis architecture, the model line was marketed from the 1983 to the 2012 model years (ending retail sales after the 2011 model year).

The Ranger light-truck chassis architecture served as the basis for a wide range of vehicles over its production. Along with sharing body and powertrain components with the Ford Bronco II and Ford Explorer SUVs, the Ranger also shared components with the Ford Aerostar minivan and the Ford Explorer Sport Trac mid-size pickup truck. Through the use of rebadging, from 1994 to 2009, Mazda marketed the Ford Ranger in the United States and Canada as the Mazda B-Series (the reverse of the 1970s Ford Courier and also the reverse of the Ford Ranger outside of North America).

While among the highest-selling vehicles in the compact segment for nearly its entire 29-year production, an overall decline in demand for compact trucks led to its discontinuation after the 2011 model year (a short 2012 run was produced for fleet sales). On December 22, 2011, the final Ford Ranger produced for North America rolled off the Twin Cities Assembly line (as the final vehicle assembled at the facility).

North America mid-size pickup (2019–present)

For the 2019 model year, Ford returned the Ranger to its model range in North America (after an eight-year hiatus); the first example rolled off the assembly line on October 22, 2018. The first generation of the model line sold as a mid-size pickup truck, the fourth-generation Ranger is derived from the global-market Ranger T6 designed by Ford Australia. Sized closely to the 2001-2010 Ford Explorer Sport Trac, the model line was adapted to accommodate US government regulations with other modifications made to match local market demands.

The current generation of the Ranger is offered in two configurations on a 127-inch wheelbase, including a 2+2 door SuperCab (6-foot bed) and a 4-door SuperCrew (5-foot bed); the 2.3L EcoBoost twin-turbocharged inline-4 and 10-speed automatic is exclusive to North America. As of current production, the two-door standard cab is not offered for sale in North America (nor is the Ranger Raptor).

The model line is produced by Ford at its Michigan Assembly Plant at Wayne, Michigan.

South American production (Ford Argentina; 1998-present)

In 1995, exports of the Ford Ranger began to select Latin and South American countries. To accommodate the demand for the vehicle, Ford Argentina commenced local production of the Ranger in 1998, introducing a four-door cab not sold in North America. During the 2000s, Rangers produced by Ford Argentina shared a common chassis with North American-produced vehicles (offering a diesel engine to meet local demand). For 2010, the locally-produced Ranger underwent a final exterior revision (exclusive to South America).

Ford Argentina ended production of the compact Ranger following the 2011 model year (slightly before the United States) to shift its production to the mid-size Ranger T6 (its current model line).

• First generation (1983–1988)
• First generation facelift (1989–1992)
• Second generation (1993–1997)
• Third generation (1998-2000)
• Third generation, first facelift (2001-2003)
• Third generation, second facelift (2004-2005)
• Third generation, third facelift (2006–2012)
• Third generation, fourth facelift (South America, 2010–2012)
• Fourth generation (2019–present)

International (1998–present)

Ford entered the compact truck segment in 1971 by marketing the second-generation Mazda B-Series under the Ford Courier nameplate. While the US-produced Ranger replaced the Courier in American markets, in global markets, Ford continued to source the Courier from Mazda into the 1990s, following development of the B-series model line.

In 1998, Ford began the use of the Ranger nameplate on Mazda-sourced pickup trucks, except in Australia and New Zealand, where the Courier remained through 2006. The first generation Ranger was produced from 1998 to 2006, while the second generation was produced from 2006 to 2011; the latter was derived from the Mazda BT-50 (which replaced the long-running B-series). These versions were sold in Asia-Pacific, Europe, Africa and several Latin American markets.

In 2011, the Ranger T6 was introduced; designed by Ford Australia, the T6 consolidated the American and Mazda-sourced Ranger into a single design (with Mazda deriving the redesigned BT-50 from it). The first mid-size Ranger, the T6 is marketed worldwide (though excluded from sale from the United States and Canada by Ford from 2011 to 2019).

• First generation (1998–2002)
• First generation facelift (2002–2006)
• Second generation (2006–2009)
• Second generation facelift (2009–2011)
• Third generation (2011–2015)
• Third generation facelift (2015–present)

References

1. Max, Josh (19 December 2011). "Ford Ranger, other cars, cease production in 2012". New York Daily News. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
2. "2019 Ford Ranger production starts in Michigan". Roadshow. 2018-10-22. Retrieved 2018-10-23.

v t e Ford vehicles
Current models	Cars Focus Mondeo/Taurus Mustang Pickup trucks F-Series Super Duty F-150 Lightning Maverick Ranger SUVs/crossovers Bronco Bronco Sport Capri EV Edge L Equator Escape/Kuga Everest Expedition Explorer Explorer EV Mondeo Sport Mustang Mach-E Puma Puma Gen-E Territory / Equator Sport Vans Transit Courier Connect Custom Commercial trucks Cargo Super Duty F-250/F-350/F-450/F-550/F-600 Medium Duty F-650/F-750 F-Max Other vehicles E-Series Cutaway
Former models (by date of introduction)	1900s Model A/AC Model B Model C Model F Model K Model N Model R Model S Model T 1910s–1920s Model TT Model A Model AA 1930s Model B / BB trucks / Model 18 / Model 40 Model Y Köln Rheinland Model 48 Model C (Europe) Model C Ten Eifel Model CX 1937 Ford Model 7W Model 7Y E83W Prefect Anglia 1940s 1941 Ford Vedette Pilot 1949 Ford Custom B-Series Transit Bus N-series tractor 1950s 1952 Ford 1955 Ford 1957 Ford Abeille C-Series Comète Consul Thames Trader Country Sedan Country Squire Courier Crestline Del Rio Edsel (brand) Fairlane FK Galaxie Mainline NAA tractor Parklane Popular Ranchero Squire Taunus Thunderbird Vendôme Versailles (France) Zephyr 1960s 1960 Ford Capri Corcel Corsair Cortina E-Series/Econoline/Club Wagon Escort (Europe) Escort RS Cosworth Fairlane (Australia) P7 Ford Shelby Mustang Fairlane Thunderbolt D-Series Fairmont (Australia) Futura Falcon (North America) Falcon (Argentina) Falcon (Australia) GT40 LTD Torino 1970s Courier Econovan Econowagon Elite Fairmont Fiesta Granada (Europe) Granada (North America) L-Series Trucks Landau (Brazil) Landau (Australia) LTD II Maverick (North America) P100 Pinto 1980s Aerostar Bantam Bronco II Del Rey Durango Escort (North America) EXP Festiva Laser/Lynx/Meteor/Tierra LTD Crown Victoria Orion Pampa Probe Capri (Australia) Pronto RS200 Trader Scorpio Sierra Telstar Taurus (North America) list Tempo Verona 1990s Contour Cougar Crown Victoria Freda Galaxy Ka Puma (coupé) Royale Versailles (Brazil) Windstar ZX2 2000s Activa C-Max EcoSport Edge Excursion Explorer Sport Trac Five Hundred Flex GT LCF Freestyle Focus (North America) Fusion (Americas) Fusion (Europe) Ikon i-Max Maverick (Europe) S-Max Sportka/Streetka Territory (Australia) 2010s B-Max Escort (China) Figo Taurus (China)
Military	GP/GPW GPA GTB M1918 M8 Greyhound M151 M656 T17 Deerhound
Related topics	Concept vehicles Mercury (list) Lincoln (list) Police vehicles Crown Victoria Interceptor Tractors Trucks
Category List

• Set index articles on cars
• Ford vehicles
• Cars introduced in 1982