When Ford drops the new Ranger and the new Bronco, which appeals to you more?
While the details are few, we do know that Ford Motor Company will reintroduce the Ranger and the Bronco to the US market over the course of the next few years. The two Ford trucks will be mid-sized, body-on-frame vehicles. We also know they will be built in Michigan, and engineered with heavy input from the folks who designed the Ford Ranger currently sold outside of the USA.
How They Might Differ
As for more specifics, it is all just speculation. It is expected that the Ranger will be a higher volume vehicle, destined to do battle with the likes of the Chevrolet Colorado and the Toyota Tacoma. The mid-sized pickup market has become much more popular since the previous Ranger left production. With the introduction of the new model the Motor Company hopes to get in on that action. It is expected that the new Ranger will have a high performance Raptor package, but more importantly, Ford will likely offer a spread of packages which appeal to every mid-sized shopper.
On the other hand, the new Ford Bronco could be more of a specialized vehicle, marketed to those folks who want a more rugged mid-sized SUV. The company already offers a popular mid-sized model with the Edge, but it seems likely that the new Bronco will be more off-road capable, possibly engineered to compete with the Jeep Wrangler.
Shared Drivetrains
While the upcoming Ranger and Bronco might be marketed to two different groups, it seems likely that the drivetrains will be shared. This will definitely include some gasoline-fed EcoBoost engines. But with the current Ranger sold outside of the US with powerful diesel engines, coupled with the success of GM’s mid-sized diesel pickups, we could see a diesel engine option in one or both of the new mid-sized Fords.
With all of that in mind, click here to head into the forumto tell us whether you are more excited for the arrival of the new Ford Ranger or the new Ford Bronco.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
