Ford Says Ranger To Stay Unchanged, May Kill in 2010

[ragingfish]

Quote »WHISPERS: Ford Won't Redesign Ranger, May Dump it in 2010Date Posted 05-13-2005"You haven't changed a bit!": The slightly tweaked 2006 Ford Ranger (Photo: Brenda Priddy & Co.)DEARBORN, Mich. — Ford Motor Co. reportedly plans to keep its aging Ranger compact pickup alive at least through the end of the decade with few major mechanical changes, according to component suppliers familiar with the automaker's future programs.However, Ford will give the Ranger a modest face-lift this fall, at the start of the 2006 model year. The small truck will get a more aggressive front fascia, including a heavy chrome grille that ties it closer, stylistically, to the big F-Series pickups. There are also some minor changes to the taillamps, but otherwise the sheet metal remains largely untouched.Ford vendors who spoke with Inside Line said the company has postponed a major redesign of the Ranger on several occasions, and now has no plans for a complete overhaul before the end of this decade. As U.S. sales of compact pickups continue to dwindle — and competitors grow ever larger — Ford also is considering a proposal to drop the Ranger entirely after 2010, suppliers said.What this means to you: Is this bad for consumers? Probably not, seeing as there are a bevy of small trucks out there. But Ford obviously thinks it can get away with not putting substantial resources into the Ranger. Or, given how good its competitors have become, it doesn't think it would be worth it.http://www.edmunds.com/insidel...5641#RagingCommentary: GM here's your chance. Ford is struggling. Whoop their butts, put out some solid gotta-have truck products and steal the market from them. Ford practically handed you the market on a silver platter...

[ColonelPanic]

Wow. Hasn't that truck been essentially the same since '93, save for grille, interior, and various trim refreshing? And before that, was it a full redesign, or has this truck been the same underneath since '83? lol!Postponing the death of the Ranger... Good job. Perhaps GM would benefit from this....

[ragingfish]

Quote, originally posted by ColonelPanic »Perhaps GM would benefit from this....If they're smart enough to take advantage of it...

[joatmon]

there's probably a fan base that will be glad to hear there are no major redesigns in it. Look at how upset people here got over the token fascia change incorporated into the 05 Vibes. also, if they don't think that a redesign will give them a substantial market share increase, then economically it may not be worth the retooling cost. when I did the GM hot button thing this time I played at a Pontiac/GMC dealer, pushed the button in some generic looking pontiac minivan, but while waiting for my chance to play I talked to one of the salesman, he said they sell a ton of GMC trucks, and every now and then someone will buy a Pontiac, and they have even sold a vibe or two.