We are just months away from a return to the mid-sized pickup market. It was something we actually were leaders of - from the imported Courier of the 1970s to the US-made Ranger that kept Ford in the game through the 2000s.

Even as the Ranger ceased production in this country, its legacy continues in a global pickup that serves Australia, parts of Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America well. Now, it's almost a certainty that the global Ranger is coming to the U.S. and the timing couldn't be better!

Now that the market is demanding more midsized trucks, Ford is ready to do what Ford does best, build the best trucks for every segment and every customer demand.

Here is what Suburban Ford of Sterling Heights knows about the upcoming mid-sized pickup:

SIZE: Based on the current "global" Ranger, the size of the pickup should be right where our competitors are currently. To look at the Toyota Tacoma and Chevrolet Colorado, you are looking at the next Ford Ranger - larger than it used to be, but designed to be Ford Tough in every way. Based on the Australian version of the Ranger, it is 211 inches long for the Double Cab model with a 58-inch long bed. The highest payload rating for the Ranger is at 3,196 pounds, while towing capacity tops out at 7,716 pounds.

 

ENGINES/DRIVETRAINS: To match what the competition is offering, we could see a three-engine lineup for the Ranger. Already available is the 2.5 Liter Duratec four-cylinder engine, with a selection of V6 power from the 3.5 liter naturally aspirated version to a 2.7 liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost. The third engine would most likely be a diesel, possibly the 3.2 liter 5-cylinder turbocharged unit in today's Transit van. The 3.2 liter version is already offered in the Ranger elsewhere in the world. Transmissions could vary from manual gearboxes to the latest dual-clutch or automatic transmissions. These trucks would be offered in rear- or four-wheel drive, with independent front suspension and leaf springs in the rear.

TO BE BUILT IN THE USA: By relocating production of the Focus and C-Max out of the Michigan Assembly Plant in Warren to a plant in Mexico, this frees space for all-new product to be built there. It is a flexible, high-capacity assembly line that is capable of building different versions of the same platform - or similar platforms - on various lines. The Ranger would be easily adapted to this assembly line and could be made to volumes as the market deemed it.

However, there is plenty we do not know about the next Ford Ranger. These unknown facts include the final design of the pickup - exterior and interior - actual specifications for everything from the engines to the final drive ratio and towing capacity, whether it will be built with Military-grade aluminum as our F-Series, and the timeline as to when we should see them here at Suburban Ford of Sterling Heights. Although, Ford has said they could arrive "around 2019."

When we do know more, we will make sure to let you know. If you want to stay in the loop, contact us to let us know your interest in the return of the Ford Ranger. 

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