Ranger Confirmed Through 2011

[NY Ranger Guy]

As per the announcement this morning, Ford has confirmed that the Ranger will stay in production through 2011 in Minnesota.

FORD ACCELERATES TRANSFORMATION PLAN WITH SMALL CAR OFFENSIVE, MANUFACTURING REALIGNMENT

Among the manufacturing realignment actions:

* Michigan Truck Plant in Wayne, Mich., which currently builds the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator full-size SUVs, will be converted beginning this December to production of small cars derived from Ford’s global C-car platform in 2010.
* Production of the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator will be moved to the Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville, Ky., early next year.
* Cuautitlan Assembly Plant in Mexico, which currently produces F-Series pickups, will be converted to begin production of the new Fiesta small car for North America in early 2010.
* Louisville (Ky.) Assembly Plant, which builds the Ford Explorer mid-size SUV, will be converted to produce small vehicles from Ford’s global C-car platform beginning in 2011.
* Twin Cities (Minn.) Assembly Plant – which was scheduled to close in 2009 – will continue production of the Ford Ranger through 2011 to meet consumer demand for the compact pickup.
* As previously announced, Kansas City Assembly Plant this year will add a third crew to its small utility line for the Ford Escape, Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner and Mariner Hybrid.

 

[tbirdsps]

Good news. I read about this this morining.

 

[rangerslim]

thank God for high gas prices.....haha.

 

[koda6966]

And yet.. no redesign for the next 3 years.
But hey, does this mean that the blue book of third gen rangers will go down?

Usually when a company produces more vehicles in a line, the older (middle) ones have a price drop where as if they just end the line, the prices stay where they were for 10 or so years.

 

[stonecoldranger]

would love a price drop (who wouldn't) but the prices aren't bad as they stand.. I want to buy an 09 or 10 next year to replace the 06 I'm leasing... hopefully the residual on these trucks stays high unlike the 1/2 tons

 

[tbirdsps]

I haven't worn out the 92 yet. So, I don't care about value. My opinion is that the Ranger is a darn good truck and doesn't need a redesign. Or, maybe I'm just old.

 

[koda6966]

I haven't worn out the 92 yet. So, I don't care about value. My opinion is that the Ranger is a darn good truck and doesn't need a redesign. Or, maybe I'm just old.

I don't care about a mechanical redesign, but I wouldn't mind seeing a cosmetic one with a crew cab option.

 

[Dar70]

Good news. Maybe I'll upgrade in 2011.

And yet.. no redesign for the next 3 years.
But hey, does this mean that the blue book of third gen rangers will go down?

Usually when a company produces more vehicles in a line, the older (middle) ones have a price drop where as if they just end the line, the prices stay where they were for 10 or so years.

Crap you mean the current ones wont hold there value as well now. I would think that with demand going up they would increase the price. Ahh well.

 

[koda6966]

Crap you mean the current ones wont hold there value as well now. I would think that with demand going up they would increase the price. Ahh well.

Depends on the age of your truck really..

I'm just hoping on a 3rd gen price drop. Hopefully all the current third early 4th gen people will upgrade.

 

[Dar70]

Depends on the age of your truck really..

I'm just hoping on a 3rd gen price drop. Hopefully all the current third early 4th gen people will upgrade.

Ahhh you want a nice used truck at a good price. I may get one myself for a second vehicle in a few years. I like my newly purchased Ranger that much.

 

[koda6966]

Well, I just got mine (used&crappy) in october, but its a POS.

I want to upgrade to a Stepside Supercab 4x4 with a manual tranny.
Anything I get that's 4x4 would HAVE to have a manual tranny to make up for the MPG drop.

 

[oldbaldy454]

Yep, here in Minnesota the folks are happy to keep their jobs...if they already did not accept the buyout option....word is that they may convert the plant to small cars, and haven't heard what will happen then to the ranger production.

Yep, may mean older trucks worth less if they keep building new ones rather than becoming a collectors item.
Would be neat if they would come out with a small diesel 4 banger like the ones offered overseas, then maybe someday to run it on a ethanol-diesel blend like some new foreign cars scheduled for 2010 and beyond.

http://www.trollhattansaab.net/archives/2007/11/an-ethanol-diesel-engine.html

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2008/04/scania-extendin.html

 

[Dar70]

Yep, here in Minnesota the folks are happy to keep their jobs...if they already did not accept the buyout option....word is that they may convert the plant to small cars, and haven't heard what will happen then to the ranger production.

Yep, may mean older trucks worth less if they keep building new ones rather than becoming a collectors item.
Would be neat if they would come out with a small diesel 4 banger like the ones offered overseas, then maybe someday to run it on a ethanol-diesel blend like some new foreign cars scheduled for 2010 and beyond.

http://www.trollhattansaab.net/archives/2007/11/an-ethanol-diesel-engine.html

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2008/04/scania-extendin.html

Its good to know the ranger will be around a few more years in its current form. Its one of the last true pickups that look like a pickup.

 

[oldbaldy454]

Ya, I heard on tonights news that they will keep making trucks,
yesterday there was talk of the plant staying open
but then switching some production to small cars...
guess it will be small trucks for now

Maybe I should drive up there and buy a new one...
but I like my old E85 burner too

JB

 

[stegomon]

since the 3.0 is dropped....do you think they may drop in the new 3.5 in the ranger to replace that and maby evan replace the 4.0 at the same time??? or just keep the 4.0 for the next few years???