Today I was wondering what I really needed/wanted in my next truck. I actually need something bigger then my current '06' ranger. But How big do I really want to go, as the ranger is pretty fun to drive... Well I started thinking about it a little more. This is what I came up with- 1st- a 7' bed with an extended cab. 2nd- 3.0 liter I-6 turbo (gas is fine by me, I like the ecoboost tech!) 6 speed auto (my wife refuses to learn how to drive a hand shaker, plus as I get older the happier I am with an auto.) 4x4 w/ a highboy package with slightly larger more aggressive tire package. I am happy with the payload of my ranger it has the heavy duty springs in back, a little over 1500 pounds total. What would your set up be?...

Of course I doubt that this setup would ever get made let alone sold. But it can be fun to day dream about it...

 

One point I didn't mention- Overall the same size, Maybe some updating The compact pickup went the way of the doe-doe bird because everyone wants "bigger" but not too much please...

 

The perfect truck? I have it. Or, at least the base to make perfect. It's my 460 powered 1 ton daily driver. You can see what I'm doing to make it perfect here

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...350-build.html

After I complete my build the only thing I would need to truly it perfect is for gas to drop down to a buck a gallon and stay there until I die.

But if I was in Ford Design and was tasked with making a cool new pickup to replace the Ranger then I'd think it would go a little something like this:

It would be a little larger than the Ranger. Not because I would want it to be, but because it would have to be to meet today's crash standards (this is why all the other manufactures have up sized their smaller trucks). I'd keep it as small as possible; about the size of the new Jeeps max.

The frame would be straight and steel, available it three lengths (I'll get to that in a moment) with solid axles hung at both ends. The rear could be an 8.8 sourced from the Mustang (it's about the right width and can hold up to a 550 HP motor). The front would be a reverse rotation 8.8. This would have to be a new housing but the F150 IFS internals are already made to fit it. Both of these axles would have LS and E-locker options. They would hang by coils and either a long arm 3 link or 4 link (whichever one fits the best). A tough, high mounted, true crossover steering system would complete the chassis. 33s with optional 35s would make this a roller.

The drivetrain is the easiest part. I would use the F150 spec 3.7 V6 with the truck 5.0 optional. There would be a granny gear 6 speed manual standard and, of course, a 6 speed auto option (but I’d make it a wide ratio version). The transfer case would be shifted by a handle only and would have a minimal of 4:1 low range ratio.

This will only be a two door; SUV on the shortest wheelbase (with hard top and soft top options) pick up with a 4 foot bed and 6 foot bed for the other wheelbases. I'd then drape retro looking sheet metal over all of this. There would be two trim levels. Stripped down basic (roller windows, vinyl floor, vinyl seats with removable covers) and nicer XLT (power windows, better radio, cloth seats with removable cover but still vinyl floor). It would have tough, high clearance bumpers front and rear with D rings. There would also be winch options front and rear.

One big thing about this truck is that no options would be taboo together. Ford likes to package their trucks today in a way that you have to have tons of crap you don't want to get the couple of options that you do. Every one of these trucks would be modular and one-off. Also, this thing would start at about $22K and max at about $30K. That way the younger generation could get into a stripped model but the older and working age folks can still have all their cool dodads.

When the SUV was finished, I'd shine it all up, put a bucking horse emblem on it and call it a Bronco. As for the truck version, I haven't decided yet. I'm tossing around both Ranchero and Courier but F100 could work.

 

Cool ideas but theres no way ford would ever remake the ranger to be bigger yet - one of the main reasons its being dropped is because it is too close in size to the f150.

I feel like the only reason ford isnt selling enough rangers is cause they just arent trying hard enough, or marketing them the right way.

They should try to fit them with sexy offroad packages and market them to young people.

 

Unfortunately the Ranger is a Dead Man Walking at this point. And it's a shame to lose a line that has been in continuous production for 28 years. These little trucks have done some hard work from being a teenager first set of wheels to being a retirees last set. They've worked hard and played hard in that time and have a reputation and enthusiasm that other lines could only dream about. Ford didn't learn anything from discontinuing the Taurus, Bronco or Thunderbird.

Ford could really tap into this market. Riding on the Raptor's momentum, if they would take the lessons learned for the Wrangler, H2, and FJ Cruiser, mix it in with some of their own off-road lineage, they could bring a vehicle to the market that would blow away the competition

But I don't see this happening. They're selling too many of their cute utes (Escape, Edge) and they know something like this would cut into those sells. As for the work truck side I think they feel that anybody that needs a small cheap work truck should just buy a short wheelbase F150 XL. Any holes left between that and the outgoing Ranger can be filled by that Transit Connect minivan thing they brought to market. This is great for business as it uses existing lines but it doesn't leave much for us Enthusiast.

Only time will tell what will come on to the lots for the common folks like you and me to buy. I just wish that I could have a seat at some of these planning meetings at Ford Corporate Headquarters

 

I don't think I would agree with the Ranger being close to a F150 size. They are a lot smaller pickup in both size and capability. Especially considering that the F150 has gotten rather piggy over the last two generations.

You're right about there being little marketing though. Most people I talk to are surprised that you can still buy a new Ranger. But nobody is helping this. My local dealer got three in this year and said that they wouldn't order anymore than that. They set those three on the back lot and as far as I know they're still setting there.

And Ford did try some cool off-road packages. Remember the FX4/level 2 a few years back. Great trucks but I don't think they sold well because, again, they had a lack of adequate marketing. That and at the time you could get a short wheelbase half ton for the same price.

 

Thats just the problem, even though the truck is smaller, it still costs lots to build.







If they want to keep ranger around, they need to sexify it a little. Saying that the ranger cuts into f150 sales might be partially true, but if there is no ranger, people might jump from ford to another company that does make small trucks.

A ranger raptor would be one cool idea.

Some new accessories and an interior make over could go far.

The ecoboost 3.5 should be a ranger option. That right there would make them sell big time.

I know a lot of people want to see a little diesel in the ranger as well.

Crew cab is a big deal, most trucks are crew cab now and the ranger doesn't have that option.

 

Dead nuts on there my friend. When the Ranger goes away and my '06 is done I'm going to get a Frontier. My wife also drives Ford's so we can use the same dealer. She will switch to Nissan too.

If I wanted an f150 I wouldve bought one a long time ago.

 

I don't want an F-150 either .It might be alot of folks will be switching . A Ford spokesman has said consumers will see the F-150 as costing just an additional 20 dollars per month verses the outgoing Ranger. Well,

I am a cash buyer and see the F-150 as too large a truck for my needs and costing somewhere's around 5k more dollars than i want to spend on a vehicle i don't want to own. I start thinking about the Tacoma base truck and find it doesn't have a split bench seat so then , i look and build a Dodge Ram ST and after rebates it comes in at a little over the Tacoma base truck price , is American made and 4-5k less than an F-150 because of incentives.

If i'm thrown into buying a light duty truck , that is alot of gas money difference right from the get go . I never saw myself owning a Dodge but if i can pay 5-6 years of home owners tax via buying a Ram 1500 vs an F-150 , i'll do it to help myself survive in this economy.

I'd rather have the Courier built in Mexico for 11k USD but there's just not many options and i don't want to put a trailer hitch on the family car to go get the occasional bags of concrete , plywood ect .

Ford México | Courier | Fotos, videos, características y colores

 

Well DOHC, I'm glad you brought this thing back but I think we've thouroughly beat this horse to death. As for your suggestion: the Courier is an abomination that should be drowned in a bucket of water, but I did look at the Mexican Ranger in your link to the Mexican lineup and must say that that doesn't look half bad; $21,000 and it's a crew cab! Just have to get a respectable motor for it.

 

The perfect Ford truck? A 1974 Bronco with a 302 V-8, factory AC and auto tranny.

 

Make it a 1979 Bronco, the folks see them and love them.

 

Or a 77. I think the market is primed for a new small Bronco

 

I think the perfect truck would be basically right smack dab between an f150 and a ranger (size wise), supercrew, with a 6' bed, narrow but aggressive tires, part time 4x4 (none of that awd), 6 speed manual, with a 4.0l (with square dimensions) dohc 90* v8 with a single turbo with a low speed spool. the motor could also be a diesel 4.0l

Edit: Just did the math. Engine dimensions could be 3.38" bore x 3.38" stroke for a 4.0l, or a 3.40" bore x 3.40" stroke for a 4.1l

 

I will give my idea of a perfect truck,
Take the F-150 Chassies and use the Mustang sheet-metal to make a Ranchero. Offer a wide range of options. The Market is there the tuck is not.