As rising gas prices hurt truck sales, automakers are scrambling to create new products to meet their customers' changing needs. To avoid a glut of gas guzzlers GM cut production of its large pickups for the year, and yesterday it was reported that Ford is developing a new, smaller version of its vaunted F-150. Now more details have emerged, and not only is Dearborn readying an eco-friendly variant of the F-series, but word is a new compact pickup that could replace the current Ranger will be developed as well.
Though the F-150 continues to reign as the best-selling vehicle in America, sales have slipped by 15.5 percent this year and Ford has been forced to cut production. To counter this trend the automaker is quickly working on a new pickup based on a modified F-150 platform that will be 10 percent smaller and significantly lighter than its full-size cousin. Codenamed P525, the new truck will be set apart by distinctive sheetmetal and include an EcoBoost 6-cylinder under the hood -- Ford's new engine technology that combines turbocharging and direct injection to deliver the power and towing ability of a V-8 with fuel-economy comparable to a V-6. Word is that the traditional V-6 and V-8 engines will be available as well. Possibly dubbed the F-100, this new pickup is slated to be built in 2011 at the automaker's Wayne, Michigan manufacturing plant, though Dearborn has yet to make its final decision on whether it will be produced.
In addition to the F-100, Ford is also developing a next-generation compact truck dubbed the T6. The T6 is set to replace the current Ranger made in Thailand, a global pickup that is entirely different from the older Ranger model sold in the States. However with the U.S. Ranger's manufacturing plant scheduled to close next year and gas prices creating an increased demand for compact pickups, the new T6 could wind up reaching American showrooms as well. Powertrains for the T6 are said to include an EcoBoost 4-cylinder, standard 4-cylinder, and possibly a diesel. Set to go on sale in 2011, the new Ranger will be built in Thailand as well as at the automaker's plant in Silverton, South Africa, which will be capable of producing 110,000 vehicles per year.
Ford had originally planned to only sell one of its smaller pickups in the U.S. (most likely the F-100), but with gas prices marching toward $4 a gallon (and beyond) the company is said to be weighing its options. Including both new pickups would give Dearborn a comprehensive lineup of trucks ranging from a frugal compact to the diesel-powered Super Duty, but there are tariff problems for foreign-built trucks that could prevent the Ranger from being profitable. Ford has yet to make a decision on the F-100 or Ranger, but with large vehicles continuing to lose popularity, a pair of new, more efficient pickups could be just what buyers are looking for.
Source: The Detroit News