Ford Ranger (Americas)

Second generation
Second generation
Overview
Also called	Mazda B-Series
Production	August 1992 – July 1997
Model years	1993–1997
Assembly	United States: Louisville, Kentucky; United States: St. Paul, Minnesota; United States: Edison, New Jersey; Argentina: General Pacheco;
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door compact; 2-door extended
Powertrain
Engine	2.3 L OHC I4; 3.0 L Vulcan V6; 4.0 L Cologne V6
Transmission	Manual; 5-speed Mazda M5OD-R1; Automatic; 4-speed A4LD; 4-speed 4R44E; 4-speed 4R55E; 5-speed 5R55E
Dimensions
Wheelbase	107.9 in (2,741 mm); 113.9 in (2,893 mm); 125.2 in (3,180 mm)
Length	184.3 in (4,681 mm); 196.3 in (4,986 mm); 198.2 in (5,034 mm)
Width	69.4 in (1,763 mm)

First generation
First generation
	1983–1988 Ford Ranger XLT
Overview
Production	January 1982 – 1992
Model years	1983–1992[15]
Assembly	United States: Louisville, Kentucky; United States: St Paul, Minnesota;
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door pickup truck; 2-door extended-cab pickup truck
Related	Ford Bronco II; Ford Explorer (first generation);
Powertrain
Engine	Inline-four engines 1983–1988: 2.0 L Lima I4; 1983–1992: 2.3 L Lima LL23 I4; V6 engines 1983–1986: 2.8 L Cologne V6; 1986–1990: 2.9 L Cologne V6; 1990–1992: 3.0 L Vulcan V6; 1990–1992: 4.0 L Cologne V6; Diesel engines 1983–1984: 2.2 L Perkins 4.135 I4 (diesel); 1985–1987: 2.3 L Mitsubishi 4D55 I4 (turbo diesel);
Transmission	Manual transmissions 4-speed Toyo Kogyo TK4; 5-speed Toyo Kogyo TK5; 5-speed Mitsubishi FM132; 5-speed Mitsubishi FM145; 5-speed Mitsubishi FM146; 5-speed Mazda M5OD-R1; Automatic transmissions 3-speed C3; 3-speed C5; 4-speed A4LD;
Dimensions
Wheelbase	Standard bed; 107.9 in (2,741 mm); Long bed; 113.9 in (2,893 mm); Supercab; 125 in (3,175.0 mm)
Length	Standard bed; 1983–1988:175.6 in (4,460 mm); 1989–1992:176.5 in (4,483 mm); Long bed; 1983–1988:187.6 in (4,765 mm); 1989–1992:188.5 in (4,788 mm); Supercab; 1983–1988:192.7 in (4,895 mm); 1989–1992:193.6 in (4,917 mm)
Width	1983–1988: 66.9 in (1,699 mm); 1989–1992: 66.8 in (1,697 mm)

Ford Ranger
Ford Ranger
Overview
Manufacturer	Ford
Production	1982–2011; October 2018–present[1]
Model years	1983–2011; 2019–present
Body and chassis
Class	Compact pickup truck (1983–2012); Mid-size pickup truck (2012–present)
Layout	Front-engine, rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive
Chronology
Predecessor	Ford Courier

The Ford Ranger sold in the Americas is a range of pickup trucks manufactured and marketed by Ford in North and South America under the Ranger nameplate. Introduced in early 1982 for the 1983 model year, the Ranger is currently in its fourth generation. Developed as a replacement for the Mazda-sourced Ford Courier, the model line has been sold across the Americas; Ford of Argentina began production of the Ranger for South America in 1998. Through its production, the model line has served as a close rival to the Chevrolet S-10 and its Chevrolet Colorado successor (and their GMC counterparts), with the Ranger as the best-selling compact truck in the United States from 1987 to 2004.[2]

From 2012 to 2018, Ford retired the Ranger model line in North America, concentrating on its full-size F-Series trucks. For the 2019 model year, Ford introduced a fourth generation of the Ranger (after a seven-year hiatus). The first mid-size Ranger in North America, the fourth-generation Ranger is derived from the global Ranger T6 (to fulfill North American design requirements).

During the production of the first three generations, the Ranger was produced at Louisville Assembly (Louisville, Kentucky), Edison Assembly (Edison, New Jersey), and Twin Cities Assembly Plant (Saint Paul, Minnesota); the final 2012 Ranger was also the final vehicle produced at the facility. The current fourth-generation Ranger is manufactured by Ford at Wayne Stamping & Assembly (Wayne, Michigan). Ford of Argentina has produced Rangers in its General Pacheco facility since 1998; since 2012, the facility has produced the global Ranger T6.

Development

Ford Courier (1972–1982)

1975 Ford Courier

For the 1972 model year, the Ford Courier was introduced as the first compact pickup truck sold by Ford. Following the rise of the compact truck segment during the 1960s, Ford entered into a partnership with Mazda to market the Mazda B1800 in North America; the Courier would become the first of several jointly manufactured vehicles between the two companies from the 1970s into the 2000s. Along with minimizing the risk for Ford of developing a vehicle in an unfamiliar market segment, the partnership provided Mazda with critically needed funds.[3]

While sharing the cab and chassis with its Mazda counterpart, to increase its sales potential in North America, the Courier adapted design elements of the Ford F-Series, with twin round headlamps, silver grille, and "FORD" lettering on the hood above the grille. In 1977, the Courier and B1800 (later B2000) were redesigned with a larger cab, redesigned pickup bed, and tailgate. While closer in appearance to its Mazda counterpart, the Courier was given signal/parking lamps inset in the grille (rather than the bumper); an optional 2.3L Ford engine was not available the Mazda pickups.

From 1972 to 1982, the Ford Courier was manufactured alongside the Mazda B-Series in Hiroshima, Japan. To avoid the 25% Chicken tax on imported trucks, both vehicles were imported as cab-chassis trucks (taxed at 4% tariff). Following their importation to United States, pickup-truck beds shipped separately from Japan were installed before shipment to dealers.

Project Yuma (1976–1982)

In 1976, Ford commenced development on "Project Yuma" as a replacement for the Courier.[4][5][6] In addition to designing the first domestically-produced compact truck, another key factor driving the $700 million project was compliance with the fuel economy standards of the mid-1980s.[6] At the launch of the project in 1976, Ford predicted that for the company to properly comply with 1985 CAFE standards, nearly 50% of pickup trucks sold in the United States would require a 4-cylinder engine.[6] In 1976, compact trucks held a 5% share of pickup truck sales, with Ford predicting an expansion to 50% by 1985, equaling nearly a million sales per year.[6]

Project Yuma was centered around quality and fuel efficiency.[6] At the beginning of the project, Ford researched additional elements that were valued by potential compact truck buyers.[6] Along with flexibility for both work and personal use, Ford found that buyers desired additional interior room, including three-across seating, comfortable seats, and headroom and legroom for a six-foot tall driver; other minor details were discovered such as five-bolt wheels and a larger ashtray.[4][6]

During design, the body underwent extensive wind tunnel testing, to meet a planned 20 MPG fuel efficiency target (on its own, the standard front bumper spoiler added 1 MPG)[6]; its 0.45 drag coefficient[5] bested that of the two-door Ford Mustang. To further improve fuel economy, the Ranger increased the use of high-strength steel and other lightweight materials, including a magnesium clutch housing, aluminum transfer case (for four-wheel drive), and a magnesium clutch/brake pedal bracket.[6] To further save weight, the design of the front suspension was computer-optimized, rendering the front stabilizer bar optional.[6] Though narrower than the F-Series and other full-size competitors, the cargo bed of the Ranger was given the capability to transport a four-foot wide sheet of material (considered an industry measure of space in pickup truck bed design) through the use of recesses to insert supports across the bed, allowing such material to be placed above the wheel wells.[6]

The 1979 fuel crisis nearly doomed the Yuma/Ranger project, as it occurred between launch of the 1979 Ford LTD and 1980 Ford F-Series. After selling nearly one million F-Series trucks in 1978, in 1980, Ford had yet to gain a profit from its redesign of the F-Series.[4] Ford President Don Petersen kept the compact truck project alive for several reasons. By 1980, General Motors was developing its own domestically-produced compact truck, with the Chevrolet S-10/GMC S-15 providing a potential competitor.[4] Peterson also felt, if equipped correctly, buyers would pay nearly the same for a compact truck as a full-size truck (such as the F-100).[4]

Around 1980, the Project Yuma truck took on the Ford Ranger name, adopting the name of the mid to upper-level trim used by the Ford F-Series and Bronco since 1965. In anticipation of the compact truck line, 1981 marked the final use of the Ranger trim for the F-Series and Bronco (replaced by XLS for 1982).[7][8]

Production

The Ranger was produced at the Louisville Assembly Plant in Louisville, Kentucky from 1982 to 1999. From 1993 to 2004, production also was sourced from Edison Assembly in Edison, New Jersey. For its entire production run until 2011, the Ranger was produced at Twin Cities Assembly Plant in St Paul, Minnesota. The final 2012 Ranger produced on December 16, 2011, ended 86 years of production at Twin Cities Assembly as well as the production of all compact pickups in the United States.

In 2008, Ford made its first plans to end production of the Ranger in North America; although its high productivity spared it from The Way Forward, Twin Cities Assembly (built in 1925) was the oldest Ford factory worldwide.[9] Ford later extended the closure date of the factory to 2011, but in June 2011, a final closure date was announced.[10] As Twin Cities was the sole production location of the Ranger in North America (from 1982), its closure brought the production of the Ranger to an end after 29 model years. The 2011 model year was the final model year for retail sales, with a shortened 2012 model year for fleet sales; the final North American-market Ranger (a white SuperCab Sport produced for pest-control company Orkin) was produced on December 16, 2011.[11]

Over its production life, the chassis and suspension of the Ranger would be used for several compact Ford trucks and sport-utility vehicles. During the 1990s and 2000s, Mazda adopted a badge-engineered version of the Ranger, for their B-Series nameplate (the reverse of the Ford Courier produced by Mazda).

In 2015, as part of contract negotiations with the United Auto Workers, leaked reports over the future of the Michigan Assembly Plant included the potential decision of replacing Ford Focus and Ford C-Max production with an American-market version of the global Ranger.[12] Along with the revival of the Ranger nameplate, the UAW negotiations also included a potential revival of the Ford Bronco SUV.[13] At the 2017 North American International Auto Show, Ford confirmed the return of the Ranger and Ford Bronco, with the Ford Ranger as a 2019 model-year vehicle.[14]

First generation (1983–1992)

The first Ranger rolled off the Louisville assembly line on January 18, 1982.[16] While initially slated for a traditional autumn release, to more closely compete with the introduction of the Chevrolet S-10, Ford advanced the launch of the 1983 Ranger several months, with the first vehicles reaching showrooms in March 1982.[17]

Initially sold alongside its Courier predecessor, the first 1983 Ranger was priced at $6,203 ($16,570 in 2018)[5]. While far smaller in exterior size than the F-Series, 4x4 Rangers offered a payload of 1,600 pounds[18], matching or exceeding the F-100 in payload capacity.[19] For 1984, the Ford Bronco II two-door SUV was introduced. Similar in size to the 1966–1977 Bronco, the Bronco II used a shortened version of the Ranger chassis, along with much of its interior components.

For the 1989 model year, the Ranger underwent a major mid-cycle revision to improve its exterior aerodynamics and interior ergonomics. For 1991, the Ford Explorer SUV was derived from the facelifted Ranger, sharing its front fascia, chassis, and interior components.

Chassis specification

The first-generation Ranger uses a body-on-frame chassis design; while using a chassis developed specifically for the model line, the Ranger adopts many chassis design elements from the F-Series.[6] Along with traditional leaf-spring rear suspension, the Ranger is fitted with Twin I-Beam independent front suspension. To minimize unsprung weight, the Twin I-Beams were constructed of stamped high-strength steel (rather than forged steel).[5][6]

Rear-wheel drive was standard, with part-time four-wheel drive as an option (never offered in the Courier).[5][6] Dependent on configuration, the Ranger was produced in three wheelbases: 107.9 inches (6-foot bed), 113.9 inches (7-foot bed), and 125 inches (SuperCab, introduced in 1986).[18]

For 1989, rear-wheel anti-lock brakes became standard.[18][8]

Powertrain

From 1983 to 1992, the first-generation Ranger was powered by 2.0L and 2.3L versions of the Ford "Lima" inline-4, the 2.8L, 2.9L, and 4.0L Ford Cologne V6, the 3.0L Ford Vulcan V6, and four-cylinder diesel engines sourced from Mazda (Perkins) and Mitsubishi.[18][8][20] Two long-running engines associated with the Ford light trucks made their debut in the first-generation Ranger; the twin spark-plug version (with distributorless ignition) of the Pinto engine was introduced in 1989, remaining in use through 2001.[21] In 1990, the 4.0L Cologne V6 was introduced; in modified form, the engine was used through the 2012 model-year discontinuation of the Ranger in North America.

A four-speed manual transmission was standard on all engines for 1983 and 1984, with a five-speed manual as an option; a three-speed automatic was offered on 2.3L and 2.8L engines. For 1985, the five-speed manual became the standard transmission, with a four-speed automatic offered on non-diesel Rangers.[18][20] For 1989, the Mazda M5OD-R1 transmission became the standard transmission.


1983–1992 Ford Ranger engine specifications[18][8][20]
Engine	Configuration	Production	Output[8]
Ford Pinto LL20 I4	121 cu in (2.0 L) SOHC I4	1983–1988	73 hp[5]
Ford Pinto LL23 I4	140 cu in (2.3 L) SOHC I4	1983–1984 (1-bbl) 1985–1992 (EFI)	1983–1984: 80 hp[5]1984–1988: 90 hp 1989–1992: 100 hp[21]
Ford Cologne V6	170 cu in (2.8 L) OHV V6 177 cu in (2.9 L) OHV V6 244 cu in (4.0 L) OHV V6	1983–1985 (2.8L) 1986–1992 (2.9L) 1990–1992 (4.0L)	2.8L: 115 hp 2.9L: 140 hp (1986–1990) 145 hp (1991–1992) 4.0L: 160 hp
Ford Vulcan V6	182 cu in (3.0 L) OHV V6	1991–1992 (RWD only)	140 hp[18]
Mazda S2 I4 diesel (Perkins 4.135)	135 cu in (2.2 L) OHV I4 naturally aspirated, IDI	1983–1984	59 hp[20]
Mitsubishi 4D55 I4 diesel	143 cu in (2.3 L) SOHC I4 turbocharged, IDI	1985–1986	86 hp[20]

Body design

Slightly larger than the Courier, the first-generation Ranger was approximately 18 inches shorter and 11 inches narrower than an equivalently configured F-100/F-150.[6] While proportioned similar to the Chevrolet S-10 and Japanese-sourced compact trucks, adopted exterior design elements from the F-Series, including its twin headlamps, chrome grille, tailgate lettering, taillamps, and cab proportions.[18] In line with the Courier, the Ranger was offered with two pickup bed sizes; a standard 6-foot length and an extended 7-foot length. In 1986, a third configuration was introduced, as the Ranger SuperCab extended cab was introduced. Stretched 17 inches behind the front doors for additional cab space, the SuperCab was offered with the 6-foot bed length; four-wheel drive SuperCabs were sold only with V6 engines.[18]

During its production, the first-generation Ranger was offered with several seating configurations. A three-passenger bench seat was standard, with various types of bucket seats offered (dependent on trim level). As part of the 1989 mid-cycle update, a 40/60 split-bench seat was introduced.[18][8] The SuperCab was offered with a pair of center-facing jump seats, expanding capacity to five.[8]

From 1983 to 1988, the interior saw few major revisions. In 1986, the instrument cluster was revised, allowing the fitment of a tachometer. To streamline production, the Ranger shared interior components with other Ford vehicles, sharing the steering column, door handles, and window controls from the Ford Escort, Ford F-Series, and Ford Bronco; nearly the entire driver's compartment of the Ford Bronco II was directly sourced from the Ranger.

For 1989, the Ranger underwent a mid-cycle redesign with new front fenders, a restyled hood and grille, and flush-mounted composite headlamps (with larger marker lamps). To further improve aerodynamics, the front bumper was redesigned and enlarged to fit more closely with the front fenders.[18][8] The interior was given a redesign, including new door panels, new seats, and an all-new dashboard (introducing a glovebox).[18][8] To improve ergonomics, the instrument panel was redesigned for improved legibility, with automatic transmission Rangers receiving a column-mounted gearshift; manual-transmission versions saw the removal of the key-release button from the steering column.

1983–1992 Ford Ranger
1988 Ford Ranger XLT SuperCab 4x4
1988 Ford Ranger XLT SuperCab 4x4, rear
Facelift Ford Ranger XLT, regular cab
Facelift Ford Ranger XLT SuperCab

Trim

The first-generation Ranger was marketed in five trim levels: S, Ranger, XL, XLS, and XLT. Intended largely for fleet sales, the Ranger S (introduced in 1984[8]) was offered with virtually no available options. While still largely a work truck, the Ranger XL offered color-keyed trim, floor mats, and chrome bumpers. The XLS was marketed as the sportiest version of the Ranger, offering bucket seats, blackout trim, and tape stripe packages (essentially the successor to the 1970s "Free Wheeling" trims) while the XLT was offered with two-tone exteriors, chrome exterior trim, and upgraded interior trim.[18]

The Ranger STX was introduced in 1985 for Ranger 4x4s on the West Coast of the United States, becoming fully available for 1986. Offering a "sport" suspension and larger tires, the STX was denoted by the offering of a bucket-seat interior and model-specific two-tone paint scheme.[18]

S - Included: Vinyl upholstery, tachometer (only on 4x4 models), halogen headlamps, black foldaway mirrors, and manual transmission.
Sport - Added: power steering, tachometer on 4x2 and 4x4 models, rear step bumper, an AM stereo with digital clock or an AM/FM stereo with cassette player and clock, and aluminum rims.
Custom - same as S.
XLT - Added: cloth upholstery, sliding rear window, chrome rear step bumper, and deluxe wheel trim.
STX - Added: tachometer on 4x2, floor console, fog lamps, an AM/FM stereo with clock, and sport cast aluminum rims.

Ranger GT

Following an initial late 1986 introduction in California, Ford marketed the Ranger GT option package from 1987 to 1989.[22] Marketed as a "sport pickup", the Ranger GT was offered only for regular-cab two-wheel drive Rangers. Powered by a 140 hp 2.9L V6 (paired with either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission)[22], the Ranger GT was equipped with front and rear anti-roll bars, a limited-slip differential, and performance tires.[22] Initially offered for short-bed Rangers, the Ranger GT package became available for long-bed two-wheel drive Rangers.

The Ranger GT was available in either red, white, or blue paint colors; chrome trim was painted body color. In 1988, the exterior was modified, with a ground effects package, including a redesigned body-color front bumper, allowing for integrated fog lamps.[22]

For 1990, the Ranger GT was discontinued; a one-off prototype was constructed in 1989 by the Ford Truck Public Affairs office, using a V6 from a Ford Taurus SHO and a 5-speed transmission from a Mustang GT.[23][24]

Second generation (1993–1997)

After a ten-year production run, Ford introduced the second generation of the Ranger for the 1993 model year with much of its chassis carried over from previous generation. Sharing no body panels with its predecessor, the redesigned Ranger shifted from a smaller-proportioned F-Series to a more aerodynamic design, no longer sharing its front fascia with the Ford Explorer. For the first time in the compact segment, the Ranger offered a stepside-style bed with the Ranger Splash.

For the 1994 model year, Ford commenced production of the Ranger for Mazda, who began to sell the model line as the B-Series pickup truck (effectively in reverse of the 1972-1982 agreement that produced the Ford Courier).

For 1995, the second-generation Ranger underwent a mid-cycle revision; in 1996, the model line became the first compact pickup to offer dual airbags.