Rumor mill says that Ford's North American operations said that they could render the long rumored F-100 from the F-150, build it on the same assembly line as the F-150, and still spend less money per unit than it would cost them to produce the already developed T6 Ranger even if they tooled up to build it somewhere in North American.

My guess is that this is why you haven't seen a decision to bring this to our shores thus far.

 

The Mazda pickups are virtually the same as the Ranger. Has the truck been dropped from the Mazda line up as well? I prefer the blue oval but if Mazda is the only game then Mazda it may be.

Flash, I just got back from Mazdausa and answered my own question. No pickup at all in the line up. The Dakota's and Silverados are all to large.

 

then this is what Ford needs to do. Bring in a new small pickup, build it on the F150 line, call it a F100, and call it a day

 

A while ago Motor Trend had this picture of the rumored F-100. It was supposed to be powered only by a 3.7L V6. And that's where problems started because some wanted a V8 and they couldn't agree on payload and towing numbers ...

 

A couple of the better known insiders have been suggesting that F-100 is still waiting in the wings if needed, with a bit of a role change. The F-100, which is apparently closer in size to the F-150 than I gave it credit for, might actually end up being the next F-150 if what some of these guys suggest is accurate.

That role reversal would apparently take the F-150 back down to the same basic size as the 96-2004 body style trucks which would still easily leave the truck a full size model, but which would reduce weight (and build costs) substantially. That might not be such a bad idea, as while I do like the current F-150 it is, like every other current half ton model, needlessly huge.

 

I agree, trucks like the F150, ram, and especially the Tundra are waaaayyy bigger than they need to be. Probably the result of everyone trying to one up each other and have the most intimidating looking truck

 

It happens across nearly every segment, and it's not just looks. It's the effect of consumer magazines/websites having spent years championing advantages in interior space/towing/etc without docking overweight cars. Garden-variety buyers were trained to expect the best to also be the biggest. Remember the "Wider is Better" commercials?

 

Just like the GT500 has to keep upping the HP to compete

 

It's a shame Ford isn't going to import this Ranger, it looks much better than the F-150 in my opinion and a much more worthy competitor to the Tacoma and Frontier.

I just don't understand Fords thinking. Just because they didn't sell many OLD Rangers, doesn't mean that a NEW model would sell better. The OLD Ranger was just that....A RELIC of another era....It was sadly in need of a new platform to compete with the Tacoma and Frontier. It was Too Small and Behind the Times.

Evidently No One at Ford has even looked at or sat in a New Tacoma? Because my friend has an older Tacoma and it's small and cramped, but the new one is much larger and much nicer.

As for Mazda they are coming out with their own new Pickup Truck.I just got this rendering online last week.

 

My 97 Tacoma was the longest I've ever owned a vehicle. Loved that thing, not too cramped for me. 4WD for crappy weather, small enough to park and zip around in, and a nice little bed in the back for misc trips to Lowes, tailgating, etc. and pretty reliable. Shame the market for something like that is shrinking. Even the new Tacomas are getting a little too big.

 

Not for sale in the USA.
I could be wrong, but I belive that Ranger and Mazda BT-50 are built on the same platform.

 

I don't mind smaller trucks, but with F-150 being so cheap I would always go with a F-150.

I got my F-150 for under $21,000, and I got a SuperCab, 4x4 and V8.
Ranger SuperCab 4x4 would cost just as much and I could only get a V6.

 

You're right Zoran