The blunder that Ford's market research team made with the 2019 Ranger is astronomical!
For years, I have heard and read dribs and drabs from automakers, who acknowledges that a strong, and underserved, segment exists, for buyers that want an inexpensive, yet durable, basic work truck.
I am such a prospective buyer, as the current and very happy owner of a Ford Ranger.
After a ridiculously long wait, I look at Ford's official Ranger page today, to find that the least expensive Ranger costs around $25,300 for a base truck, with steel wheels (!)
This is a colossal mistake!
I've heard for months, Ford bragging on the fact that the new Ranger is equipped with steel bumpers. This is true, but buyers of the base $25.3k Ranger (price with destination), have to make due with plastic bumpers. They also must know that the majority of optional feature content requires bundled packages, that hike the price by over $1,000-1,500 dollars.
Why so little standard feature content on an expensive smaller sized truck? Because of the powertrain. Again, the folly of offering a nearly 300 horsepower engine/10 speed automatic combination - surely to be a HUGE attraction to fleet buyers.
Thank you all, for bearing with my rant. Hopefully, Ford will get it's act together quick, and offer a normally aspirated/6 speed manual powertrain, that will appeal to the lower end segment of the truck buying public. If not, I guess I will have to settle for a Colorado, and pocket the 5,000 dollar difference.
For years, I have heard and read dribs and drabs from automakers, who acknowledges that a strong, and underserved, segment exists, for buyers that want an inexpensive, yet durable, basic work truck.
I am such a prospective buyer, as the current and very happy owner of a Ford Ranger.
After a ridiculously long wait, I look at Ford's official Ranger page today, to find that the least expensive Ranger costs around $25,300 for a base truck, with steel wheels (!)
This is a colossal mistake!
I've heard for months, Ford bragging on the fact that the new Ranger is equipped with steel bumpers. This is true, but buyers of the base $25.3k Ranger (price with destination), have to make due with plastic bumpers. They also must know that the majority of optional feature content requires bundled packages, that hike the price by over $1,000-1,500 dollars.
Why so little standard feature content on an expensive smaller sized truck? Because of the powertrain. Again, the folly of offering a nearly 300 horsepower engine/10 speed automatic combination - surely to be a HUGE attraction to fleet buyers.
Thank you all, for bearing with my rant. Hopefully, Ford will get it's act together quick, and offer a normally aspirated/6 speed manual powertrain, that will appeal to the lower end segment of the truck buying public. If not, I guess I will have to settle for a Colorado, and pocket the 5,000 dollar difference.