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Should Ford Revive the Ranger in the US?

Today's US compact pickup truck market is a two-way battle with just the Toyota Tacoma and the Nissan Frontier available across dealerships. The segment used to be livelier half a decade ago, when buyers were able to choose from similar offerings wearing Ford, Chevrolet, GMC, Mazda and Isuzu badges.
That changed dramatically as compact truck sales declined and both Ford and Chevrolet decided to discontinue their US market mid-size pickups in 2011 and 2012 respectively. However, the Ranger and the Colorado continued to be offered globally with diesel engines that never made it to the US. Since it went away, the Ranger was somewhat missed in America, despite Ford introducing more efficient engines for the larger F-150.

Now that Chevrolet has revived the Colorado nameplate in the US, it's only natural for pickup truck enthusiasts to wonder whether Ford will respond with a compact of its own. If you ask me, the Colorado will take a huge bite into Toyota Tacoma sales next year and will munch some more in 2016, when the 2.8-liter Duramax diesel becomes available alongside the four-potter and the optional V6.

While Ford is mum on a potential Ranger rival, I just know they will be keeping an eye on the Colorado's numbers and any business opportunity that may arise. But the question is, will they roll out a competitor if the Colorado proves successful? That's a puzzler and I'm tempted to say the Ranger won't be revived too soon.

Why? Because Ford made it pretty clear that the third-generation Ranger is too big for the US market. Too big when compared to the F-150 of course - or about 90 percent the size of America's best-selling truck since the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl X.

Then there's the price - the Ranger has grown to be too expensive in its final years - and F-150 sales, which would decrease (slightly) once a smaller truck would make it into the company's lineup. Profitability is another concern... Building a Ranger costs nearly as much as an F-150 and you can't sell a small truck for the same price as a big truck, right?

On the other hand, marketing manager for Ford trucks Doug Scott said there would be enough room for a compact pickup with a 1,000-pound payload capacity and a 3,000-pound towing capacity. That could satisfy the needs of those who don't really need a full-size truck and buyers who are looking for a pickup with good mpg ratings.

And this is where Ford could jump in with something better than what the Tacoma has to offer, meaning 25 mpg highway and 21 mpg city on a regular cab 4x2 with 2.7-liter four-cylinder and a five-speed manual (the figures drop to 24 highway / 19 city on the double cab).

It seems like a long shot, but the 2.3-liter EcoBoost developed for the 2015 Mustang would make a great engine for a new Ranger with the appropriate modifications. It will deliver about 300 pound-feet of torque, more than the V6 options on the Toyota Tacoma, the Nissan Frontier and even the 2015 Colorado.

Unfortunately, with the new a 2.7-liter EcoBoost added to the 2015 F-150, Ford might be aiming to attract mid-size buyers towards full-size trucks, which is bad news for a new American Ranger. The strategy is somewhat similar to Ram's master plan for the 2014 1500 EcoDiesel.

"The customers who is concerned about fuel economy can now move up," Reid Bigland said last year when asked about a Ram-badged competitor for the Chevy Colorado.

Sure, Ford doesn't offer a diesel on the F-150, and we might not see one until 2018, but the Blue Oval is more than confident when it comes to its EcoBoost V6 engines. Now if only they'd do the same with a four-pot EcoBoost and make some dealers and customers happy. I know, easier said than done, but maybe the new Colorado will push Ford to make this step and bring the Ranger back. And I wouldn't mind seeing F-100 badges on its fenders.
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About the author: Ciprian Florea
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Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer.
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