Is Ford Looking to Bring a Car-Based Pickup Truck to the U.S.?

July 30, 2018, 02:10 PM

GT-40DOC

quote:
Originally posted by OKCGene:
I always liked the El Camino and Ranchero vehicles. Very handy for a lot of people that didn’t need or want a regular pickup that could still be handy around the house.

I have owned my '77 El Camino Classic since 1982. I can't imagine life without it!! It has 250 K miles on it, and still going strong.

July 30, 2018, 02:40 PM

Southflorida-law

Search for the Chevrolet Tornado, only available in Latin America. See them all over Mexico.

July 30, 2018, 03:37 PM

Black92LX

Has existed in Australia as the Ford Falcon UTE for awhile now.
https://www.ford.com.au/about-.../History/falcon-ute/

July 30, 2018, 05:42 PM

egregore

It used to be that the El Camino and Ranchero had (relatively) luxurious appointments inside while trucks were more spartan, yet they could still perform much of the work of a true truck. This started to change with the introduction of the "Rounded Line" C/K Chevy/GMC, which could be had with full upholstery, sound deadening, A/C and power windows and locks in its Scottsdale and Silverado trim levels, in 1973. Now that trucks are luxurious there is much less of a market niche for this type of vehicle.

July 30, 2018, 06:52 PM

SigJacket

Cadillac Mirage?

July 30, 2018, 08:32 PM

David Lee

There are no photos of the 2020 Bronco on that site. And they're calling the Ranger, reinvented. Those little trucks never needed reinventing. Maybe a diesel would be neat. I've long felt from driving experience, the Mazda trucks were nicer than the Ranger. Both trucks being much the same. Ford is barking up a tree to think a customer will pay 71 grand for that long SUV rolling junk. I'd personally much rather own a Chevrolet in that size. Probably a better built vehicle too.

July 30, 2018, 08:44 PM

bigdeal

I think the appropriate response might be...Not a snowball's chance in hell. And much like Ford has done with the Ranger, if there really was a market for a car-based pickup, Ford would likely opt to bring it to market 6+ years after everyone else had a competing vehicle in that segment.

July 30, 2018, 08:50 PM

bigdeal

quote:
Originally posted by David Lee:
And they're calling the Ranger, reinvented. Those little trucks never needed reinventing.

What I still haven't been able to get an answer to is whether the 'new' American Ranger is similar enough to the Foreign based Ranger for the huge foreign aftermarket industry to transfer to its American brother. It would be just like Ford to have made the American Ranger different enough that the current crop of aftermarket accessories won't work on it, and Ranger buyers will have to wait months (or years) for the aftermarket to catch up.

July 30, 2018, 09:46 PM

shovelhead

quote:
Originally posted by GT-40DOC:
quote:
Originally posted by OKCGene:
I always liked the El Camino and Ranchero vehicles. Very handy for a lot of people that didn’t need or want a regular pickup that could still be handy around the house.

I have owned my '77 El Camino Classic since 1982. I can't imagine life without it!! It has 250 K miles on it, and still going strong.

What color/interior combo? I owned a 77 Classic from 77 to 83. Mine was black exterior with a firethorn interior. Started out as a 305 with F41 suspension. When I sold it I had changed it to 350, 327/350 cam, Edelbrock SP2P intake, headers with dual exhaust. B&M shift kit. Added a tilt column, factory cruise control and changed the steel rally wheels twice, the original 7" to 8" Corvette wheels with the full size police hub caps and in 79 changed to the Corvette aluminum YJ8 wheels. That ticked off a lot of 'Vette owners, at that time the wheels were under factory constraint. Working in a dealership I had my ways........wasn't cheap but still I had 'em, just knew the right people to call in Chevrolet......

July 30, 2018, 09:55 PM

Gustofer

quote:

They are doing just that. I'm pretty excited for it.

Bronco Teaser

Meh. The IH Scout was better than the Bronco ever wanted to be IMO, and I'm a Ford guy.

July 30, 2018, 11:42 PM

YooperSigs

El Camino veteran here. 1974. Bright red. What I recall:
If a flake of snow landed within a half mile of it, it was instantly stuck.
The tail lights were mounted in its low mounted bumper. Which collected snow. Which froze to the tail light wires and tore them loose. So about half the year, I had no rear lights.
I think I will pass on any new versions.

July 31, 2018, 08:41 AM

David Lee

quote:
Originally posted by bigdeal:
quote:
Originally posted by David Lee:
And they're calling the Ranger, reinvented. Those little trucks never needed reinventing.
What I still haven't been able to get an answer to is whether the 'new' American Ranger is similar enough to the Foreign based Ranger for the huge foreign aftermarket industry to transfer to its American brother. It would be just like Ford to have made the American Ranger different enough that the current crop of aftermarket accessories won't work on it, and Ranger buyers will have to wait months (or years) for the aftermarket to catch up.

I dont know how different they will be but the Ranger was a pretty sturdy little truck. A friend had a E cab in 4 wheel drive which I thought was a great little vehicle. He didnt take care of it and it showed. Later, he bought a B3000 and that little truck was better quality than its Ford counter part. The B3000 didnt have the same hauling power up hills but it made the Ranger pretty pale in fuel economy. His B3000 could stretch a gallon of fuel.

July 31, 2018, 02:50 PM

thunderson

A new Ranchero or El Camino would be awesome.

Perhaps Ford or Chevy could partner with Snapper, Wheel Horse, and Toro and provide a model that comes factory with a lawn mower in the back?

July 31, 2018, 03:54 PM

GT-40DOC

quote:
Originally posted by shovelhead:
quote:
Originally posted by GT-40DOC:
quote:
Originally posted by OKCGene:
I always liked the El Camino and Ranchero vehicles. Very handy for a lot of people that didn’t need or want a regular pickup that could still be handy around the house.

I have owned my '77 El Camino Classic since 1982. I can't imagine life without it!! It has 250 K miles on it, and still going strong.

What color/interior combo? I owned a 77 Classic from 77 to 83. Mine was black exterior with a firethorn interior. Started out as a 305 with F41 suspension. When I sold it I had changed it to 350, 327/350 cam, Edelbrock SP2P intake, headers with dual exhaust. B&M shift kit. Added a tilt column, factory cruise control and changed the steel rally wheels twice, the original 7" to 8" Corvette wheels with the full size police hub caps and in 79 changed to the Corvette aluminum YJ8 wheels. That ticked off a lot of 'Vette owners, at that time the wheels were under factory constraint. Working in a dealership I had my ways........wasn't cheap but still I had 'em, just knew the right people to call in Chevrolet......

My El Camino is a factory two tone....Buckskin and tan combo. The interior is a multi-color brown/tan tweed cloth. I replaced that anemic factory 350ci. in. motor with a "88 Chev. 454 with '97 427 cu. in. heads(increase compression), performance hydraulic cam, headers, large 4-bbl. carb. It has full power/a/c/ tilt and cruse......all of it works!! I installed 8" mini-lite wheels that were highlighted with the factory tan color and bigger/wider tires. It has the factory chrome bed rails and a hard flat tonneau top for the bed. It will pass anything but a gas station!!