Before Ford introduced the Ranger as its own model, the Courier was the company’s small truck and it offered the best MPG in the segment.
The Ford Ranger was so popular in the US market during its long run, which started in the mid-1980s, that many don’t know what came before the Ranger. But up until 1982, Ford’s small pickup was the Courier. The Ford Courier offered many of the advantages of the Ranger which replaced it. This week’s ‘Throwback Thursday’ video offers a look at one of the final years for the compact Courier pickup courtesy of TheClassicSportsYouTube channel.
Like the Ranger, the Courier was a compact pickup which was marketed as an affordable, efficient, and fun to drive vehicle. It came with customization options (as shown in the image above) to make the truck more appealing to a buyer who wanted something sporty. However, after the gas crisis of the 1970’s, and what people thought were high fuel prices in the 1980’s, fuel economy was a major selling point for the Courier.
This commercial highlights the emphasis on the fuel efficiency of the 1981 Ford Courier. Pretty much everyone onscreen is repeating the ’27 miles per gallon’ EPA combined figure which was achieved with a combination of a 2.0L 4-cylinder engine and a 5-speed manual transmission. Getting 27 miles per gallon made the Courier the most fuel efficient pickup in America (excluding diesel models), but as the commercial shows, this truck was capable of far more than just great MPGs.
The compact pickup is shown jumping a hill while off-roading, serving as a work truck on a build site, hauling a load of plants, storming along the beach, hauling a pair of dirt bikes, and just for good measure, the video ends with one more jump shot.
The Ford Courier may not have lasted in the US, but this video shows how similarly the marketing for the Courier was to the Ranger which replaced it.
"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.
