For the longest little while, the prevailing logic behind Ford not bringing back the Ranger was the idea that it would eat into sales of the F-150, which is arguably the most important vehicle in the automaker’s lineup. Now, with the Ranger’s return quite nigh, Ford President of Global Operations Joe Hinrichs says that the Blue Oval is not terribly concerned that the Ranger will affect F-150 sales in any meaningful way.
“There always will be some substitution, but this is more of a lifestyle vehicle for people who want to use it for different purposes,” Hinrichs told Automotive News at an event kicking off the start of Ranger production at Michigan Assembly. “The F-150’s gotten bigger over time and more expensive. We believe there’s room now to slot the Ranger in very nicely in the showroom.”
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Ford may be banking on the Ranger to both supplement its pickup truck sales and help pave the way for a rumored small pickup truck that it is said to be developing for a 2022 launch. Ultimately, Hinrichs said that the decision to bring back the Ranger boiled down to the uptick in midsize pickup sales and the belief that the Ranger could quickly swoop in and become the segment standout. Given its best-in-class towing, payload, and torque, that assumption is not far off base.
Hinrichs confirmed that the Ranger should begin arriving at showrooms in January. The inaugural model year will consist of three trims: XL, XLT, and Lariat. Given Ford’s profit margins on trucks, it’s not unlikely that a higher-trim Limited variant will join the lineup at some point down the road if sales permit, and a Ranger Raptor variant seems all but inevitable.
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News Source: Automotive News (subscription required)
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