Ford Ranger is a nameplate that has been used on several model lines of vehicles sold by Ford. Used exclusively for pickup trucks, Ford has produced the Ranger since the 1983 model year; each version of the Ranger has replaced the Ford Couriercompact pickup truck produced by Mazda. In North America, the Ranger is slotted below the Ford F-150 in the Ford light truck range, serving as the smallest Ford pickup truck. In markets where the Ford F-series and Super Duty trucks are not marketed, the Ranger is usually the only pickup sold by Ford. In the Americas, the model line is currently in its fourth generation, derived from the third generation of the Ranger marketed worldwide. Initially designed by Ford Australia, the Ford Ranger T6 is the first version of the Ranger that is a mid-size pickup truck.
Origin of name
Prior to its use on compact trucks, Ford Motor Company used the Ranger nameplate on three different model lines. The name made its first appearance in 1958 as the Edsel Ranger; serving as the base-trim sedan for the division, the Ranger would be produced through the 1960 model year. Within the Ford brand, the Ranger name began use as a trim package on Ford F-Series trucks in 1965 and the Ford Bronco SUV in 1972, serving as a mid to top-trim level until 1981. Following the 1981 model year, Ford withdrew the Ranger trim line from its light trucks, largely in anticipation of its 1983 compact pickup truck.
Americas (1983–2012, 2019-present)
For the 1983 model year, Ford introduced the Ranger for the United States and Canada. Replacing the Courier, the Ranger was the first compact pickup truck designed by Ford. Using the same chassis architecture, three generations of the Ranger were produced across its 29-year production run. The model line underwent major redesigns for 1993 and 1998, a mid-cycle update in 1989, with smaller updates for 2001, 2004, and 2006. The Ford Ranger chassis architecture served as the basis for several model ranges over its production. The Ford Bronco II and the 1991-2001 Ford Explorer were derived from the Ranger alongside the 2001-2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. Through the use of rebadging, in North America, Mazda sold the Ranger as the Mazda B-Series from 1994-2009. On December 22, 2011, the final Ford Ranger produced for North America rolled off the Twin Cities Assembly line, as the final vehicle assembled at the facility.
South America (Ford Argentina)
In 1995, exports of the Ford Ranger began to select Latin and South American countries. To accommodate the demand for the vehicle, in 1998, Ford Argentina commenced local production of the Ranger, introducing a four-door cab not sold in North America. During the 2000s, Rangers produced by Ford Argentina shared a common chassis with North American-produced vehicles. For 2010, the Ranger underwent a major revision of the exterior. Ford Argentina ended production of the compact Ranger following the 2011 model year to expand production of the Ranger T6 mid-size pickup, which remains in production.
Model revival (2019–present)
For the 2019 model year, Ford returned the Ranger to its model range in North America ; the first example rolled off the assembly line on October 22, 2018. A version of the global Ranger T6 adapted to accommodate American government regulations, the 2019 Ranger is the first generation sold in North America as a mid-size pickup truck. Similar in size to the Ford Explorer Sport Trac, the Ranger is sold in two configurations, a 2+2 door SuperCab and a 4-door SuperCrew ; the two-door standard cab is not offered for sale in North America. The model line is currently produced by Ford at its Michigan Assembly Plant at Wayne, Michigan.
International (1998–present)
Ford entered the compact truck segment in 1971 by marketing the second-generation Mazda B-Series under the Ford Courier nameplate. Since 1983, Ford replaced the Courier in North America with the Ranger, while continuing to rebadge Mazda B-series trucks in global markets as the Courier into the 1990s. In 1998, the Ranger nameplate replaced the Courier nameplate, except for Australia and New Zealand where the Courier nameplate continued to be used until 2006. As with the Courier, the international Ranger followed the model development of the Mazda B-series. The first-generation Ranger was produced from 1998 to 2006, while the 2006–2011 second generation Ranger was introduced after the B-Series was replaced by the Mazda BT-50. The globally-marketed Ranger T6 has been produced since 2011. In contrast to previous versions, the T6 was designed by Ford Australia. After excluded from sale from the United States and Canada since 2011, the Ranger T6 has been marketed in North America since 2019 with several design adaptations and modifications.
