Ford Ranger

Podcast Episode: 0073
History of the Ford Ranger Pickup

    Back in 2019 we finally got a new Ranger after years of waiting and seeing the great looking product they had across the pond.  Now its time for the Ranger to rise again.  This time they are bringing the Raptor to our shores.  
    AutoLooks takes a look at how it all started and how it all went wrong, as we take a look the life and times of the Ford Ranger.

​    The history of the Ranger starts off with a Mazda based Courier truck for the 70's.  This name dates back to 1953 on a panel van.  From there the Ranger story starts to take shape as a sub-brand model for both the F150 and Bronco.  Funny enough that the Bronco name would again be used on a Ranger product.

    Ford's original release the dedicated Ranger mid-size truck, was due in part to GMC/Chevrolet working on their own mid-size truck to take on the Asian Invasion.  Although the Ranger was the first North American product to the table, it was never really a head turner.
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    A limited amount of performance models and a tie-up with Mazda yet again, kept the truck rolling though the 90's.  But by the early 2000's, this market was starting to retract.  The Ranger was soon being outpaced by its Explorer sibling and soon would perish.  Of course we all know the ending to this story as the Ranger is back.
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    Even though we did get the Ranger back, we still have yet to receive its Raptor version.  This will all change in 2022, as Ford is set to release the all new global Ranger Raptor.

    So, come with us as we take a look at the life and times of the Ford Ranger to see what happened, what went wrong and why it came back.

Everett J.
#autolooks