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2019 Ford Ranger Comes Back to the U.S. as Production Starts in Michigan

The hottest new pickup truck on the market, Ford’s new Ranger, started rolling off assembly lines at the Michigan Assembly Plant this week, in anticipation of the Ranger Drive Tour which kicks off in November to reaccustom American clients with the nameplate.
Ford Ranger Michigan assembly plant 1 photo
Photo: Ford
To properly mark the occasion, the carmaker summoned all of the plant’s over 3,000 workers to take part in drive tests on a makeshift off-road course in the parking lot of the facility.

Ford chose to celebrate the start of production in this manner as a way to emphasize the rebirth of both the facility itself, after an $850 million investment, and that of the Ranger model following an eight years’ absence from American soil.

“We have been waiting for this day for a long time,” said Michigan Assembly Plant Manager Erik Williams. “The Ranger is back home in the U.S., and our employees at Michigan Assembly Plant are thrilled to be able to build it for our customers.”

Aimed at “today’s midsize truck buyer who blends city living with off-the-grid adventure,” the new Ranger will be offered with a 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine and the 10-speed automatic transmission also used in the Mustang.

With prices starting from $25,395 including shipping, the model will be offered with Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking, Blind Spot Information System with class-exclusive trailer coverage, and SYNC 3 with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.

FordPass Connect, pre-collision assist, Wi-Fi hotspot with 4G LTE high-speed Internet connectivity, and buttons on the steering wheel also come as standard.

When fully equipped, the model offers according to Ford “best-in-class payload” (1,860 pounds ) - a very desirable trait when talking about a pickup truck.

Unfortunately for the Americans, a more high-performance version of the Ranger, the Raptor (2.0-liter EcoBlue bi-turbo diesel, packing 210 horsepower and 500 Nm of torque), will not be making it States-side.
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About the author: Daniel Patrascu
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Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
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