When introduced to the North American market in 1983, the Ford Ranger was intended to serve as a compact pickup truck. Correspondingly, the “SuperCab,” a pickup truck with an extended-cab body design was launched in the eighties. This version was suitable for families as it provided jump seats for kids. The Ranger rolled through the nineties with little improvements to the motors and stylings. It was only in 1993 that the world saw a complete makeover for the Ranger. The Ford Ranger has been able to steadily keep up with the progression of the years as well as that of technology. Added features such as automatic transmissions in 5-speed combos and confident steering innovations are key in keeping the Ford Ranger alive through the years. The Ford Ranger would then live on to be North America’s best-selling compact pickup truck from 1987-2004.
Numerous trims and modifications have been applied to the Ranger throughout its run. These changes included genuine off-road variants, mega-tires, and sporty “flareside” versions complete with the pizzazz of graphics and fancy rims. The Ford Ranger did stand at the top of its game sometime in its life.
The development of the Ranger began in 1976. It was in an effort to build something that would address the fuel economy that was the main issue of the decade. Ford’s vision for this new vehicle was for it to maintain the full-size experience of an F-Series model whilst possessing fuel efficiency features. So the end result was a compact Ranger with the design that retained much of the full-sized Ford versions and one that came in four-wheel drive. It was then formally released in the middle of 1982 for the model year 1983.
The first generation engines came with a 2.0L 4-cylinder motor, which generated 72hp and a 2.3L with 86.hp. There was also another 4-cylinder 2.2L diesel which coughed up 59hp and a Cologne V8 engine 2.8L and 115hp. Nineteen eighty-five also saw the year of minor engine changes. But it was in 1986 when the “SuperCab” was introduced. This new design offered an extra 17 inches for storage space.
The short bed Ranger GT was then introduced in mid-1986 and happened to carry a 2.9L V8 motor, which ran on either automatic or 5-speed manual transmission. The interiors were provided with special “bucket seats” and a center console, which was optional. A long bed design of the GT was added in 1987. The following year, the so-called “new ground effects” package was introduced.
The Ford Ranger then underwent a major physical modification with its newly installed headlamps, front fenders, hood, and grille. Mechanically, the 2.0L engine was phased out. Later in the Ranger’s second generation came the added option of a 4.0L V6 engine generating 160hp and a 3.0L V6 145hp in 1990.
The year 1993 saw the second redesign of the line. This time, the styling was of a more aerodynamic kind. The Ranger was now styled with smoother lines and wider doords. While the 1989 dashboard remained, the seats and panels all had new looks. “Splash” models of the “special paint scheme” fame were also introduced. They were the flashier kind of the generation with mammoth-size wheels and intricate graphics as a paint scheme. The following years from 1995-1996 saw the widening of the Ranger’s body, which allowed airbags to be installed in the passenger’s side. Anti-lock brakes, being standards on 4x4, were added as well.
The third generation, beginning in 1998, received another redesign. This time, the Ranger had longer wheelbase and a longer cab as well. From a four-cylinder back in the days, the Ranger’s motor now ran with a 2.5L I-4, which gave 6% more power and can deliver some 120hp.
The current Ford Rangers come in three types: the standard XL and XLT, the sporty STX and Sport, and the off-road runner FX4 and FX4 Level II. Engines range from 2.3L 4-cylinder, a 3.0L V6, and a 4.0L V6. The two smaller engines came with a 5-speed gear in automatic or manual transmission. The 4.0L type runs in automatic only.
However, in the face of newer models being released almost every year, the Ranger is slowly beginning to be dated in terms of form and sometimes in some aspects of its performance. But for the buyer searching for something of a traditional size of a compact and added off-road features, the Ranger is a reasonable possibility.
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