Last Ranger for North America

[SVT666]

One of North America?s longest-lived nameplates is about to reach the end of its historic run. Next week, Ford will shutter its St. Paul, Minnesota, assembly plant, which means the curtain will fall on the Ford Ranger compact pickup.

Ranger, which first began as a trim level on the company?s F-Series truck in 1965, became its own compact pickup model in 1982. For more than half of its run, Ranger was the country?s best-selling compact pickup, but Ford has chosen to focus its efforts on more fuel efficient powertrains in its larger F-Series instead.

Although Ranger received several updates during its nearly 30-year run, much of its basic design dates back to the early 1980s.

As a result, the Ranger nameplate will be retired in North America as Ford exits the compact pickup segment.

The last Ranger is set to be delivered to Orkin, the national pest control company that has long relied on the compact Ranger for its fleet.

Ford sold a staggering 348,358 examples of its Ranger pickup in 1999, but sales dropped 20,000 to 50,000 units annually in subsequent years before leveling out in 2009 at around 55,000 trucks a year.

The demise of the Ranger also signals the end of the road for Ford?s Twin Cities Assembly Plant in St. Paul. Opened in 1924 to build Model Ts, the plant was once one of Ford?s flagship facilities.

[SVT666]

I still think it's a mistake.  Bring the world Ranger to NA.

[Soup DeVille]

I still think it's a mistake.  Bring the world Ranger to NA.

+1000

Depending on price, I might actually pre-order one of they were to do this.

[Mustangfan2003]

So the last call of duty for the Danger Ranger is to kill some bugs.  I've read that one of the countries that the new world Ranger is South Africa and they are not subject to the Chicken Tax.  So come on Ford make this happen. 

[Rupert]

Sad, I guess, but I've come to terms with it. I just won't ever buy a new truck.

[S204STi]

Too bad. I dig the world ranger, particularly if I can get one with a decent diesel. 

[Onslaught]

They should bring over the world ranger. As for this one, I'm happy it's dead. I make no secret what I think of it. Why did it have to take so long for both the Ranger and Vic to die? I wouldn't have hated working at a Ford dealer as much if it had happened 20 years ago.

[S204STi]

Good point; in its current form it is not acceptable.  It's too bad they won't revamp it for our market.  Hopefully an F100-type truck happens soon.

[Mustangfan2003]

Good point; in its current form it is not acceptable.  It's too bad they won't revamp it for our market.  Hopefully an F100-type truck happens soon.

Maybe the new Colorado will do well and get Ford back in the small truck business.  I'd like a truck myself but I don't really need a full sizer. 

[Onslaught]

I would love a small truck like the old Mazda B2200 or Toyota tacoma's of the late 80's early 90's. I need something that size with a 4 banger in it but nothing larger.

[Rupert]

Yeah, no way I'm buying a full-size truck, even if it gets good mileage.

[Mustangfan2003]

Wished Jeep would build a Wrangler based pick up.