Ford Ranger - specifications, owner reviews

Ford Ranger appeared in 1982, replacing the obsolete Ford Courier, which was produced in 1952. Initially, the new car did not differ much from its predecessor. Like the Courier, it was assembled on the chassis of a conventional light truck with a slight reinforcement of the running gear. However, at the request of the time Ford Ranger gradually turned into a car of high style. He confidently stood in a row with fashionable SUVs of the Ford family. Three years after its appearance in the market, the Ford Ranger was no longer perceived by the public as a regular au pair. The machine could well represent the interests of its owner in any field of activity.

Packages

Ford Ranger improved from year to year. Evolutionary changes concerned both the technical characteristics of the car and its appearance. Designers "Ford" worked tirelessly, trying to give the car a state-of-the-art look. The interior of the Ford Ranger was not as such. However, in terms of the cabin's comfort level, he could compete with any middle class car. Until 1985, the Ford Ranger was available in four trim levels: basic, improved (XL), comfortable (XLS) and supercomplex (XLT). The latter turned the car into a glittering handsome man. The abundance of chrome moldings and all kinds of lining, velor seat upholstery, expensive plastic in the console trim and dashboard testified to the sophistication of the style. Running dignity of the machine also kept at a sufficiently high level, high-speed qualities were combined with good traffic.

Improvements

In 1985, the STX version appeared with a radical change in the configuration of the seats, which took the form of a wide and comfortable bucket. At the same time, the 14-inch wheels moved from the stamped discs to light-alloy wheels. Two years later, the Ford Ranger in a two-seated version in the STX package became known as the STX High Rider, which was due to increased clearance and tire tread upgrades, which became closer to the off-road standard. In 1988, the GT version came out, which put the pickup truck on one step with a small jeep in the main parameters. However, full certainty in the status of the machine did not work. The pickup GT Ford Ranger was released in the amount of 2 thousand pieces and then withdrawn from production due to low demand. Modifications Ranger allowed manufacturers to maneuver in the turbulent conditions of the automotive market and find the right niche for a pickup truck.

Power point

The power plant for the Ford Ranger was not very powerful, it was not necessary. At first, the car was equipped with a Ford Pinto OHC engine, developing a capacity of 86 liters. from. At 4 thousand rpm. This was quite enough with an average car load. But at full load, there was a lack of traction. Therefore, on the Ranger in 1983 began to install a Cologne V6 OHV engine in volume of 2.8 liters, capacity of 115 liters. S., And at the same time a four-speed gearbox of Toyo Kogyo company or three-speed automatic Ford C-3 was attached to the motor - at the option of the buyer. In 1985, the Mitsubishi FM1 45 gearbox was already offered a mechanical five-speed gearbox. Since 1986, the Ford Ranger was equipped with a Cologne V6 OHV engine with a capacity of 2.9 liters, capacity of 140 liters. from.

In 1989, the second generation Ford Ranger was widely introduced with a radically modified exterior design and a new cab. The rear wheels were installed ABS. Rear-drive Ranger began to equip the engine Vulcan V6 OHV EFI, three-liter, capacity of 142 liters. With., And for all-wheel drive were installed Cologne V8 capacity of 160 liters. from.

The third generation

Machines "Ford Ranger" third generation appeared in 1992. The updated Ranger was significantly different from all previous versions. External changes touched primarily the front of the machine. The radiator grille has become much more modern, the front wings have changed, the flashlight has been canceled, now it was in the block-head housing. The range of engines has expanded, the gearboxes have also increased their range to five variants. Both engines and gearboxes could be chosen, and so the buyer received a car that fully meets specific tasks during operation.

Entering the foreign market

In 1996, the question arose about the re-equipping of the Ford Ranger, the feedback about which was not always positive, in connection with the release of the model to foreign markets. This process included increasing wheelbase, increasing passive safety, optimizing the undercarriage by installing the ABS system on all wheels. The Vulcan V6 engine was adopted as standard for equipping machines for Europe and Latin America, and the five -speed manual gearbox of the Ford 5R55E was also standardized.

And in 1998, the Ford Ranger, the characteristics of which were adapted to the hot climate, went a wide flow to the Asian countries. At that time, the car was produced for the domestic market in the US and for some countries in Europe, and for the car to be delivered to Asia, it was necessary to open plants for assembling the Ranger in Thailand.

The fourth generation

The next, fourth, generation of cars "Ford Ranger" after a deep modernization received a wheelbase of 2832 mm, which increased the level of comfort in the scale of the entire car. Changes affected the front suspension, the wishbones combined with the torsion bars, while the gear was used alone - the Dana 25. The Ranger wheels were standardized to a size of 15 inches, and tires with a deep tread are placed on alloy wheels. The last variant of the wheels is 235 / 70R16 on titanium discs.

"Ford Ranger" today

His 30th anniversary Ford Ranger noted several events at once. The US market closed for the car due to insufficient demand. As compensation for this, the campaign of deliveries of the sixth generation Ranger to the European countries began. The car was completely renewed, it felt that a deep restyling was carried out, and also the potential for further improvements was seen.

The latest equipment of the Ford Ranger Wildtrak is the ultra-modern appearance of a confident car, a bright red car coloring that turned from a pickup truck into an SUV while maintaining the price of a business class car. The cabin is double, five-seater, convenient for passengers' landing thanks to the design of swing doors. The wheels are impressive with 18-inch polished discs and chrome-plated security arcs that swept the front end. Willingly buy a stylish car and Arab countries, for them the car is supplied in the version of Ford Ranger Sahibinden.