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The new year is upon us and that means the North American International Auto Show is happening as well in Detroit, Michigan. With the way the automotive market is headed, we were expecting to see big news from the show.
[2]Joe Hinrichs, Ford’s president of the Americas, announcing at the 2017 North American International Auto Show that the Ford Ranger midsize pickup truck will be reintroduced to the North American market in 2019.
Ford showed up to the show and brought huge news to the truck market. Ford has confirmed that they will be bringing back the Ranger and the Bronco to North America. The Ranger will hit the roads in 2019 and the Bronco in 2020. Both vehicles will be manufactured at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Michigan.
“We’ve heard our customers loud and clear. They want a new generation of vehicles that are incredibly capable yet fun to drive,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford’s president of The Americas. “Ranger is for truck buyers who want an affordable, functional, rugged and maneuverable pickup that’s Built Ford Tough. Bronco will be a no-compromise midsize 4×4 utility for thrill seekers who want to venture way beyond the city.”
With this news, it is only a matter of time before more renderings and teasers will be drawn up. Will the Ranger have a dedicated off-road model to compete with Chevrolet’s Colorado ZR2 and will the Bronco have an SVT line, are all running through our heads.
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In addition to the Ranger and Bronco news, Ford also announced an all-new F-150 that will be out later this year as a 2018 model. The new F-150 arrives with bold new front and rear styling, advanced technologies – including available Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection – and improved engines. The new engines include an all-new 3.0-liter Power Stroke V6 turbo diesel and enhanced V6 and V8 gas engines.
“Truck customers are constantly looking to improve their productivity, for work and for play,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford President, The Americas. “Since 1977, we’ve been America’s favorite truck, and we’ve never taken that leadership for granted. This new F-150 is our latest example of Ford’s commitment to going further for our customers through continuous innovation.”
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Will any of these styling cues make it to the 2019 Ranger or 2020 Bronco?
One of the hottest features of the 2018 F-150 is the addition of the Power Stroke. The 2018 F-150 adds the all-new 3.0-liter Power Stroke diesel engine, designed, engineered, and tested in-house and paired with the 10-speed automatic transmission. It’s the first-ever diesel engine offered for F-150.
In addition to the segment-first 10-speed automatic, the Ford F-150 is now the first full-size pickup truck to add automatic start/stop as standard equipment across all models and engines. The new 2018 F-150 goes on sale this fall. It will be built at Dearborn Truck Plant in Dearborn, Michigan, and Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Missouri.
Tell us what you think of Ford’s announcement and what you hope to see in the comments below!
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