Ford eyes smaller F-150 cousin

Ford eyes smaller F-150 cousin

Pared-down pickup would boost CAFE

DETROIT - Ford Motor Co. is developing a lightweight, more
fuel-efficient pickup truck to slot in below its flagship F-150.

The new pickup truck, code-named P525, is being engineered on the
F-150's platform. But it will be lighter and slightly smaller,
supplier and industry sources told Automotive News. The pickup is
scheduled to go into production during the first half of 2011 at
Ford's Michigan Truck Plant in Wayne, Mich., sources said.

Ford may call the truck the F-100, bringing back a nameplate used for
decades beginning in the 1950s. The new truck is larger than the Ford
Ranger. But it might help take the place of that compact pickup, which
could go out of production in 2009 when Ford's Twin Cities plant in
St. Paul., Minn., closes. Ford hasn't said whether the Ranger will
continue.

The new pickup is in Ford's cycle plan, sources said. But it has not
received final approval.

Mark Fields, Ford president of the Americas, would not confirm plans
for a slimmed-down truck in a recent interview. But he did acknowledge
that Ford must take weight out of its pickup trucks to meet new
fuel-economy standards.

"When you see what the F series makes up in terms of the composition
of our vehicle lineup, clearly that's one area we really have to focus
on," Fields said.

The new pickup truck will have unique sheet metal and innovative
storage space, sources said. It could be powered by a version of
Ford's new V-6 EcoBoost engine, which uses turbocharging and gasoline
direct injection.

On May 19, 8:28*am, "C. E. White" >
wrote:
> Ford eyes smaller F-150 cousin
>
> Pared-down pickup would boost CAFE
>
> DETROIT - Ford Motor Co. is developing a lightweight, more
> fuel-efficient pickup truck to slot in below its flagship F-150.
>
> The new pickup truck, code-named P525, is being engineered on the
> F-150's platform. But it will be lighter and slightly smaller,
> supplier and industry sources told Automotive News. The pickup is
> scheduled to go into production during the first half of 2011 at
> Ford's Michigan Truck Plant in Wayne, Mich., sources said.
>
> Ford may call the truck the F-100, bringing back a nameplate used for
> decades beginning in the 1950s. The new truck is larger than the Ford
> Ranger. But it might help take the place of that compact pickup, which
> could go out of production in 2009 when Ford's Twin Cities plant in
> St. Paul., Minn., closes. Ford hasn't said whether the Ranger will
> continue.
>
> The new pickup is in Ford's cycle plan, sources said. But it has not
> received final approval.
>
> Mark Fields, Ford president of the Americas, would not confirm plans
> for a slimmed-down truck in a recent interview. But he did acknowledge
> that Ford must take weight out of its pickup trucks to meet new
> fuel-economy standards.
>
> "When you see what the F series makes up in terms of the composition
> of our vehicle lineup, clearly that's one area we really have to focus
> on," Fields said.
>
> The new pickup truck will have unique sheet metal and innovative
> storage space, sources said. It could be powered by a version of
> Ford's new V-6 EcoBoost engine, which uses turbocharging and gasoline
> direct injection.
_________________________
Why don't they just upgrade the Ranger - a couple inches wider &
longer perhaps, with more fuel efficient engines?
It would probably cost more than cancelling the Ranger and developing
a "junior" F-150 from scratch.

-CC

ChrisCoaster wrote:
> On May 19, 8:28 am, "C. E. White" >
> wrote:


<...>

> Why don't they just upgrade the Ranger - a couple inches wider &
> longer perhaps, with more fuel efficient engines?
> It would probably cost more than cancelling the Ranger and developing
> a "junior" F-150 from scratch.
>
> -CC

Did you read the article? The new truck is based on the F-150, but a
little smaller and lighter. So it is not a new design.

The Ranger is nearing the end of its life cycle. It is time for Ford to
figure out if it needs to design a new one, use the Mazda design (Mazda
designed a different Ranger that is sold outside North America) or scrap
the truck for North America.

jeff

On 2008-05-21, Jeff > wrote:

> The Ranger is nearing the end of its life cycle. It is time for Ford to
> figure out if it needs to design a new one, use the Mazda design (Mazda
> designed a different Ranger that is sold outside North America) or scrap
> the truck for North America.

Time for the Ranchero! (just copy the Aussie Falcon Ute)

"Brent P" > wrote in message
. ..
> On 2008-05-21, Jeff > wrote:
>
>> The Ranger is nearing the end of its life cycle. It is time for
>> Ford to
>> figure out if it needs to design a new one, use the Mazda design
>> (Mazda
>> designed a different Ranger that is sold outside North America) or
>> scrap
>> the truck for North America.
>
> Time for the Ranchero! (just copy the Aussie Falcon Ute)

Way too late, Pontiac already has done that will be out next year.


Whitelightnbing

> > Time for the Ranchero! (just copy the Aussie Falcon Ute)
> Way too late, Pontiac already has done that will be out next year.

Recall, though, that Ford and Chevy competed head to head in that
market for long years in the US. Ford was first to the party (1957)
by a couple of years, though Chevy stayed a lot longer (1988 to Ford's
1979, I think).

With GM supposedly about to bring in a Holden for that market segment,
Ford must certainly be thinking about whether there's enough room for
them to play, and a RWD unibody platform in the toybox somewhere.

Of course, they were all unibody cars underneath. Though capable of
carrying modest bedloads and (as was typical of passenger cars in
those days) doing some reasonable towing, using them as if they were
"real" pickups used 'em up fast. Presumably this will remain true.

--Joe

I doubt such a vehicle would sell. The Honda Ridgeline is the current
example of trying to sell a "truck" made on a car chassis, its sales are
dismal. The last manufacture to try that was Subaru and that "truck" did
not sell either and was discontinued





"Ad absurdum per aspera" > wrote in message
...
>
>> > Time for the Ranchero! (just copy the Aussie Falcon Ute)
>> Way too late, Pontiac already has done that will be out next year.
>
> Recall, though, that Ford and Chevy competed head to head in that
> market for long years in the US. Ford was first to the party (1957)
> by a couple of years, though Chevy stayed a lot longer (1988 to Ford's
> 1979, I think).
>
> With GM supposedly about to bring in a Holden for that market segment,
> Ford must certainly be thinking about whether there's enough room for
> them to play, and a RWD unibody platform in the toybox somewhere.
>
> Of course, they were all unibody cars underneath. Though capable of
> carrying modest bedloads and (as was typical of passenger cars in
> those days) doing some reasonable towing, using them as if they were
> "real" pickups used 'em up fast. Presumably this will remain true.
>
> --Joe

> I doubt such a vehicle would sell. The Honda Ridgeline is the current
> example of trying to sell a "truck" made on a car chassis, its sales are
> dismal. The last manufacture to try that was Subaru and that "truck" did
> not sell either and was discontinued

The Ridgeline is pretty big, though -- people who want a "real" truck
wonder if it is one, and people who want something more carlike think
it's a truck. Arriving just in time for the gas prices to start going
up didn't help. Meanwhile, Subaru (I assume you're talking about
the Baja, not the old BRAT) was forced to choose among a new larger
platform, a rear seat, or what I consider a useful size of cargo bed,
and opted for the rear seat. I guess GM and possibly Ford are
dreaming of a happy medium.

Americanizing a sizable RWD car that can accommodate a hearty engine
might also help both of them against Dodge's resurgent presence in the
cop-car market (in a sedan rather than a ute body style, of course),
if they're interested in that.

--Joe

"Ad absurdum per aspera" > wrote in message
...
>
>> > Time for the Ranchero! (just copy the Aussie Falcon Ute)
>> Way too late, Pontiac already has done that will be out next year.
>
> Recall, though, that Ford and Chevy competed head to head in that
> market for long years in the US. Ford was first to the party (1957)
> by a couple of years, though Chevy stayed a lot longer (1988 to
> Ford's
> 1979, I think).
>
> With GM supposedly about to bring in a Holden for that market
> segment,
> Ford must certainly be thinking about whether there's enough room
> for
> them to play, and a RWD unibody platform in the toybox somewhere.
>
> Of course, they were all unibody cars underneath. Though capable of
> carrying modest bedloads and (as was typical of passenger cars in
> those days) doing some reasonable towing, using them as if they were
> "real" pickups used 'em up fast. Presumably this will remain true.
>
> --Joe

While the Ford was a unibody after intial models, the Chevy ElCamino
and its sister the GMC Sprint rode on a frame, because the Chevelle
rode on a frame, and in earliest conception it rode on the full size
1958 Impala chassis, yet again a full frame. Ford started on the
Fairlane chassis and then dropped down to the Faqlcon chassis and
unibody construction. Once the falcon disappeared it moved to the
Torino, still a unibody. But in reality for what was rated a 1/4 ton
truck is more really needed? I think the GM won out on basics like a
hell of a lot better brake system, Ford always seems to undersize
there, but as a brake mechanic for years I was thnkfull for that cause
it made me lots of money on Rangers and 150s.
There was/is a market for these vehicles. Many people running a light
truck ie F-150 really only want something rear wheel drive to pull a
small boat, and the occasional few sheets of plywood or load
of mulch and a "gentleman's" pickup as they were referred to is
perfect. What remains to be seen is if the powers that be will get
their collective heads out of their back sides and realize while the
hot rod V-8 slated for the Pontiac GS8 sport truck is nice for a hot
rodder, the real deal is going to be an adequately powered V-6.

Whitelightning

In rec.autos.tech Ad absurdum per aspera > wrote:
>
>> > Time for the Ranchero! (just copy the Aussie Falcon Ute)
>> Way too late, Pontiac already has done that will be out next year.
>
> Recall, though, that Ford and Chevy competed head to head in that
> market for long years in the US. Ford was first to the party (1957)
> by a couple of years, though Chevy stayed a lot longer (1988 to Ford's
> 1979, I think).
>
> With GM supposedly about to bring in a Holden for that market segment,
> Ford must certainly be thinking about whether there's enough room for
> them to play, and a RWD unibody platform in the toybox somewhere.
>
> Of course, they were all unibody cars underneath. Though capable of
> carrying modest bedloads and (as was typical of passenger cars in
> those days) doing some reasonable towing, using them as if they were
> "real" pickups used 'em up fast. Presumably this will remain true.


Have you seen the Australian Ford Falcon UTE?

http://www.ford.com.au/servlet/Conte...ge&c=DF YPage

It's not unibody and they are available in a one ton flatbed
version, as well as high performance V8 and turbo V6 models.

--
E Frank Ball