Not much to say really...though I remember when I pumped gas in high school (OR), a disproportionate number of
Rangers and Mazda B series were driven by gay men and women, adorned with all the rainbow and pro-gay stickers. Strange really...

Thank god it's finally dying.

I think this is premature to say anything for sure about the death of the Ranger, just because of the two plants that produced the Ranger are closing down. It was not that long ago that Ford was considering moving the Ranger over to the Kentucky plant where the Explorer is being produced. If that is the case then it would make perfect sense to close down those other two plants, because the new Ranger that may come out by the end of 2009 would be on the 06-current Explorer platform.

I hope they don't kill the Ranger. One of the best built, longest lasting pickups on the road. I had a couple of them and they ran like a race horse even at over 100,000+ miles and I put mine through a lot.

So what's the big news with the Ranger!

Big mistake Ford! My '96 B3000 has 291K and still gets 20+mpg. I don't need no honking big F150 to haul my trash to the dump.

Big mistake Ford! My '96 B3000 has 291K and still gets 20+mpg. I don't need no honking big F150 to haul my trash to the dump.

Same body style with ZERO changes (grille doesn't count as changes) and probably the worst power in class. No ones going to miss this thing, seriously. Had they made it a mini F150 sales would have gone through teh roof, and put a 250hp V6 and BOOM you got something.

I had a 92 Ranger, Cost me $15,000 for an XLT, put 350,000km on it. Spent very little on it got 22MGP city and 27 Highway with the 4.0l V6. it was a great truck sized for what I needed a truck to be. The problem was the price between a ranger and a full size was too close. When I lost it in an accident and went looking for a replacement, without the abilty to add child seats, or get better gas mileage I had to go to a F150 instead. The small fuel efficient Ranger would have been the way to go. Make it low and sleak looking and people would still be buying them... Instead them made the body for the 4X4 Chasis and raised the prices and lowered the fuel mileage.

Too Bad... I was hoping to get a better redesign in 2009...

Another dumb move by Ford...as gas approaches $4.00 a gallon, small trucks are going to be popular again, and once again Ford will be behind the 8 ball.

I currently drive a Ranger...156,000 miles and the best vehicle I've ever owned.

Heard in Ford product planning: "I know...let's replace the Ranger with another 6000lb suv!"

I have never owned a Ranger but I have known many people who have.
They all rave about them and they drove them forever.
It never appealed to me, but I really can't question the quality of this vehicle.
Seems to me this was one of their most reliable vehicles.
They never did update it very much outside of a new grill every now and again, but who cares? The people who used this vehicle didn't seem to care.

Heard in Ford product planning: "I know...let's replace the Ranger with another 6000lb suv!"

LOL

A very reliable little truck. I would think that a hybrid model would make a lot of sense.

Say it ain't so Ford! I'd personally hate to see the Ranger go. It's been around as long as I can remember. It's an American icon like apple pie. As many people can attest, it's been a good quality truck, they last forever it seems, and get descent fuel mileage. If I was in the market for a small truck, the only one I can see myself buying is the Ranger or the Mazda equivalent.

I had a 97' XLT with a 5 speed. The truck was bulletproof, great on gas and perfect for my surburban needs (trash to the dump, HD runs, etc). I think that Ford should reconsider this move, as like a previous posts stated, small trucks will be in vogue again as gas rises. I like the Explorer Sport trac, but a little to big (bad on gas) for my needs.

What killed it is the same that killed the original Taurus (not this rebadged car we have now): lack of attention from management. Not a single redesign or update in years, today Ford's car engines like its 3.5L V6 are more potent than the truck engine. And not one wants it, period. For the same price and/or same class, there are just far better entries from other manufacturers in this class.

If 'The Torque Report' had done there research, they'd have posted that Ford Australia is and has been working on the global replacement for the Ranger for a while now. Ford Oz was given the chance to show their engineering prowess and handed the Ranger development.

It's the global car so more along the lines of the 'completely different truck' (it's not that different) sold in other markets. Undoubtedly, you guys in the US will get it. It would make no sense (as Darrell mentions) not to have a light commercial truck available. Should be a doozy when it's done.

Rest assured- it's not dead.

@Timboj:

I hope your post is true. Considering what Ford of Australia has been doing for the last several years, it should be very competitive.

Yes rely on Australia for all your cars and our engineering skills. more money for us.
Don't know what you Ford Ranger is like but ours is pretty good. But we can only get turbo diesel engines only. 2.5L or 3.0L. Trucks/utes/commerica veuchles are better with diesles anyway. More low end torque.

Should've added, I'd be VERY surprised if we actually manufacture the truck here when it's done. More likely an asian factory like Thailand and/or South Africa or something like that.

Maybe you guys in the states'll get another plant?

The way gas prices are going up I don't see Ford killing off the Ranger. I mean if gas prices were still under 2 dollars per gallon then maybe, but the Ranger has still a loyal following in the U.S.

They should have killed it years ago and reintroduced it now as a utilitarian gas saver alternative to larger trucks that most people don't need.

I own a 2006 Ranger FX4 LVLII Loaded. I could go on all day how this truck si better than any other small pickup on the market. But I won't. My old ranger also got over 200k on it and get on rolling. Very reliable old truck. The only problem is the gas mileage on the 4.0l is crazy. I think Ford should release a Diesel for the small truck that meets the new emission standards. And will give similar mielage to a Corolla or Focus type car. And have that engine available in the 4x4 versions.

What I hate now is that the 4x4 is only available in the gas guzling 4.0litre. I'm ditching the Ranger in the spring and getting a car. Probably a Hyundai Elantra.

Regarding importing a new "Ranger" from overseas....Ford needs to be careful with that concept. GM's importation of the Colorado/Canyon from Thailand proved that doesn't always work well.

@WS:

"GM's importation of the Colorado/Canyon from Thailand proved that doesn't always work well." -- I am a little confused by this, the Colorado/Canyon are built stateside.

The Colorado/Canyon are built stateside, but the platform was originally developed for a truck sold by GM/Isuzu in Thailand and other parts of the far east. This platform was adapted (somewhat unsuccessfully) for the US. My understanding is that the sales of the Colorado/Canyon never even matched up with the last generation of the S-10.

My dad has an '84 Ranger he uses in his business. When I worked for him almost 10 years ago it had almost 400k miles on it then (original motor, not tranny). I can't imagine what it's odometer reads now but I still see it running around all the time. My cousin raced a pinto on a dirt oval for years when I was younger that had a Ranger four banger putting around 350hp to the ground. He eventually sold the motor to a kid with an old Mustang hatchback who proceeded to kick a lot of Z28's asses around here. I watched a guy take a 2wd Ranger through the tough truck competition course at the monster truck show, won the event by having the biggest balls and keeping the skinny pedal on the floor the whole time (twice), then drove the thing home afterward. You can't hardly kill one.

I have always loved the Rangers, I'm probably going to get a used one soon so I don't have to drive my thirsty Bronco so much. My only complaint was there could be more interoir room. Well, and the lack of a diesel motor, but since nobody else is offering that yet in a small truck in the US either, I wouldn't consider that a legitimate complaint.