First coming on the scene in 1983, the Ford Ranger was Ford's choice to replace the Ford Courier. The Courier was a Mazda product that carried Ford's branding. Since 1983, the Ranger has been produced each model year and remains one of Ford's popular vehicles among sales, although sales have dropped in recent years.
Since the truck is not a full size truck, Ford wanted to solve a problem that people had with the Courier and other popular small trucks at the time of the Ranger's introduction. That problem was that a 4x8 sheet of material would not fit inside the bed of the truck. The Ranger's bed was large enough for the material to fit, although it still did not fit between the wheel wells as it would in a full size truck.
A look at the cab of the ranger will show you that it is truly only a two passenger vehicle, although some models were sold with fold down jump seats behind the front seats. These jump seats, really would only be acceptable for children and then on short trips and not a long road trip. The jump seats, however do allow the Ranger to be classified as a four passenger vehicle, and the bed allows for four foot material.
The Ranger has proven to be a successful truck for Ford. This model has been produced for over twenty five years and is still a strong seller. The Ranger is now in its forth generation. As the larger F series trucks have changed body styles, the Ranger has mimicked those styles.
The smaller size means better gas mileage and these trucks are very popular among commuters who enjoy driving a truck but still need the better gas mileage offered by the smaller truck.
Currently the Ranger offers the choice of two engine sizes. There is a smaller 2. 3 liter engine and a larger 4. 0 liter engine. The V-6 engine offered in earlier models is no longer being sold.
Today's Ranger is one of the few small trucks that are being built. Both Toyota and Dodge have increased the size of their former small sized trucks to the midsize range, leaving the Ranger as the only option in today's market.
Even though Ford has spent more marketing dollars on the Explorer series and the sales of Rangers has dropped over the past few years, with Toyota taking the lead with their larger Tacoma. Ford has continued to promise to make the Ranger and hopes that the increased demand for fuel economy will help sales.
Again, according to rumors, the Ranger will be replaced in 2012 by an Australian Ford truck that was not originally intended for sale in the United States. Ford has already begun test marketing the vehicle in the United States. The newer truck will be available in the United States only with a 1. 6-liter engine. In other parts of the world, buyers can opt for a diesel engine that is a 3. 0-liter engine.
Ford Rangers have been very popular Fords for several years. They offer fuel economy, but drivers can still feel free to carry a payload in the truck. Engine sizes slowly increased offering the later trucks more power than the first ones. New engine styles can offer the same power with lower fuel consumption.
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