In contrast
to the other manufacturers at the NYIAS, Ford didn't have a splashy intro
for its facelifted 2004 Ford Ranger. In fact the Ranger was barely noticeable
on the Ford stand mixed in with other trucks in the show's lower level.
The Ranger's
new exterior design cues are clearly shared with the 2004
F-150 and Super Duty full-size trucks while inside the Ranger has
all-new seats designed to meet improved federal safety guidelines plus
some IP improvements and an optional MP3 player.
But will
a new grille and a few interior changes be enough to keep the Ranger in
its number one sales spot among compact pickups? With the Chevrolet
Colorado and GMC Canyon set to arrive at dealer lots by the end of
the year and Toyota, Nissan
and Dodge expected to bring new midsize trucks to market by 2005, one
can't help but wonder if anything is seriously being done for the Ford
Ranger besides keeping it on life-support.
The latest
rumors keep pushing an all-new Ranger back until 2007 because of Ford's
cash crunch and the extremely low profit margins found in the compact
and midsize truck segment.
If Ford doesn't
do something dramatic for this truck, and soon, it might as well rebadge
it as the Lone Ranger.
