T6 Ranger prototypes finally out and about

[ausrutherford]

Spied Again! Next-Gen Ford Global Ranger

Posted by Mike Levine | January 28, 2010

 

Photos by Brian Williams for Brenda Priddy & Company

 

Until now, we've only seen photos of Ford's next-generation global Ford Ranger undergoing testing wearing the cobbled-together sheetmetal of the current Mazda BT-50, which is sold outside the U.S. Now, we've received new pictures of the upcoming Ranger in final form but disguised in heavy camouflage.

 

Ford sells two versions of the Ranger: the U.S.-built Ranger sold domestically and in Canada, and a Thai-built Ranger that shares only its name with the North American Ranger. Production of the U.S. Ranger is scheduled to end in 2011.

 

The future overseas Ranger — code named T6 — will be built on a single, globally shared platform that's being designed in Australia. It's expected to be sold only in Southeast Asia, Australia, Africa, Europe and South America.

 

The truck in these pictures is right-hand drive with camouflage that's similar to that used on Ford's Falcon brand test cars Down Under. The six lug wheels are the same lug count we've seen in earlier T6 Ranger spy shots.

 

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2010/01/spied-again-nextgen-ford-global-ranger.html

[Sixt9coug]

I thought the Ranger was dead. Is Ford dicking with us or is this gonna be global except for the US?

[ausrutherford]

I thought the Ranger was dead. Is Ford dicking with us or is this gonna be global except for the US?

 

Its the global

[rmc523]

Its the global

 

Global except the US according to the article, unless you know something they don't.

[Reigner92]

Is this coming to the US or no? It does say it is meant to be Global.

[PREMiERdrum]

Is this coming to the US or no? It does say it is meant to be Global.

 

US was not a part of the T6 program, so don't expect to see it here.

[Bob Rosadini]

US was not a part of the T6 program, so don't expect to see it here.

And the reason we won't see it?

 

Does this make sense?- how many small truck platforms can you afford? Le'ts hope it DOES make it here and we are not stuck with some east-west engine FWD platform based mini truck

[PREMiERdrum]

And the reason we won't see it?

Because US regulations weren't factored at all into the design. T6 was well underway before One Ford, and unlike the Fiesta program, the US wasn't added to T6 after One Ford was launched.

 

Does this make sense?- how many small truck platforms can you afford? Le'ts hope it DOES make it here and we are not stuck with some east-west engine FWD platform based mini truck

I'm not arguing that it makes sense - because it should be sold in the US. I just don't see the ROI from the changes that would be necessary to sell the global Ranger in the US.

[timmm55]

Seems a damn shame. The Ranger, in the late 90s OWNED the small truck market. I know the market has shrunk, but I think the time is ripe for a comeback: smaller vehicles with excellent fuel economy are more important than ever. A big strippo F100 is not the answer even if it gets better MPGs.

[jpd80]

Seems a damn shame. The Ranger, in the late 90s OWNED the small truck market. I know the market has shrunk, but I think the time is ripe for a comeback: smaller vehicles with excellent fuel economy are more important than ever. A big strippo F100 is not the answer even if it gets better MPGs.

Think of it this way, the Global Ranger is the F150 for the rest of the world, a smaller more fuel efficient version.

 

Before being too harsh on the V6 F150, I think we should remind people that most of the V6 Ranger buyers will probably jump at the chance of a more fuel efficient, roomier F Truck for about the same cash. That will then leave the I-4 Ranger customers to migrate onto something new. I'm betting Ford will want to migrate those customers with something novel like and Ecoboost I-4 F150. Anything else like D3 Unitary Pick up off the Explorer is going to be about $8,000 dearer than Ranger's current entry price point so that probably won't fly...

[blksn8k2]

The reason most buyers purchased a Ranger in the past was because they did not need or want the huge monster that the F150 has become. I don't care if the F150 gets better fuel mileage than a V6 Ranger, it's still too damn big. The problem with Ranger sales is that Ford has made the same mistake with the Ranger that they made with the Taurus and the rest of their car lines in the late 1990s and early 2000s. They let a good vehicle rot on the vine in hopes that buyers would move up to larger, more profitable SUVs and full size trucks. Well guess what? F150 sales are only about half what they were at their peak and Ranger sales are much less than that. There IS room in the market for both just the same as their is room for a Fiesta and a Taurus.

[jpd80]

I was told that the parameters Ford North America wanted included would not fit under the T6 development program and no work has been done on a US version.

Global Ranger will launch with I-4 Diesel engines and maybe the 2.0 Ecoboost I-4, there has been absolutely no word on a V6 option.... most areas outside the US shy away from this option because the trucks are usually much thirstier than the diesels.

[RangerM]

Why the camo; haven't they already shown this truck?

[jpd80]

Why the camo; haven't they already shown this truck?

No, that's the current Ranger, we have one at my work...

 

T6 is completely different.

[2b2]

I was told that the parameters Ford North America wanted included would not fit under the T6 development program and no work has been done on a US version.

Global Ranger will launch with I-4 Diesel engines and maybe the 2.0 Ecoboost I-4, there has been absolutely no word on a V6 option.... most areas outside the US shy away from this option because the trucks are usually much thirstier than the diesels.

you know - maybe it's for the best that FoNA stayed out of the T6's development cuz this way it won't have been bloated into v6-ness - - esp considering how the 'make-it-more' guys killed the F-100 midsize truck

so

in a few years, when the fullsize F-100 isn't cutting it anymore for CAFE

Or

when some other Mfg makes a real play for the light/compact truck customers,

Ford can just bring in the 4cyl-only T6

[jpd80]

you know - maybe it's for the best that FoNA stayed out of the T6's development cuz this way it won't have been bloated into v6-ness - - esp considering how the 'make-it-more' guys killed the F-100 midsize truck

so

in a few years, when the fullsize F-100 isn't cutting it anymore for CAFE

Or

when some other Mfg makes a real play for the light/compact truck customers,

Ford can just bring in the 4cyl-only T6

Even though no specific engineering was done for the North American market, you can bet that Ford's internal specifications would leave the door wide open for it's use in one more large market. Maybe an Ecoboost 2.0 version is all that's needed to be federalized,

it could be as simple as use V6 F150 to fill the V6 ranger void and see what is left over.....

[Bob Rosadini]

Because US regulations weren't factored at all into the design. T6 was well underway before One Ford, and unlike the Fiesta program, the US wasn't added to T6 after One Ford was launched.

 

 

I'm not arguing that it makes sense - because it should be sold in the US. I just don't see the ROI from the changes that would be necessary to sell the global Ranger in the US.

 

 

Thx- good explanations- I still would find it hard to believe that they could not do some modification that would be cost effective given the cost of a new platform.

 

In any case, I have a 2004 FX 4 Super Cab which with its factory 31-10.5's sucks as far as economy goes- then again, I put about 4000 miles a year on it. Its a nice little truck. I too remember the days when the Ranger was a top seller and as a stockholder, its one more segment that I felt Ford has lost.

 

As others have pointed out, if the 150 had an Ecoboost that gave great mileage, I'm afraid the size would turn them off.

[jpd80]

Because US regulations weren't factored at all into the design. T6 was well underway before One Ford, and unlike the Fiesta program, the US wasn't added to T6 after One Ford was launched.

 

I know someone who is close to the project and what you said is not the case. The US were in at the start but what they wanted wouldn't fit under the engineering envelope with out compromising the vehicle for the rest of the world.

In essence they wanted a larger vehicle but remember that was 2006 and way before all the events that now leads us to more fuel efficient vehicles.

Edited January 31, 2010 by jpd80