25 Years of Drive: Thai-built Ford Ranger to replace Courier
We broke the news that an all-new Ford ute was heading Down Under in 1998 and that it would be called Ranger.
Story originally published 16 April 1998
Ford will replace its Courier light-commercial models with a new Thai-built model next year.
The new vehicle, which may be called Ranger, goes on sale in Thailand in September with exports starting to the Asia/Pacific region and Europe late this year.
The Courier replacement will also wear Mazda badges and will replace the B Series range about January.
So far, Ford has released basic information on the Thai market model, which was seen for the first time last month at the motor show in Bangkok.
To be called Ranger in that market, it will offer two diesel engines: the base 2.5-litre injected powerplant that currently powers the base Courier model sold here; and a new turbocharged, more-powerful version that will be available as an option.
The turbo engine comes with an intercooler and twin counter-rotating balance shafts. Ford claims this engine offers best-in-class power and fuel economy. Manual and automatic transmissions will be offered with both engines.
It is expected that a petrol powerplant will be included on export versions, including those vehicles heading to Australia. A V6 engine, now offered by most of its rivals, seems unlikely to join the range. A reworked version of the present 2.6-litre, four-cylinder engine is likely.
Two and four-wheel-drive versions will be produced, and standard and super cab bodies will be on offer. Three trim levels – Standard, XL and XLT – are likely.
Outside, the new model presents a more modern, rounded body. At the front, its big “chesse cutter” grille is similar to that on the Explorer.
The Ranger is being built in Thailand, which has a big ute market, and was designed with that market very much in mind.
Ford’s Thailand operations president, Mr David Snyder, said: “We conducted extensive market research in Thailand, the world’s second largest pick-up truck market. The findings told us Thai customers want a truck that provides, above all, quality, reliability, comfort, good performance and useful features.”
The Ranger name has been used in the United States on Ford light commercials since 1982.
The new-generation Courier will play an important role in Ford’s commercial vehicle push, which has seen the introduction of the European transit van and the marketing slogan “Built Ford Tough”.
Last year, the company sold almost 23,000 light trucks, with the Courier range making up 5275 of the total.
So, what happened next
Ford did indeed get its Thai-built pick-up truck in 1998, but, perhaps a little gun-shy at losing a tried and tested nameplate, Ford Australia stuck with the Courier badge for what was a Ford Ranger in international markets.
Australia would have to wait until 2007 before the first Ranger-badged utes started appearing in local dealerships and by 2009, the burgeoning ‘lifestyle ute’ market gave rise to the first Ranger Wildtrak.
Over the ensuing years, Ford Ranger has become one of Australia’s most popular new vehicles, regularly duking it out with fellow dual-cab Toyota HiLux for the mantle of Australia’s number one selling vehicle.
Ranger has finished second in the sales race for the last five years, including most recently in 2021 where its 50,279 sales was eclipsed only by arch-rival Hilux (52,801). Ford can, however, take some consolation knowing the Ranger is Australia’s most popular 4×4 ute, Toyota edging ahead only once sales of two-wheel drive HiLuxes are added.
An all-new Ford Ranger is due in 2022.
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