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Ford Ranger in Europe


flixden

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Not enough profit margin left in the US market I would assume. One of the guys at the dealership mentioned earlier this week how Ford is investing in the FXXX series of trucks rather than dumping more $$ into the Ranger. It doesn't really seem to fit in with the "tough" truck image going on right now either.

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Not enough profit margin left in the US market I would assume.

I disagree.

 

The problem is, the Ranger would destroy the low end of the F-Series and the F-Series would lose its 30+ year "Best Selling Vehicle in the US" position.

 

One possible marketing strategy would be to merge F150 and F250 (there is a quite a bit of overlap in those products), and then bring the Ranger in as the F100.

 

Currently the F100 does not have all of the high end options that Americans are willing to pay enormous amount of dollars for. That will take a fair amount of engineering.

 

Ford has significantly fewer engineers, worldwide, than they did 5-7 years ago. There are 3 new US vehicles that they have to finish and get into production; Fusion (Mondeo), Transit Connect and Transit. But in the long run 4-6 years), Ford has to have a mid-size pickup in the US in order to remain competitive. Coincidentally, that is about the same time the Ranger would be do for a facelift !

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Not enough profit margin left in the US market I would assume. One of the guys at the dealership mentioned earlier this week how Ford is investing in the FXXX series of trucks rather than dumping more $$ into the Ranger. It doesn't really seem to fit in with the "tough" truck image going on right now either.

 

By that logic, Ford should drop the Fusion/Focus/Fiesta and only sell the much higher profit Taurus. If Ford can't figure out how to make profit selling a $20-30k truck, they need new management.

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I think ford will lose quite some sales in the compact truck segment (and overall) once they drop the Ranger.

 

With relatively low volumes in a shrinking market and the prospect of spending big bucks to upgrade it, I'd say it's a good bet that Ford is actually saving money by killing the Ranger and closing the plant. Without other products to share the factory and platform it just wasn't worth the effort.

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I think ford will lose quite some sales in the compact truck segment (and overall) once they drop the Ranger.

Where will the buyers go? F150 or Tacoma / Frontier / Dakota / Colorado - only time will tell.

As someone in this shrinking market, let me tell you my opinion on the choices:

 

F150 - Put simply, too big and expensive. Some might upgrade to an aircraft carrier but most like me will probably just look elsewhere

Tacoma - Own one and would definitely buy another

Frontier - Would definitely consider, looked at them when I bought the Taco

Dakota - Sorry I need something that runs. Most Dodge products have been sub-par for years

Colorado - When you take the cheapest parts available and put them together badly you get a GM. I'll pass

 

Ford can make a good product when they want to and I like the look of the truck in this thread. If they are already going to sell it oversees then the cost to bring it over here shouldn't be that high, at least compared to a full redesign. Further if it is going to be built then there is obviously a factory somewhere that can handle it. :ohsnap:

 

As I've said in many threads here, Ford is making a mistake surrendering this market. The belief that people that need a small truck will "upgrade" to a full sized pickup is broken logic, at best. :confused: Way more likely, customers like me will give my business to the manufacture that makes the product I want.

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  • 2 months later...

2011 USA Ranger sales up +27%

2011USA Ranger sales 71,000 = 5,916 sales per month on average rewarded for +27% good sales = AXED

2011 Ford of Europe Ranger (South African made, shipped at great expense to Europe) sales 9,800 = 816 sales per month on average rewards for very poor sales = KEPT ON

No logic at Ford Mo Co?

Edited by Ford Jellymoulds
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Ford can make a good product when they want to and I like the look of the truck in this thread. If they are already going to sell it oversees then the cost to bring it over here shouldn't be that high, at least compared to a full redesign. Further if it is going to be built then there is obviously a factory somewhere that can handle it. :ohsnap:

 

You think it's easy or cheap to add a new vehicle to existing factories? Especially for a vehicle that might sell 100K if they're lucky?

 

There is no doubt it could be done and probably turn a profit at some point but you also have to consider all of the other projects that Ford is pursuing and you have to ask yourself whether those projects are more important than building a new Ranger here. This notion that Ford has unlimited resources and can build whatever they want to build whenever they want to build it is ridiculous. There are only so many resources to go around.

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V6 diesel Territory would sell much better FJM and it's already RHD for UK..:)

 

Absolutely nothing wrong at all with the Aussie designed Ranger it's absolutely awesome JDP, l don't think you will find a more stronger NCAP rated crash proof vehicle on British roads today. In about 18 months time l will be looking to see if the Mustang will make it to the UK, if it does not then l will be looking to do either a full nut and bolt restoration of my old Escort or buy a new Ranger. Only thing that puts me and l am sure many other Europeans right off the Ranger is its "Made in South Africa" not Europe (Germany or UK), USA or even Australia (We love Aussies, we would rather buy it off you than a french made version). Can't help but think the South African made Ranger has one hand tied behind its back when it comes to being sold in Europe, if Ford produced the F-Series in South Africa not the USA so bean counters could save $hitloads on labour costs by paying the locals a few banana's for building the trucks the F-Series sales would not have been up at 68,000 last month it would be nearer to 10,000 sales, so why do Europeans have to suffer South African made on the cheap Rangers?

 

 

 

Looking at your sales charts where you get the old skool RWD Territory, l would say yes please JDP it knocks everybody SUV sales for six (Cricket slang that you know JDP, but for Americans for blasts them out the game). But we live in a one world FWD kinetic Ford world in these modern times JDP, just can't help but think the No1 best selling Australian SUV theTerritory is living on borrowed time it's not FWD Ford management trendy, once the Ford of Europe FWD mafia beancounters find out you don't have a cheap n' cheerful to assemble FWD SUV, despite being Austailian No1 best selling SUV it will be the finale curtains. Being No 1 in a market mean sweet FA to a Ford beancounter JDP, it's how cheap n' nasty can we make it that is king today.

 

When l look at your Aussie YTD sales numbers JDP it answers a lot of questions as its the most cosmopolitan vehicle range in the world, you have got it all.

 

Australian Top 291 best sellers chart YTD Sales by (Chart Position/Vehicle Type/Sales YTD)

All we get in Europe is "FWD Hobson's Choice" from GM and Ford "no RWD choice" so we will shall never know, but when we did last get the choice Cortina/Taunus was firmly glued to Europe's No1 spot?

 

Aussies get a choice.

The cars

2. RWD Holden Commodore 40,617

8. Toyota Camry 19,169

10. Ford Falcon 18,741

27. Scoobie 11,0064

33. Holden Commodore UTe 9,489

41. Mercedes C-Class 7,590

44. RWD Ford Falcon UTe 6,814

45. FWD Ford Mondeo 6,626 (New Fusion will use the current mundanes same front & side shape design, Mondeo certainly blasts past the Camry when it completes in the same game)

 

Aussies get a choice

The SUV's

16. RWD Ford Territory 13,866

18. RAV 4 13,125

22. Nissan X-Trail 12,089

26. Hyundai ix35 11,487

28. Toyota Prado 10,849

29. Holden Captivia 10,324

30. Mazda CX7 9,714

34. Nissan Dualis 9,214

35. Toyota Land Cruser 9,119

43. Mitsubishi Pajaro (still making these?) 6,852

45. Honda CV-R (Totally ruined) 5,748

52. VW Tiguan 6,069

62. Hyundai Santa-Fe 4,442

71. Kia Sportage 3,602

74. Jeep Grand Cherokee 3,374

75. Nissan Patrol Wagon 3,217

78. Suzuki Grand Vitara 2,927

81. Jeep Wrangler 2,824

82. Audi Q5 2,801

83. BMW X5 2,770

87. Kia Sorento 2,613

88. FWD Ford Escape 2,512

AUSSIE TOP 291 BEST SELL VEHICLES LIST 2011

LINK

 

To many other SUV's to mention, l know you have only just got the Kuga and it won't show up on these charts but why bother with the new Escape just around the corner, What will you can the SUV down under JDP just interested the Escape or will it be know as a cougar sorry Kuga which it really is? Go tell Ford Mo Co to produce the European Fiesta in South Africa because the locals will build one for a few banana's a day, then watch European Fiesta sales drop from 30,000 down to 3,500 sales a month, at least the bean counters will be happy with the production costs JDP.

 

Down size the RHD Territory like the new US Kuga Escape 4 pot, cut the power plants cubic capacity in half hey presto you will get more MPG Territory, smaller engine means lighter weight Territory, 4 pot will be cheaper to produce so you will get a cheaper Territory. This is not rocket science JDP.

Edited by Ford Jellymoulds
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