Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Trucks/Pickups, Ford One little fact buried in the linked piece about Ford's $2 billion UAW savings is this: the Ranger is dead come 2009. It has been known for a while that the Twin Cities Plant in St. Paul, MN that makes the Ranger would close, and the closure date has been pushed back one year, to 2009. The Cleveland plant that casts engine blocks will also close that year. Credit goes to Automotive News for teasing out these new nuggets of info. We wrote earlier about possible rescue scenarios for the Ranger, but it looks like the Ranger mine has been shut down and sealed off. Mulally has said that Ford will be more forthcoming about its plans at the Detroit show, so anything is still possible. However, after 26 years, it looks like the compact pickup truck thrill is gone. For you Ranger fans out there, the tune you're looking for is "Taps." [Source: Auto News, sub req'd] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments More...
with gas prices the way they are im sure ford will have something to put on the market for people that want a small pick up
It would be nice for those SOB's to at least offer the damn thing in a 4cyl diesel. I would buy another one if they did. I have a 96 right now and it's on its last leg.
wtf??? Just import the mexican crewcab rangers to the U.S. with a 4 cyl diesel option (like argentinean rangers) and you got a perfect light duty, high mileage every day work truck. http://ford.com.mx/downloads/manual/CAT/RAN/index.html
Too much time and work for me. I want and should be able to ride down to my nearest Ford dealership and buy one. I shouldn't have to go through so much trouble to get one here. Plus I'm not even sure how legal it would be because of emissions standards. Hmmm... It's crazy too because Mexico isn't all that far.
Yeah I understood. It just irritates me to no end that our neighbors(Mexico) can have such a nice truck like the Diesel Ranger and I can't even get my hands on it. Some would question why I just don't buy the full size and one thing is price. The other is that I simply don't need a full size and the 4cyl Diesel would be perfect for me. Damn Ford....
Can't tell you how many people I've heard say that. Supposedly Ford made a diesel 4 banger Ranger overseas that got ridiculous gas mileage. I think they would sell like hot cakes. I've seen a few early 80's Rangers in the junkyard with Mitsubishi diesel's in them.
Even if they bring it back in 2 years like they did with the taurus... it'll bomb just like the Taurus did. Alot of companies used the Taurus as executive and rental cars. Even tho they offered the 500 it wasn't the same. THey went to other companies for a better deal on a car. Now, the same can be said for the ranger. Lots of parts stores and such use the rangers around here as parts runners. If they can't get a good deal on a new truck from Ford... they'll go to other companies... Chevrolet, Nissan, etc.... Suchs they are getting rid of it, it's a very good truck in my opinion
