Not good news for US Ford Ranger fans, but here it is the new Ford Ranger from Thailand.Click on over to Jalopnik for the story. Then click on through to LeftLaneNews for further pics and commentary.
According to their story, the Range will be killed of entirely in the US. Now if you are offended by strong language, please skip the rest.
How fucking stupid is Ford?? Kill the Ranger! Why not kill the idiot at Ford that suggested that? The Ranger was at one time the best selling compact pickup in the US, for 15 years!!! Why introduce such a great Ranger for the rest of the world, with not 1 but 2 great new Diesel powerplants, and not bring it to the US? I am outraged! I've been a huge Ford fan for years, but this and other bumbling moves over recent years have really been too fucking much!!
First the Focus gets improved world wide, and not here, now the Ranger gets the same treatment. Don't even get me started on the Crown Victoria and Australian Ford Falcon. It seems as if Ford is just giving up on the North American market. Now is not the time to give up on any segment of the market. With fuel prices expected to rise again, and the emergence of alternative fuels like E85 and BioDiesel, it's always been my opinion that Ford would be in a position to really shine, simply by taking models and technologies from their overseas operations and apply them to the new US market.
Even without the Diesels, a new Ranger could really recapture share in the midsize/compact truck market. I'm hoping these stories are wrong. I truly don't want to believe that Ford Management is that stupid.
Sorry about the strong language, but this is one of those things I feel strongly about.
3 comments:
It's a pitty that Ford doesn't make a crew-cab ( XLT Supercabine 4 persons for Europe ) available to the USA market ... On the other hand we don't have the F-series in Europe available but some people import one from the US ;)
Don't know if the DIESEL fuel in the USA has the same chemical make-up as the European but I guess the vehicle should make it to the US market and becoming a great asset in the Ford sales as it would be a small/medium engine available to the US !
The reason why I don't think this story is true is because Ford will keep a vehicle around as long as it is making money. Ranger is making $$$. I just don't think Ford will kill it when it is still pretty strong fleet sales.
Phil a crew cab would help the Ranger in the US, but Ford fails to offer one, because it would kill the Explorer Sport Trac. The Diesel fuel in the US is slowly being changed to the low sulphur type available in Europe. But the real advantage of Diesel engines in the US will be the emergence of Bio Diesel.
Shawn, I hope you're right, but just remember what Ford did with the Focus. It's not unthinkable that they will continue to build the old Ranger in the US and not bring this new one over. And if they do bring the new Ranger, it will more than likely be built in Thailand, not the US.
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