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#Ford is selling four F-150 Lightning Models
empresa-journal · 1 year
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Ford taking F-150 Lightning Orders
The Ford Motor Company (F) is taking F-150 Lightning Orders. You can now order four models of the electric pickup from shop.ford.com. It appears Ford has resolved its Lightning production problems. Ford (F) shut down F-150 Lightning production in February because of a “potential battery issue,” Car and Driver reports. Ford’s Rouge Electric Vehicle Center resumed Lightning production in Dearborn,…
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kenyatta · 2 years
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On the eve of the long-promised electric-vehicle revolution, the myth is due for an update. Americans who take the plunge and buy their first EV will find a lot to love, just as I have. (I purchased a Tesla Model 3 in summer 2019.) They may also find that electric-vehicle ownership upends notions about driving, cost, and freedom, including how much car your money can buy. No one spends an extra $5,000 to get a bigger gas tank in a Honda Civic, but with an EV, economic status is suddenly more connected to how much of the world you get to see—and how stressed out or annoyed you’ll feel along the way. A new Ford F-150 Lightning—the electrified version of America’s long-time best-selling vehicle, and one of the most important vehicles for persuading the majority of the country to ditch gasoline—starts at $55,000 in its most basic form. (Yes, EVs remain expensive. But consider that the average price of any vehicle snuck up to $47,000 by the end of last year, and Americans are already paying luxury prices on formerly utilitarian pickup trucks.) Choosing the F-150’s extended-range battery, which stretches the distance on a charge from 230 miles to 320, raises the cost to at least $80,000. The trend holds true with all-electric brands such as Tesla, Rivian, and Lucid, and for many electric offerings from legacy automakers. The bigger battery option can add a four- or five-figure bump to an already accelerating sticker price.
Electric Vehicles Are a Status Symbol Now - The Atlantic
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carshkn500 · 3 years
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Why 2021 Is Shaping Up To Be A Pivotal Year For Electric Vehicles
Electric cars and trucks are the future, and yearly we have actually seen automakers include more EVs to their schedule. Every person is dealing with electric lorries, from reputable existing makers to brand-new names such as Byton, Lordstown, as well as Rivian.
BMW's very first "i" automobiles, the i3 and also i8, depended upon wild, futuristic styles to make a declaration. The following model in the electrical sub-brand has even more standard styling, as it's planned to be similar to the 4-series Gran Sports Car four-door hatchback. BMW has currently announced that the i4 will have 530 hp as well as an 80 kWh battery pack.
The Canoo pickup assures 600 horse power and 200 miles of array. It's smaller than what's normally located in the mid-size pickup section, being 2 feet shorter than the Ford Ranger. Canoo states its pickup will be provided with a six-to-eight-foot pickup bed as well as that it will certainly be available for pre-order mid-2021, with production beginning in 2023.
Canoo is checking a registration service that would enable customers to use as well as pay for the EV just when it's required, like Netflix. Canoo claims this little bus will have a series of 250 miles and also 300 horse power. Information on registration cost or preliminary cost haven't been revealed yet, yet expect more information as we get closer to 2022.
The Future Of Transportation Is Autonomous & Electric
Building off its storied best-selling history and recent collaboration with Rivian, Ford is seeking to make an all-electric version of the F-150 pickup, and it'll be called Lightning. The company wishes it will certainly be robust sufficient to stay clear of estranging its central consumer base while likewise attracting new buyers thinking about possessing a pickup without the carbon footprint of a gasoline engine.
Aston Martin has relaunched the Lagonda name as an all-electric luxury brand for the upper crust. Its wagon hull trips on the same platform as the Aston Martin DBX, which makes us wonder exactly how close an electric DBX is from production. Aston employer Andy Palmer informed us that he expects electric designs to have efficiency comparable to the brand's gas matchings which he expects greater than 300 miles in between check outs to the plug.
Although Lexus is a little late to the party, the luxury brand has announced it will eventually offer an EV drivetrain called Direct 4. It showcased an SUV model with the technology in 2020, with front and also rear electric motors that create 201 horse power and 221 pound-feet of torque each. Total result is unknown. Although the model cars evaluating Direct 4 are likely extremely pre-production test-mules, we anticipate the actual point to be a compact crossover that's close to the Lexus NX in size.
Lotus is planning on making another track-ready carbon-fiber car, but in a twist, which it makes 1254 lb-ft of, it'll be all-wheel drive, make an absurd 1972 horsepower, and (gasp) will be an EV. Lotus is intending to call this monster the Evija, and only 130 will be made, at a rate of $2.1 million each. There's no word on what array can be anticipated, however Lotus claims that it can bill up to 80 percent in 12 minutes many thanks to ultrafast charging rates.
The Future Of Transportation Is Autonomous & Electric
Mercedes-Benz's new EV lineup will be referred to as the EQ family. The Mercedes-Benz EQA, the company's smallest electric portable SUV, was exposed previously this year in Europe-spec kind. The Euro variation of the EQA has 187 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque and also starting at around $57,000. Mercedes-Benz recommended an EQA in the U.S. could have four-wheel drive with around 280 horsepower.
The Mercedes-Benz EQC400 4Matic, Mercedes's first electric automobile, is a compact crossover with an estimated range of 200 miles. Mercedes-Benz revealed in February 2021 that they had decided to not supply the EQC in the United States, in the meantime.
The Pininfarina Battista is an 1873-horsepower EV coupe that uses Rimac's carbon chassis and EV powertrain. It's an EV hypercar, and last year completed its initial high-speed test at the Nardo examination track in Italy with one of nine of its models. Anticipate a price over $2 million, but do not anticipate to ever before see one at your neighborhood. Shipments are claimed to start later in 2021.
Porsche recently announced that the next generation of its Macan crossover will go full electric. The Porsche Macan EV will certainly be based upon the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) platform that is being co-developed with Audi. It will certainly have the same 800-volt technology as the next Taycan and also will possibly share its electrical motors and also battery packs, also. Porsche intends to begin production of the Macan EV in 2022.
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Electric Cars: What To Expect Between 2020 And 2030
Volvo already sells a 402-hp XC40 Recharge with 208 miles of range. The C40 shares the exact same powertrain as the XC40 Recharge, with 2 electrical motors as well as 75.0-kWh battery pack. It's likewise the same powertrain the Polestar 2 usages. Volvo estimates the C40 to have an EPA-rated driving variety of 210 miles. We anticipate pricing to begin around $55,000, with even more details about the C40 Recharge to come when production starts later in 2021.
Electric Vehicles
Pick-up trucks and also SUVs packing battery packs rather of gas engine will soon be rolling off assembly line en masse, reprising the American automotive landscape with daily they're on sale. So to keep tabs on all the cool new EVs coming down the pike, we have actually placed together this summary of the ones we recognize concerning that have us most excited.
The Chevy Bolt hatchback is receiving for a refresh in 2021, but its crossover twin, the Bolt EUV, is the far more exciting proposition. Well, calling it a crossover is maybe a stretch; it's FWD-only, and also uses little in the way of extra ground clearance or added elevation. Still, it's somewhat easier to obtain in as well as out of than the Screw, looks a lot better, goes 250 miles on a charge, supplies semi-autonomous Super Cruise ship as well as starts at $35K with location.
Electric Vehicles And The Future Of Transportation
Lordstown Stamina (2021). The Stamina is implied as a work truck for commercial customers, however that does not indicate we can not obtain thrilled regarding it. Besides, it has four hub-mounted electrical motors making greater than 600 combined horses, can reportedly take a trip 250 miles on a charge, and will begin at $45,000 after the tax obligation credit.
Nissan's Ariya (note the punctuation, it's not like the Video game of Thrones personality) can be the electric SUV the mainstream has been awaiting. FWD or AWD as well as as much as 389 hp join a lot of the EV techniques and also deals with Nissan developed for the Fallen leave, like the e-Pedal feature that makes one-pedal driving a breeze.
Electric Vehicles
Cadillac's future is electric; if it doesn't succeed, the brand might not have a future. The choice to give its EVs names finishing with "-iq" might have appeared better on paper, where it reminds people of "intelligence quotient," than it performs in practice, where it seems like "ick" however there's no saying that the crossover-cum-station wagon Lyriq could be a smash struck as soon as you get past the name.
The Future Of Transportation Is Autonomous & Electric
Chevrolet Corvette EV (2022). We've understood for a while that the eighth-generation Corvette would likely go hybrid; that frunk, as it turns out, is ideal for an electrical motor to drive the front wheels. But it likewise appears that Chevy is dealing with an all-electric Corvette. None besides Joe Biden discussed as much, declaring that it can do 200 miles per hr.
Ford F-150 Lightning (2022). Two-thirds of the Big 3 will be relocating right into the electrical truck realm in the future, as well as the Ford F-150 will likely be the first one there. The carmaker has made no secret of it, going so much as to disclose when it'll go on sale (mid-2022), what will certainly power it (two electrical motors), and also what kind of power it will certainly make (greater than any various other F-150 currently for sale).
Electric Vehicles Are The U.s. Auto Industry's Future
Maserati MC20 EV (2022). Maserati's brand-new supercar is a dynamo of internal-combustion splendor, but it'll also be available in an all-electric version come 2022.
Tesla Roadster (2022). Tesla hasn't offered a Roadster in more than a decade, ever before since the Lotus-based lorry that released the business faded away to include its very own in-house-developed designs. Currently, the Roadster is established to return as well as if also half of Elon Musk's usually broad promises become a reality, it'll be an auto to wow the globe.
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The Future Of Cars Is Electric – But How Soon Is This Future?
Volkswagen ID.Buzz (2022). Ask a lot of Americans to name some legendary VWs, as well as probabilities are good Bus would certainly be the 2nd word out of the typical individual's lips. The iconic VW Type 2, as it was formally known, is set to get a spiritual rebirth come 2022 as an all-electric minivan.
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The Future Of Cars Is Electric – But How Soon Is This Future?
However what electrical cars and trucks are coming? Allow's take a more detailed consider what you can expect to see striking the roads in the next couple of years. The Renault Megane E-Tech Electric relocates into a bigger sector to give you a little bit more area inside compared to the Zoe, while packaging in a 160k, W electric motor and 60kWh battery pack.
Electric Cars: What To Expect Between 2020 And 2030
Ford is revealing the electric variation of the F-150 on 19 Might, offering it the name Lightning. Ford had formerly claimed it would certainly be the most effective F-150 it's ever before generated, with the capability to utilize the battery as a mobile power supply. Expected to sit on VW's PPE platform, it has actually long been known that Porsche was going to make the Macan an EV - as well as a prototype has actually been out in testing.
Bentley has verified that an electrical SUV in the works as well as is most likely to be a beneficary of the Audi Artemis system that's in advancement. Little else is known, but it will be one more high luxury model for the most discerning customers. Genesis Electric motor - the high-end arm of Hyundai - has introduced its European launch, as well as encouraging 3 electric models over the next year.
Electric Vehicles
The VW ID.5 is anticipated to supply the same spec as the VW ID.4, yet with a sportback, a going down rear roofline for those who want something a lot more coupe as well as much less SUV in design. Launched at Car Shanghai, the Mercedes EQB is a key version for China, supplying seating for 7.
The Toyota concept presents a new system - shown Subaru - with the guarantee of solar charging to cover up the battery. Nothing has really been exposed, yet Toyota is rather late to the electrical car party, having actually been a leading pressure in hybrids.
The Future Of Transportation Is Autonomous & Electric
The Kia EV6 complies with the Hyundai Ioniq 5, sharing the exact same platform, but with Kia having its own spin. There's two battery choices, 58 or 77. The majority of the talk will likely have to do with the EV6 GT, nevertheless, which sets the bigger battery with four-wheel drive, for blistering efficiency, with a 0-62mph time of 3.5 secs. It will be available in late 2021.
Electric Vehicles Are The U.s. Auto Industry's Future
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Land Rover is making sweeping adjustments to its business over the following few years - as well as that's resulted in the reveal of a new future platfrom - EMA. This platform has been confirmed to underpin the Exploration Sport and the Evoque and it's developed for electric cars, tip that those will both launch as electrical cars.
Arguably, the C40 is Volvo's first bespoke electrical vehicle - omitting the adapted XC40 Recharge - which's an interesting prospect. It has a 78kWh battery, guarantees 260 miles of variety as well as it comes with limitless information. That's right, Volvo wants the Android-based system in this car to be always connected, so it's removed the stress over where that link comes from.
Battery Electric Vehicle
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is the very first in a new series of electrical automobiles from the company, sliding right into the prominent crossover area. There will be selections of 58 or 72.6 kWh batteries, with back or all-wheel drive. It gets a fresh brand-new layout, with a level floor as well as sliding centre console - we believe this is mosting likely to be a large seller.
Smooth layout enhances this sporting activities coupe, while the back entrances include a sense of functionality, like the Taycan which shares the exact same platform. A 93kWh battery rests in both the routine and also the RS version of this vehicle, promising blistering efficiency. It will cost from 79,000 as well as be offered throughout 2021.
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aliciabuncle · 3 years
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Biden Signs Executive Order Targeting 50% EVs by 2030
President Joe Biden signed an executive order Thursday afternoon aimed at beginning the phaseout of cars and trucks running on gas and diesel, with battery-electric vehicles now expected to make up at least 50% of new model sales by 2030.
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Bernie Ricke, president of UAW Local 600, which builds the Ford F-150 Lightning introduced President Biden at the announcement.
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The president also confirmed that the administration is reversing a “shortsighted” move by his predecessor that saw a sharp rollback in federal fuel economy standards. Both moves won widespread praise — and promises from key automakers they will live up to the targets the Biden White House has set. But some environmentalists questioned whether the administration is moving far and fast enough.
The future, said Biden, speaking from the White House lawn, “is electric, and there’s no turning back. The question is whether we’ll lead,” he said, warning that, “Right now, China is leading the race.”
Currently, that Asian powerhouse has 93 plants building the sort of batteries needed to power battery-based vehicles, compared to just four in the United States, according to a study by Benchmark Mineral Intelligence. In recent months, a number of automakers, including General Motors, Ford and Stellantis — as well as independent suppliers — have announced plans to build lithium-ion battery plants in the U.S., but the numbers so far announced still leave this country way behind in terms of production capacity.
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Biden said today the future is electric and "there's no turning back."
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U.S. playing catch up
The U.S. has also lagged both China and Europe in terms of production of plug-based models, in part due to the tougher mandates already announced in those parts of the world. The European Union, in particular, recently laid out a proposal that would phase out sale of new vehicles using internal combustion engines entirely by 2035.
The White House has faced heavy pressure since Biden was inaugurated in January to follow suit. And even with a 50% target for 2030, the president came under criticism from some environmentalists.
“Today’s proposal relies on unenforceable voluntary commitments from unreliable car makers,” wrote Dan Becker, director of the, Safe Climate Transport Campaign of the Center for Biological Diversity, in astatement. Describing the Biden plan as “loophole-ridden,” Becker said “strong rules” are the only way to get automakers to cut emissions.
But Thursday’s executive order received far more positive reviews from most of the auto industry, starting with the Detroit Big Three, whose senior executives were on hand for the signing.
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Biden praised GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra for her "leadership" on the push to go electric.
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“Today, Ford, GM and Stellantis announce their shared aspiration to achieve sales of 40-50% of annual U.S. volumes of electric vehicles (battery electric, fuel cell and plug-in hybrid vehicles) by 2030 in order to move the nation closer to a zero-emissions future consistent with Paris climate goals,” the three automakers said in a statement released ahead of the White House event.
Manufacturers offer mixed reviews
Though not invited for the signing, a number of foreign manufacturers also weighed in.
“Today, Nissan North America Inc. has a target that more than 40% of its U.S. vehicle sales by 2030 will be fully electric, with even more to be electrified,” the second-largest Japanese automaker said. Its rival Honda said it “supports” the president’s goals, including the toughened fuel economy standards that will phase in during the coming years.
Several manufacturers sniped at Biden, however. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, the best-selling EV manufacturer in the U.S., was notably absent from the Thursday ceremony. “Seems odd that Tesla wasn’t invited.”
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Elon Musk reportedly wasn't invited to the event because the company doesn't have a union.
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Meanwhile, Rivian, another U.S.-based EV startup, questioned whether the administration was going far enough. “This draft proposal would drive us in the right direction after several years in reverse,” said Chris Nevers, Rivian’s senior director of environmental policy, “but slowly getting back on track is not enough.”
Previous administrations’ plans
As Vice President, Biden helped in the push for a sharp increase in mileage standards during the Obama administration. Fuel economy was expected to grow by about 5% annually, reaching more than 50 miles per gallon. Since fuel consumption is directly linked to the production of carbon emissions, that would have led to a sharp reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
When he was in office, President Donald Trump sharply criticized the Obama-era Corporate Average Fuel Economy. The cuts his administration announced in early 2020 actually went beyond what most automakers sought, in fact, with a target of 1.5% in mileage increases annually.
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Ford CEO Jim Farley was on hand — and recognized — for the signing of the executive order by President Biden today.
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In recent weeks, there had been news reports, based on supposed “leaks,” indicating Biden would approve a compromise 3.7% annual increase in fuel economy. The final revision of CAFE will see a 25% improvement over the four years ending in 2026.
The industry, at least for now, appears to be fully backing Biden — though, after supporting the Obama fuel economy mandate, automakers including General Motors and Toyota later called for a partial rollback.
What will happen now depends on a variety of factors, especially in terms of the aggressive EV mandates the president has targeted.
EV target is extremely aggressive
Right now, pure battery-electric vehicles account for only about 2.2% of new vehicle sales in the U.S., according to industry data. Adding in hybrids and plug-in hybrids brings that up to around 6 percent. But the trendline is moving upward at an aggressive pace. During the first six months of this year, sales of PHEVs and pure BEVs doubled compared to the year before.
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EV sales have doubled in the last year, spurred by new entries into the market like the VW ID.4.
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There had been a growing consensus in industry circles demand for plug-based models would reach around 30% by decade’s end. Going to 50% will be difficult, numerous analysts said this week. And Biden acknowledged the challenge during his brief address on Thursday.
He pointed to his Build Back Better infrastructure bill working through Congress as critical to that goal, as well as legislation that would both extend and expand the current federal EV incentives of up to $7,500. A bill cosponsored by Michigan Representative Debbie Dingell would bring the number up to $10,000 for American-made EVs, adding yet another $2,500 for those produced with union labor.
Biden also highlighted other goals of the administration, including the creation of 500,000 EV chargers nationwide — something researchers at J.D. Power, IHS Markit and others have called essential to widespread acceptance of battery power. Additional money will be made available for battery and EV manufacturers, as well as researchers working on the next-generation batteries intended to boost range, cut charging times and lower costs.
The industry, meanwhile, is taking another critical step. Where only a handful of long-range EVs were available at the start of the decade, as many as 100 or more are expected to be available in U.S. showrooms by mid-decade.
Biden Signs Executive Order Targeting 50% EVs by 2030 published first on https://decalsgraphicstore.tumblr.com/
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orbemnews · 3 years
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See Ford's electric F-150 pickup truck The Ford F-150 has been the best selling truck in America for over four decades. In fact, the F-series line of pickup trucks is the best selling “light vehicle” in America, period, according to data from Cox Automotive. An electric truck represents a great opportunity for Ford to get ahead of competitors like Tesla (TSLA) and Rivian, an electric vehicle startup in which Ford is a major investor. But it also represents a great challenge. Ford has spent more than a century building its reputation among pickup buyers and a poorly received entry into this market could squander that. “Although the explosion of electric trucks in the market makes for an exciting time in the industry, it also poses a threat to automakers like Ford, which needs to stay two steps ahead of the competition in order to protect its primary source of profitability,” said Jessical Caldwell, an industry analyst with Edmunds.com. The F-150 Lightning is, in many ways, a traditional F-150 truck, except for the light bars across its front end and tailgate and the fact that it runs purely on electricity from lithium-ion batteries. Electric motors can provide enormous power, a fact that enabled engineers to make the Lightning the most powerful F-150 Ford has offered yet. The lack of an engine also enabled designers to create a cavernous enclosed storage space, something most pickup trucks lack. President Joe Biden took one for a quick test drive on Tuesday and declared afterward “This sucker’s quick!” The truck will initially be available with two battery pack sizes. The larger battery pack will enable up to 300 miles of driving, although towing and hauling will tend to reduce that distance. The smaller battery pack in less expensive models will enable an estimated 230 miles of driving before the truck has to recharge. With its larger optional battery pack, the Lightning will be able to produce up to 563 horsepower and 775 pound-feet of torque, a measure of pulling power. It can tow up to 10,000 pounds, according to Ford, and it will go from a full stop to 60 miles an hour in roughly 4.5 seconds. With the smaller battery pack, it will produce up to 426 horsepower, but will still pump out 775 pound-feet of torque, which is often a more important figure for work duties like towing. The larger pack provides more horsepower and torque than the high-performance Ford F-150 Raptor truck, which is designed for high-speed off-road desert driving. Prices for the Ford F-150 Lightning will start at just under $40,000, not including any federal and state tax incentives for electric vehicles. More luxurious versions, with features like leather seats that lay flat like a bed and a foldout desk in the cab, will cost more than $90,000. The starting price is similar to the Tesla Cybertruck although the Tesla truck, for that price, will be two-wheel drive. It’s about $10,000 more than the cheapest gas-powered F-150. It needs to look like a truck Most of the body and frame of the Lightning is different from a standard gasoline- or diesel-powered F-150. But the truck is still distinctly recognizable as an F-150. That was deliberate, Ford executives said. Electric pickup trucks should definitely be truck-shaped, truck buyers said in focus groups with Ford researchers. Truck owners said they didn’t want any weird shapes — like the wedge-shaped Tesla Cybertruck — that might hamper the basic functionality of a truck. “It wasn’t just our truck owners but all truck owners that wanted a truck look,” said Linda Zhang, chief engineer on the Lightning. One advantage of that traditional truck shape is that the new F-150 has a large hood area with no engine inside it. That gives the F-150 the biggest frunk — front trunk — in the industry, Ford boasts. The truck can carry up to 400 pounds under its hood. Despite the resemblance to other F-150s, almost all of the Lightning’s aluminum body panels, besides the roof and doors, are shaped slightly differently from the internal combustion-powered trucks for improved aerodynamics. Underneath, the truck’s frame is also shaped differently from the gas-powered truck’s in order to make room for the Lightning’s large battery packs and electric motors. The four-wheel-drive truck — at least initially, Ford will not offer a two-wheel-drive version — has an electric motor for the front wheels and another for the back. The Lightning also has power plugs inside the frunk, including household-style plugs and USB power ports. The truck’s fake grille opens along with the hood for easy access so the frunk can be used as a desk. Lights in the lid provide illumination. Plenty of plugs The Lightning has power points in the bed, as well. In all, the truck has 10 120-volt outlets and one 240-volt outlet. The electric F-150 can power a job site for three days while still having power left over for a 80 miles of driving, according to Ford. It can also power a home during a blackout. In the future, Ford plans to release software for the truck that could allow it to power a home during hours of higher electricity rates. The truck will then recharge its own batteries during the hours when power rates are lower. Inside, the F-150 Lightning’s dashboard features a large vertically-oriented center touchscreen similar to that in the Ford Mustang Mach-E electric SUV. Like the recently redesigned gas-powered F-150, the Lightning will also have a feature, called Blue Cruise, that allows drivers to completely remove their hands from the steering on some parts of major highways. While Ford is a major investor in Rivian, a company that’s also preparing to manufacture electric pickups, the Lightning does not rely on Rivian’s engineering. It was designed and engineered entirely by Ford employees, executives said. It was important to Ford engineers that the F-150 Lightning be at least as capable as a gas-powered F-150, said Zhang. The truck was put through all the same tests towing, hauling, off-road and extreme temperature tests as any other F-150, she said, and was expected to perform at least as well, if not better. The F-150 is expected to be available in the spring of 2022. Ford will build it in a new factory on the same site as the automaker’s famous Rouge complex in Dearborn, Michigan. Source link Orbem News #Electric #F150 #Ford'selectricF-150Lightningpickuptruckishere-CNN #Fords #Pickup #success #Truck
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fumpkins · 3 years
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Will the Ford F-150 Lightning turn Middle America onto EVs?
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Imagine an electric vehicle driver. You’re probably picturing an environmentally minded baby boomer, kids grown up and moved away, behind the wheel of a bright blue Nissan Leaf somewhere in Connecticut. Or you’re visualizing a 40-something tech bro in San Francisco who just bought a flashy Tesla Model 3 because, well, he likes Elon Musk and he likes cars.
Now, Ford wants you to picture a new type of EV driver: one who rolls around in a 400-horsepower pickup truck. 
The American automaker unveiled its all-electric F-150 Lightning truck this week with much fanfare and a surprise visit from President Joe Biden himself. “My name is Joe Biden and I’m a car guy,” the president said at an appearance in Dearborn, Michigan. He also zoomed around a racetrack in the F-150, trailed by anxious secret service agents.
Ford and the Biden administration — which has promised to spend $174 billion on electric vehicles — are banking that consumers who have previously shown little interest in EVs are going to be swayed by seeing the cars they love in new, all-electric clothing. It’s the same bet being made by General Motors, which has already unveiled its monstrous Hummer EV, as well as Chevy, which is planning to release an all-electric version of the Silverado. 
So are the trailer-towing, pickup truck-driving residents of Middle America going to adopt these EVs? It looks like a long shot: Only 2 percent of all cars sold in the U.S. today are electric, and most of those are sold in blue states like California, Washington, and Oregon. 
But the F-150 is a bit of an icon. Introduced in 1975 as a square-jawed, boxy vehicle that quickly found its way into the Mad Max franchise, the F-150 has been the most popular vehicle in the U.S. for 39 years. In 2018 alone, Ford rolled almost a million F-150s off the lot; according to a 2016 BlueBook analysis, it’s the most-sold car in a huge swath of states from Idaho to Georgia. If any car could get reluctant Americans to hop on the EV train, the thinking goes, it’s this one.
The sticker price might make the difference. The base model of the F-150 Lightning comes in at $39,974; but, assuming Ford keeps selling cheaper gas-powered and hybrid versions, many consumers still may not want to make the jump to all-electric. The $7,500 federal tax credit for EVs could help, but buyers are still vulnerable to stickershock. (Attempts to renew the tax credit — and get funding from Congress for other EV projects — have run into roadblocks in Congress.) And many of the states where Ford trucks are most popular are also states that have very few electric charging stations, which could seem risky to drivers eyeing the Lightning’s 230-mile range.
It’s not every day, however, that you see a 78-year-old president climbing out of an all-electric pickup truck and talking about beating China at the EV game. After four years of Trumpish isolationism, Biden has promised the U.S. will rejoin the fight against climate change — but in a uniquely American way, with cars, corporations, and “good-paying, union jobs.” That might be exactly the message the country’s pickup-truck drivers need to hear to get on board with EVs. In 2022, when the F-150 Lightning goes on sale, you’ll find out if it worked.
This story was originally published by Livescience.Tech with the headline Will the Ford F-150 Lightning turn Middle America onto EVs? on May 20, 2021.
New post published on: https://livescience.tech/2021/05/20/will-the-ford-f-150-lightning-turn-middle-america-onto-evs/
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allcarsales · 3 years
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Low Prices & More Range: 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Pick-up Truck
Ford F-150 Lightning the name will be bombarding in your ears as Ford has debuted the lightning in the classiest way. Biden has experienced the live showcase of America’s favorite best-selling pick-up truck in an electrified version.  The lightning strike delivers the most powerful thunderbolt electric pick-up truck that will blow the mind with its performance soon available at Bell Ford. 2022 Ford F-150 is revolutionary and one of the best creations in the F-series lineup. The battery-powered pick-up truck has rugged look, longer range, and smooth driving dynamics. Lightning features a series of features with excellent capability, intuitive and smart features like Blue Cruise hands-free driving.
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Lightning has received huge love from the Americans before launch that shows the sales will touch the sky. The cues of F-150 Lightning can tow heavy heaps of loads up to 10,000 pounds and standard dual-motor powertrain with four-wheel-drive.
Ford F-150 Lightning has the same exterior as of current-generation. The newer generation model has a set of electric motors in the line-up delivering a range of 230 miles per charge and an extended range of 300 miles. It is going to receive cut-throat competition from GMC Hummer EV and Chevy Silverado. The performance of the Lightning pick-up truck will blow the mind and is ready to arrive in the spring of 2022 at Kinsel Ford.
Want to know full review with specs and price visit at https://allcarsales.com/2022-ford-f-150-lightning-pick-up-truck/
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jonathanbelloblog · 6 years
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2019 Ford Ranger: The Midsize Truck Battle Is On Like Donkey Kong
LA JOLLA, California — Ford mercifully avoided piping in country music into the events accompanying launch of the new Ford Ranger pickup truck. It was early 2000s music instead, with groups like Coldplay in heavy rotation, attempting to appeal to the millennials that the Blue Oval hopes will buy the truck for urban commuting during the week and bicycle/kayak/motorcycle/camping gear hauling on the weekends—more likely full of REI gear than that from Cabela’s.
By adapting the global-market Ranger for North America, Ford hopes to recapture its title as the pickup-truck leader in the United States. Although the F-series remains the bestselling anything in all the land, Ford doesn’t have the absolute sales numbers for the pickup title. Add up the Chevrolet Silverado and Colorado with the GMC Sierra and Canyon, and General Motors’ pickups collectively outsold the F-series by 52,145 units in 2017. While Ford is loath to project any sales estimates, it’s easy to predict they’ll sell more than enough Rangers to bridge the gap. That said, the Ranger faces stiff competition. The bestseller in the segment remains the Toyota Tacoma, at 198,124 in 2017, and there’s more competition on the way: The Jeep Gladiator arrives in showrooms next year, and a new midsize, Dodge Dakota–style Ram will arrive shortly thereafter.
Relying on its global Ranger pickup, Ford was able to rush a new competitor to market while engineering a North America–specific variant that could become the segment’s bestseller by relying on a cocktail of brand equity and good overall design. Deliveries of the ’19 Ranger will start any day now, with just one powertrain choice, a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four and 10-speed automatic driving either the rear or all four wheels. In contrast, Toyota’s Taco comes with a choice of naturalyl aspirated four-cylinder or V-6 gas engines, and the GM twins offer both four- and six-cylinder gas engines and a four-cylinder diesel, and all these models are available with a manual transmission with certain engines.
“This is the perfect powertrain for our customers,” Ranger marketing manager Brian Bell tells us, although the single-engine strategy stands in stark contrast to the F-150’s offering of six engines and two transmissions. Based on the same 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbo four available in the Mustang, the Ranger’s engine is rated for 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. Ford has done its best, though, to have this setup serve several masters. The Ranger offers the best gasoline-fueled economy in it its class, the payload rating is 1,800 pounds, and maximum towing capacity is 7,500 pounds. That last number is also best-in-class until the Jeep Gladiator and its 7,650 max tow rating hit the scene.
On northeast San Diego County’s twisty, mountainous roads, the 2019 Ford Ranger is smooth and quiet. We started with a 4×2 XLT SuperCab Lariat and found the EcoBoost four pulled nicely in the mid- to upper rev ranges, though from a standing start, there’s a definite turbo lag enhanced by the engine stop-start system. You can mitigate this by brake-torquing the Ranger’s EcoBoost and revving it up to roughly 2,800 rpm; doing so evens out the acceleration considerably, but this is admittedly a solution highly future owners are highly unlikely to use often.
The Ranger turns into tighter corners in a nice, predictable, and easy way, with more resistance evident as you push it hard—though this is still a tall, heavy vehicle and few are likely to drive it in such a manner. Still, there’s fluidity to the truck’s moves that you won’t find in a full-size pickup, or even the Ranger’s Tacoma competitor. (Ford had a few of the Toyotas on hand for comparison, though not any Chevy Colorados or GMC Canyons.) We were also unable to induce wheel hop despite the empty six-foot bed—the bed is five feet long in the bigger, four-door SuperCab—a common issue in most full-size trucks save the Ram 1500 with its rear coil springs. The Ranger uses a live axle with semi-elliptical leaf springs and outboard dampers out back and an independent control-arm setup with tubular anti-roll bar up front.
The Lightning Blue Lariat 4×2 SuperCab we drove, which has a base price of $33,305, came with adaptive cruise control, five-inch rectangular chrome running boards, a chrome appearance package, the trailer tow package, 18-inch chrome wheels, and the obligatory spray-in bedliner, for a bottom line of $38,320. All Ford Rangers come with automatic emergency braking and a blind-spot-recognition system. Ford’s Co-Pilot 360 suite of advanced driver-assist systems is included on the XLT and Lariat, and optional on the base XL model.
We also had a chance to test the Ranger’s chops off-road on a pre-prepared course designed to show off the advantages of the new truck versus the competition. With that in mind, we did find the Ford’s Trail Control off-road cruise control—standard on 4×4 models—operated more smoothly than did the Tacoma’s. With Trail Control active, the Ranger barely elicited a single electronic grunt on a bumpy downhill trail, while the Tacoma’s similar system jerked that truck through the demonstration as its ABS brake sensors played an industrial metal band soundtrack.
Ford’s Trail Control may be used in four-and two-wheel-drive high range as well as 2-Lo at speeds of up to 20 mph. On the longer, winding off-road trail prepared for the event, the Ranger 4×4 with its 17- or 18-inch all-terrain tires (we took three laps, each in a different-spec truck) and terrain control handled everything from loose dirt to downhill steps to an articulation course, plus a mud bath. We’re sure this truck won’t be able to follow the Jeep Gladiator along a Moab trail—that’s what the upcoming Bronco and Bronco Jr. will be for—but anyone who wants to take his or her bike far off-trail will be able to get a good head start with the Ranger.
The terrain control adjusts for mud and snow, on-road, off-road, etc., with the twist of a dial on the center console. The interior layout is refreshingly simple, with tough seat fabrics and upgrade leathers befitting a work-or-play truck. The standard instrument panel features a real tachometer with a physical dial, while the tech package gets you configurable instruments including a digital rev counter. We prefer the real tach, natch.
In another staged exercise, we drove a 4×2 SuperCab XLT along a few miles of San Diego County canyon roads with about 450 pounds’ worth of two KTM 450 SX-F dirt bikes. Again, the EcoBoost four proved plenty powerful for this situation, although the suspension feels just a slight bit more jittery here than when unladen. You probably won’t feel that wobble if your choice of two-wheeler is an aluminum-framed mountain bike.
Our final stint was in a 4×4 SuperCrew Lariat, with the FX4 off-road package. The base price of this one was $39,490, and our example stickered at $44,255. The 4×4 Ranger CrewCab was no less pleasant to drive in suburban and urban settings than the 4×4 SuperCab, nor did did it exhibit any of the dive or squat of full-size pickups. The Ranger lineup as a whole feels right-sized and well-suited to working in all sorts of traffic situations.
Ford’s new Ranger is a worthy rival for the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon, and it may make some headway against the older, more traditional-feeling Toyota Tacoma. While the Ranger’s slight fuel-economy advantage isn’t great enough to overcome the GM twins’ wider variety of powertrain and trim choices, especially with oil remaining dirt-cheap, having another choice in the market is no bad thing, and this is no bad truck.
Yes, but what about a Ranger Raptor? Basically, you can forget about it for a while.  Ford’s under-the-skin rework of the Ranger for North America included adding a fully boxed frame, which reportedly precludes the global Ranger Raptor’s Watts-link rear suspension. In addition, the non-U.S. Ranger Raptor comes with a number of engine choices and our Ranger has a streamlined lineup. But body-on-frame trucks are easier to redesign than unibody cars and SUVs, so keep your hopes alive and check back again when the next-gen Ranger is engineered with America in mind from the outset.
2019 Ford Ranger Specifications
ON SALE Now PRICE $25,395–$39,480 ENGINE 2.3L DOHC 16-valve turbocharged I-4; 270 hp @ 5,500 rpm, 310 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm TRANSMISSION 10-speed automatic LAYOUT front-engine, 2+2 or 4-door, 5-passenger, RWD or 4WD pickup truck EPA MILEAGE 20–21/24–26 mpg (RWD/4WD) L x W x H 210.8 x 85.8 x 70.7–71.5 in WHEELBASE 126.8 in WEIGHT  4,145–4,441 lb 0–60 MPH N/A TOP SPEED N/A
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jesusvasser · 6 years
Text
2019 Ford Ranger: The Midsize Truck Battle Is On Like Donkey Kong
LA JOLLA, California — Ford mercifully avoided piping in country music into the events accompanying launch of the new Ford Ranger pickup truck. It was early 2000s music instead, with groups like Coldplay in heavy rotation, attempting to appeal to the millennials that the Blue Oval hopes will buy the truck for urban commuting during the week and bicycle/kayak/motorcycle/camping gear hauling on the weekends—more likely full of REI gear than that from Cabela’s.
By adapting the global-market Ranger for North America, Ford hopes to recapture its title as the pickup-truck leader in the United States. Although the F-series remains the bestselling anything in all the land, Ford doesn’t have the absolute sales numbers for the pickup title. Add up the Chevrolet Silverado and Colorado with the GMC Sierra and Canyon, and General Motors’ pickups collectively outsold the F-series by 52,145 units in 2017. While Ford is loath to project any sales estimates, it’s easy to predict they’ll sell more than enough Rangers to bridge the gap. That said, the Ranger faces stiff competition. The bestseller in the segment remains the Toyota Tacoma, at 198,124 in 2017, and there’s more competition on the way: The Jeep Gladiator arrives in showrooms next year, and a new midsize, Dodge Dakota–style Ram will arrive shortly thereafter.
Relying on its global Ranger pickup, Ford was able to rush a new competitor to market while engineering a North America–specific variant that could become the segment’s bestseller by relying on a cocktail of brand equity and good overall design. Deliveries of the ’19 Ranger will start any day now, with just one powertrain choice, a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four and 10-speed automatic driving either the rear or all four wheels. In contrast, Toyota’s Taco comes with a choice of naturalyl aspirated four-cylinder or V-6 gas engines, and the GM twins offer both four- and six-cylinder gas engines and a four-cylinder diesel, and all these models are available with a manual transmission with certain engines.
“This is the perfect powertrain for our customers,” Ranger marketing manager Brian Bell tells us, although the single-engine strategy stands in stark contrast to the F-150’s offering of six engines and two transmissions. Based on the same 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbo four available in the Mustang, the Ranger’s engine is rated for 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. Ford has done its best, though, to have this setup serve several masters. The Ranger offers the best gasoline-fueled economy in it its class, the payload rating is 1,800 pounds, and maximum towing capacity is 7,500 pounds. That last number is also best-in-class until the Jeep Gladiator and its 7,650 max tow rating hit the scene.
On northeast San Diego County’s twisty, mountainous roads, the 2019 Ford Ranger is smooth and quiet. We started with a 4×2 XLT SuperCab Lariat and found the EcoBoost four pulled nicely in the mid- to upper rev ranges, though from a standing start, there’s a definite turbo lag enhanced by the engine stop-start system. You can mitigate this by brake-torquing the Ranger’s EcoBoost and revving it up to roughly 2,800 rpm; doing so evens out the acceleration considerably, but this is admittedly a solution highly future owners are highly unlikely to use often.
The Ranger turns into tighter corners in a nice, predictable, and easy way, with more resistance evident as you push it hard—though this is still a tall, heavy pickup truck and few are likely to drive it in such a manner. Still, there’s fluidity to the truck’s moves that you won’t find in a full-size F-150 or even in the aging Toyota Tacoma. (Ford had a few of the Toyotas on hand for comparison, though not any Chevy Colorados or GMC Canyons.) We were also unable to induce wheel hop despite the empty six-foot bed—the bed is five feet long in the bigger, four-door SuperCab—a common issue in most full-size trucks save the Ram 1500 with its rear coil springs. The Ranger uses a live axle with semi-elliptical leaf springs and outboard dampers out back and an independent control-arm setup with tubular anti-roll bar up front.
The Lightning Blue Lariat 4×2 SuperCab we drove, which has a base price of $33,305, came with adaptive cruise control, five-inch rectangular chrome running boards, a chrome appearance package, the trailer tow package, 18-inch chrome wheels, and the obligatory spray-in bedliner, for a bottom line of $38,320. All Ford Rangers come with automatic emergency braking and a blind-spot-recognition system. Ford’s Co-Pilot 360 suite of advanced driver-assist systems is included on the XLT and Lariat, and optional on the base XL model.
We also had a chance to test the Ranger’s chops off-road on a pre-prepared course designed to show off the advantages of the new truck versus the competition. With that in mind, we did find the Ford’s Trail Control off-road cruise control—standard on 4×4 models—operated more smoothly than did the Tacoma’s. With Trail Control active, the Ranger barely elicited a single electronic grunt on a bumpy downhill trail, while the Tacoma’s similar system jerked that truck through the demonstration as its ABS brake sensors played an industrial metal band soundtrack.
Ford’s Trail Control may be used in four-and two-wheel-drive high range as well as 2-Lo at speeds of up to 20 mph. On the longer, winding off-road trail prepared for the event, the Ranger 4×4 with its 17- or 18-inch all-terrain tires (we took three laps, each in a different-spec truck) and terrain control handled everything from loose dirt to downhill steps to an articulation course, plus a mud bath. We’re sure this truck won’t be able to follow the Jeep Gladiator along a Moab trail—that’s what the upcoming Bronco and Bronco Jr. will be for—but anyone who wants to take his or her bike far off-trail will be able to get a good head start with the Ranger.
The terrain control adjusts for mud and snow, on-road, off-road, etc., with the twist of a dial on the center console. The interior layout is refreshingly simple, with tough seat fabrics and upgrade leathers befitting a work-or-play truck. The standard instrument panel features a real tachometer with a physical dial, while the tech package gets you configurable instruments including a digital rev counter. We prefer the real tach, natch.
In another staged exercise, we drove a 4×2 SuperCab XLT along a few miles of San Diego County canyon roads with about 450 pounds’ worth of two KTM 450 SX-F dirt bikes. Again, the EcoBoost four proved plenty powerful for this situation, although the suspension feels just a slight bit more jittery here than when unladen. You probably won’t feel that wobble if your choice of two-wheeler is an aluminum-framed mountain bike.
Our final stint was in a 4×4 SuperCrew Lariat, with the FX4 off-road package. The base price of this one was $39,490, and our example stickered at $44,255. The 4×4 Ranger CrewCab was no less pleasant to drive in suburban and urban settings than the 4×4 SuperCab, nor did did it exhibit any of the dive or squat of full-size pickups. The Ranger lineup as a whole feels right-sized and well-suited to working in all sorts of traffic situations.
Ford’s new Ranger is a worthy rival for the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon, and it may make some headway against the older, more traditional-feeling Toyota Tacoma. While the Ranger’s slight fuel-economy advantage isn’t great enough to overcome the GM twins’ wider variety of powertrain and trim choices, especially with oil remaining dirt-cheap, having another choice in the market is no bad thing, and this is no bad truck.
Yes, but what about a Ranger Raptor? Basically, you can forget about it for a while.  Ford’s under-the-skin rework of the Ranger for North America included adding a fully boxed frame, which reportedly precludes the global Ranger Raptor’s Watts-link rear suspension. In addition, the non-U.S. Ranger Raptor comes with a number of engine choices and our Ranger has a streamlined lineup. But body-on-frame trucks are easier to redesign than unibody cars and SUVs, so keep your hopes alive and check back again when the next-gen Ranger is engineered with America in mind from the outset.
2019 Ford Ranger Specifications
ON SALE Now PRICE $25,395–$39,480 ENGINE 2.3L DOHC 16-valve turbocharged I-4; 270 hp @ 5,500 rpm, 310 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm TRANSMISSION 10-speed automatic LAYOUT front-engine, 2+2 or 4-door, 5-passenger, RWD or 4WD pickup truck EPA MILEAGE 20–21/24–26 mpg (RWD/4WD) L x W x H 210.8 x 85.8 x 70.7–71.5 in WHEELBASE 126.8 in WEIGHT  4,145–4,441 lb 0–60 MPH N/A TOP SPEED N/A
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eddiejpoplar · 6 years
Text
2019 Ford Ranger: The Midsize Truck Battle Is On Like Donkey Kong
LA JOLLA, California — Ford mercifully avoided piping in country music into the events accompanying launch of the new Ford Ranger pickup truck. It was early 2000s music instead, with groups like Coldplay in heavy rotation, attempting to appeal to the millennials that the Blue Oval hopes will buy the truck for urban commuting during the week and bicycle/kayak/motorcycle/camping gear hauling on the weekends—more likely full of REI gear than that from Cabela’s.
By adapting the global-market Ranger for North America, Ford hopes to recapture its title as the pickup-truck leader in the United States. Although the F-series remains the bestselling anything in all the land, Ford doesn’t have the absolute sales numbers for the pickup title. Add up the Chevrolet Silverado and Colorado with the GMC Sierra and Canyon, and General Motors’ pickups collectively outsold the F-series by 52,145 units in 2017. While Ford is loath to project any sales estimates, it’s easy to predict they’ll sell more than enough Rangers to bridge the gap. That said, the Ranger faces stiff competition. The bestseller in the segment remains the Toyota Tacoma, at 198,124 in 2017, and there’s more competition on the way: The Jeep Gladiator arrives in showrooms next year, and a new midsize, Dodge Dakota–style Ram will arrive shortly thereafter.
Relying on its global Ranger pickup, Ford was able to rush a new competitor to market while engineering a North America–specific variant that could become the segment’s bestseller by relying on a cocktail of brand equity and good overall design. Deliveries of the ’19 Ranger will start any day now, with just one powertrain choice, a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four and 10-speed automatic driving either the rear or all four wheels. In contrast, Toyota’s Taco comes with a choice of naturalyl aspirated four-cylinder or V-6 gas engines, and the GM twins offer both four- and six-cylinder gas engines and a four-cylinder diesel, and all these models are available with a manual transmission with certain engines.
“This is the perfect powertrain for our customers,” Ranger marketing manager Brian Bell tells us, although the single-engine strategy stands in stark contrast to the F-150’s offering of six engines and two transmissions. Based on the same 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbo four available in the Mustang, the Ranger’s engine is rated for 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. Ford has done its best, though, to have this setup serve several masters. The Ranger offers the best gasoline-fueled economy in it its class, the payload rating is 1,800 pounds, and maximum towing capacity is 7,500 pounds. That last number is also best-in-class until the Jeep Gladiator and its 7,650 max tow rating hit the scene.
On northeast San Diego County’s twisty, mountainous roads, the 2019 Ford Ranger is smooth and quiet. We started with a 4×2 XLT SuperCab Lariat and found the EcoBoost four pulled nicely in the mid- to upper rev ranges, though from a standing start, there’s a definite turbo lag enhanced by the engine stop-start system. You can mitigate this by brake-torquing the Ranger’s EcoBoost and revving it up to roughly 2,800 rpm; doing so evens out the acceleration considerably, but this is admittedly a solution highly future owners are highly unlikely to use often.
The Ranger turns into tighter corners in a nice, predictable, and easy way, with more resistance evident as you push it hard—though this is still a tall, heavy pickup truck and few are likely to drive it in such a manner. Still, there’s fluidity to the truck’s moves that you won’t find in a full-size F-150 or even in the aging Toyota Tacoma. (Ford had a few of the Toyotas on hand for comparison, though not any Chevy Colorados or GMC Canyons.) We were also unable to induce wheel hop despite the empty six-foot bed—the bed is five feet long in the bigger, four-door SuperCab—a common issue in most full-size trucks save the Ram 1500 with its rear coil springs. The Ranger uses a live axle with semi-elliptical leaf springs and outboard dampers out back and an independent control-arm setup with tubular anti-roll bar up front.
The Lightning Blue Lariat 4×2 SuperCab we drove, which has a base price of $33,305, came with adaptive cruise control, five-inch rectangular chrome running boards, a chrome appearance package, the trailer tow package, 18-inch chrome wheels, and the obligatory spray-in bedliner, for a bottom line of $38,320. All Ford Rangers come with automatic emergency braking and a blind-spot-recognition system. Ford’s Co-Pilot 360 suite of advanced driver-assist systems is included on the XLT and Lariat, and optional on the base XL model.
We also had a chance to test the Ranger’s chops off-road on a pre-prepared course designed to show off the advantages of the new truck versus the competition. With that in mind, we did find the Ford’s Trail Control off-road cruise control—standard on 4×4 models—operated more smoothly than did the Tacoma’s. With Trail Control active, the Ranger barely elicited a single electronic grunt on a bumpy downhill trail, while the Tacoma’s similar system jerked that truck through the demonstration as its ABS brake sensors played an industrial metal band soundtrack.
Ford’s Trail Control may be used in four-and two-wheel-drive high range as well as 2-Lo at speeds of up to 20 mph. On the longer, winding off-road trail prepared for the event, the Ranger 4×4 with its 17- or 18-inch all-terrain tires (we took three laps, each in a different-spec truck) and terrain control handled everything from loose dirt to downhill steps to an articulation course, plus a mud bath. We’re sure this truck won’t be able to follow the Jeep Gladiator along a Moab trail—that’s what the upcoming Bronco and Bronco Jr. will be for—but anyone who wants to take his or her bike far off-trail will be able to get a good head start with the Ranger.
The terrain control adjusts for mud and snow, on-road, off-road, etc., with the twist of a dial on the center console. The interior layout is refreshingly simple, with tough seat fabrics and upgrade leathers befitting a work-or-play truck. The standard instrument panel features a real tachometer with a physical dial, while the tech package gets you configurable instruments including a digital rev counter. We prefer the real tach, natch.
In another staged exercise, we drove a 4×2 SuperCab XLT along a few miles of San Diego County canyon roads with about 450 pounds’ worth of two KTM 450 SX-F dirt bikes. Again, the EcoBoost four proved plenty powerful for this situation, although the suspension feels just a slight bit more jittery here than when unladen. You probably won’t feel that wobble if your choice of two-wheeler is an aluminum-framed mountain bike.
Our final stint was in a 4×4 SuperCrew Lariat, with the FX4 off-road package. The base price of this one was $39,490, and our example stickered at $44,255. The 4×4 Ranger CrewCab was no less pleasant to drive in suburban and urban settings than the 4×4 SuperCab, nor did did it exhibit any of the dive or squat of full-size pickups. The Ranger lineup as a whole feels right-sized and well-suited to working in all sorts of traffic situations.
Ford’s new Ranger is a worthy rival for the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon, and it may make some headway against the older, more traditional-feeling Toyota Tacoma. While the Ranger’s slight fuel-economy advantage isn’t great enough to overcome the GM twins’ wider variety of powertrain and trim choices, especially with oil remaining dirt-cheap, having another choice in the market is no bad thing, and this is no bad truck.
Yes, but what about a Ranger Raptor? Basically, you can forget about it for a while.  Ford’s under-the-skin rework of the Ranger for North America included adding a fully boxed frame, which reportedly precludes the global Ranger Raptor’s Watts-link rear suspension. In addition, the non-U.S. Ranger Raptor comes with a number of engine choices and our Ranger has a streamlined lineup. But body-on-frame trucks are easier to redesign than unibody cars and SUVs, so keep your hopes alive and check back again when the next-gen Ranger is engineered with America in mind from the outset.
2019 Ford Ranger Specifications
ON SALE Now PRICE $25,395–$39,480 ENGINE 2.3L DOHC 16-valve turbocharged I-4; 270 hp @ 5,500 rpm, 310 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm TRANSMISSION 10-speed automatic LAYOUT front-engine, 2+2 or 4-door, 5-passenger, RWD or 4WD pickup truck EPA MILEAGE 20–21/24–26 mpg (RWD/4WD) L x W x H 210.8 x 85.8 x 70.7–71.5 in WHEELBASE 126.8 in WEIGHT  4,145–4,441 lb 0–60 MPH N/A TOP SPEED N/A
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jesusvasser · 6 years
Text
2019 Ford Ranger: The Midsize Truck Battle Is On Like Donkey Kong
LA JOLLA, California — Ford mercifully avoided piping in country music into the events accompanying launch of the new Ford Ranger pickup truck. It was early 2000s music instead, with groups like Coldplay in heavy rotation, attempting to appeal to the millennials that the Blue Oval hopes will buy the truck for urban commuting during the week and bicycle/kayak/motorcycle/camping gear hauling on the weekends—more likely full of REI gear than that from Cabela’s.
By adapting the global-market Ranger for North America, Ford hopes to recapture its title as the pickup-truck leader in the United States. Although the F-series remains the bestselling anything in all the land, Ford doesn’t have the absolute sales numbers for the pickup title. Add up the Chevrolet Silverado and Colorado with the GMC Sierra and Canyon, and General Motors’ pickups collectively outsold the F-series by 52,145 units in 2017. While Ford is loath to project any sales estimates, it’s easy to predict they’ll sell more than enough Rangers to bridge the gap. That said, the Ranger faces stiff competition. The bestseller in the segment remains the Toyota Tacoma, at 198,124 in 2017, and there’s more competition on the way: The Jeep Gladiator arrives in showrooms next year, and a new midsize, Dodge Dakota–style Ram will arrive shortly thereafter.
Relying on its global Ranger pickup, Ford was able to rush a new competitor to market while engineering a North America–specific variant that could become the segment’s bestseller by relying on a cocktail of brand equity and good overall design. Deliveries of the ’19 Ranger will start any day now, with just one powertrain choice, a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four and 10-speed automatic driving either the rear or all four wheels. In contrast, Toyota’s Taco comes with a choice of naturalyl aspirated four-cylinder or V-6 gas engines, and the GM twins offer both four- and six-cylinder gas engines and a four-cylinder diesel, and all these models are available with a manual transmission with certain engines.
“This is the perfect powertrain for our customers,” Ranger marketing manager Brian Bell tells us, although the single-engine strategy stands in stark contrast to the F-150’s offering of six engines and two transmissions. Based on the same 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbo four available in the Mustang, the Ranger’s engine is rated for 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. Ford has done its best, though, to have this setup serve several masters. The Ranger offers the best gasoline-fueled economy in it its class, the payload rating is 1,800 pounds, and maximum towing capacity is 7,500 pounds. That last number is also best-in-class until the Jeep Gladiator and its 7,650 max tow rating hit the scene.
On northeast San Diego County’s twisty, mountainous roads, the 2019 Ford Ranger is smooth and quiet. We started with a 4×2 XLT SuperCab Lariat and found the EcoBoost four pulled nicely in the mid- to upper rev ranges, though from a standing start, there’s a definite turbo lag enhanced by the engine stop-start system. You can mitigate this by brake-torquing the Ranger’s EcoBoost and revving it up to roughly 2,800 rpm; doing so evens out the acceleration considerably, but this is admittedly a solution highly future owners are highly unlikely to use often.
The Ranger turns into tighter corners in a nice, predictable, and easy way, with more resistance evident as you push it hard—though this is still a tall, heavy vehicle and few are likely to drive it in such a manner. Still, there’s fluidity to the truck’s moves that you won’t find in a full-size pickup, or even the Ranger’s Tacoma competitor. (Ford had a few of the Toyotas on hand for comparison, though not any Chevy Colorados or GMC Canyons.) We were also unable to induce wheel hop despite the empty six-foot bed—the bed is five feet long in the bigger, four-door SuperCab—a common issue in most full-size trucks save the Ram 1500 with its rear coil springs. The Ranger uses a live axle with semi-elliptical leaf springs and outboard dampers out back and an independent control-arm setup with tubular anti-roll bar up front.
The Lightning Blue Lariat 4×2 SuperCab we drove, which has a base price of $33,305, came with adaptive cruise control, five-inch rectangular chrome running boards, a chrome appearance package, the trailer tow package, 18-inch chrome wheels, and the obligatory spray-in bedliner, for a bottom line of $38,320. All Ford Rangers come with automatic emergency braking and a blind-spot-recognition system. Ford’s Co-Pilot 360 suite of advanced driver-assist systems is included on the XLT and Lariat, and optional on the base XL model.
We also had a chance to test the Ranger’s chops off-road on a pre-prepared course designed to show off the advantages of the new truck versus the competition. With that in mind, we did find the Ford’s Trail Control off-road cruise control—standard on 4×4 models—operated more smoothly than did the Tacoma’s. With Trail Control active, the Ranger barely elicited a single electronic grunt on a bumpy downhill trail, while the Tacoma’s similar system jerked that truck through the demonstration as its ABS brake sensors played an industrial metal band soundtrack.
Ford’s Trail Control may be used in four-and two-wheel-drive high range as well as 2-Lo at speeds of up to 20 mph. On the longer, winding off-road trail prepared for the event, the Ranger 4×4 with its 17- or 18-inch all-terrain tires (we took three laps, each in a different-spec truck) and terrain control handled everything from loose dirt to downhill steps to an articulation course, plus a mud bath. We’re sure this truck won’t be able to follow the Jeep Gladiator along a Moab trail—that’s what the upcoming Bronco and Bronco Jr. will be for—but anyone who wants to take his or her bike far off-trail will be able to get a good head start with the Ranger.
The terrain control adjusts for mud and snow, on-road, off-road, etc., with the twist of a dial on the center console. The interior layout is refreshingly simple, with tough seat fabrics and upgrade leathers befitting a work-or-play truck. The standard instrument panel features a real tachometer with a physical dial, while the tech package gets you configurable instruments including a digital rev counter. We prefer the real tach, natch.
In another staged exercise, we drove a 4×2 SuperCab XLT along a few miles of San Diego County canyon roads with about 450 pounds’ worth of two KTM 450 SX-F dirt bikes. Again, the EcoBoost four proved plenty powerful for this situation, although the suspension feels just a slight bit more jittery here than when unladen. You probably won’t feel that wobble if your choice of two-wheeler is an aluminum-framed mountain bike.
Our final stint was in a 4×4 SuperCrew Lariat, with the FX4 off-road package. The base price of this one was $39,490, and our example stickered at $44,255. The 4×4 Ranger CrewCab was no less pleasant to drive in suburban and urban settings than the 4×4 SuperCab, nor did did it exhibit any of the dive or squat of full-size pickups. The Ranger lineup as a whole feels right-sized and well-suited to working in all sorts of traffic situations.
Ford’s new Ranger is a worthy rival for the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon, and it may make some headway against the older, more traditional-feeling Toyota Tacoma. While the Ranger’s slight fuel-economy advantage isn’t great enough to overcome the GM twins’ wider variety of powertrain and trim choices, especially with oil remaining dirt-cheap, having another choice in the market is no bad thing, and this is no bad truck.
Yes, but what about a Ranger Raptor? Basically, you can forget about it for a while.  Ford’s under-the-skin rework of the Ranger for North America included adding a fully boxed frame, which reportedly precludes the global Ranger Raptor’s Watts-link rear suspension. In addition, the non-U.S. Ranger Raptor comes with a number of engine choices and our Ranger has a streamlined lineup. But body-on-frame trucks are easier to redesign than unibody cars and SUVs, so keep your hopes alive and check back again when the next-gen Ranger is engineered with America in mind from the outset.
2019 Ford Ranger Specifications
ON SALE Now PRICE $25,395–$39,480 ENGINE 2.3L DOHC 16-valve turbocharged I-4; 270 hp @ 5,500 rpm, 310 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm TRANSMISSION 10-speed automatic LAYOUT front-engine, 2+2 or 4-door, 5-passenger, RWD or 4WD pickup truck EPA MILEAGE 20–21/24–26 mpg (RWD/4WD) L x W x H 210.8 x 85.8 x 70.7–71.5 in WHEELBASE 126.8 in WEIGHT  4,145–4,441 lb 0–60 MPH N/A TOP SPEED N/A
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jonathanbelloblog · 6 years
Text
2019 Ford Ranger: The Midsize Truck Battle Is On Like Donkey Kong
LA JOLLA, California — Ford mercifully avoided piping in country music into the events accompanying launch of the new Ford Ranger pickup truck. It was early 2000s music instead, with groups like Coldplay in heavy rotation, attempting to appeal to the millennials that the Blue Oval hopes will buy the truck for urban commuting during the week and bicycle/kayak/motorcycle/camping gear hauling on the weekends—more likely full of REI gear than that from Cabela’s.
By adapting the global-market Ranger for North America, Ford hopes to recapture its title as the pickup-truck leader in the United States. Although the F-series remains the bestselling anything in all the land, Ford doesn’t have the absolute sales numbers for the pickup title. Add up the Chevrolet Silverado and Colorado with the GMC Sierra and Canyon, and General Motors’ pickups collectively outsold the F-series by 52,145 units in 2017. While Ford is loath to project any sales estimates, it’s easy to predict they’ll sell more than enough Rangers to bridge the gap. That said, the Ranger faces stiff competition. The bestseller in the segment remains the Toyota Tacoma, at 198,124 in 2017, and there’s more competition on the way: The Jeep Gladiator arrives in showrooms next year, and a new midsize, Dodge Dakota–style Ram will arrive shortly thereafter.
Relying on its global Ranger pickup, Ford was able to rush a new competitor to market while engineering a North America–specific variant that could become the segment’s bestseller by relying on a cocktail of brand equity and good overall design. Deliveries of the ’19 Ranger will start any day now, with just one powertrain choice, a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four and 10-speed automatic driving either the rear or all four wheels. In contrast, Toyota’s Taco comes with a choice of naturalyl aspirated four-cylinder or V-6 gas engines, and the GM twins offer both four- and six-cylinder gas engines and a four-cylinder diesel, and all these models are available with a manual transmission with certain engines.
“This is the perfect powertrain for our customers,” Ranger marketing manager Brian Bell tells us, although the single-engine strategy stands in stark contrast to the F-150’s offering of six engines and two transmissions. Based on the same 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbo four available in the Mustang, the Ranger’s engine is rated for 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. Ford has done its best, though, to have this setup serve several masters. The Ranger offers the best gasoline-fueled economy in it its class, the payload rating is 1,800 pounds, and maximum towing capacity is 7,500 pounds. That last number is also best-in-class until the Jeep Gladiator and its 7,650 max tow rating hit the scene.
On northeast San Diego County’s twisty, mountainous roads, the 2019 Ford Ranger is smooth and quiet. We started with a 4×2 XLT SuperCab Lariat and found the EcoBoost four pulled nicely in the mid- to upper rev ranges, though from a standing start, there’s a definite turbo lag enhanced by the engine stop-start system. You can mitigate this by brake-torquing the Ranger’s EcoBoost and revving it up to roughly 2,800 rpm; doing so evens out the acceleration considerably, but this is admittedly a solution highly future owners are highly unlikely to use often.
The Ranger turns into tighter corners in a nice, predictable, and easy way, with more resistance evident as you push it hard—though this is still a tall, heavy pickup truck and few are likely to drive it in such a manner. Still, there’s fluidity to the truck’s moves that you won’t find in a full-size F-150 or even in the aging Toyota Tacoma. (Ford had a few of the Toyotas on hand for comparison, though not any Chevy Colorados or GMC Canyons.) We were also unable to induce wheel hop despite the empty six-foot bed—the bed is five feet long in the bigger, four-door SuperCab—a common issue in most full-size trucks save the Ram 1500 with its rear coil springs. The Ranger uses a live axle with semi-elliptical leaf springs and outboard dampers out back and an independent control-arm setup with tubular anti-roll bar up front.
The Lightning Blue Lariat 4×2 SuperCab we drove, which has a base price of $33,305, came with adaptive cruise control, five-inch rectangular chrome running boards, a chrome appearance package, the trailer tow package, 18-inch chrome wheels, and the obligatory spray-in bedliner, for a bottom line of $38,320. All Ford Rangers come with automatic emergency braking and a blind-spot-recognition system. Ford’s Co-Pilot 360 suite of advanced driver-assist systems is included on the XLT and Lariat, and optional on the base XL model.
We also had a chance to test the Ranger’s chops off-road on a pre-prepared course designed to show off the advantages of the new truck versus the competition. With that in mind, we did find the Ford’s Trail Control off-road cruise control—standard on 4×4 models—operated more smoothly than did the Tacoma’s. With Trail Control active, the Ranger barely elicited a single electronic grunt on a bumpy downhill trail, while the Tacoma’s similar system jerked that truck through the demonstration as its ABS brake sensors played an industrial metal band soundtrack.
Ford’s Trail Control may be used in four-and two-wheel-drive high range as well as 2-Lo at speeds of up to 20 mph. On the longer, winding off-road trail prepared for the event, the Ranger 4×4 with its 17- or 18-inch all-terrain tires (we took three laps, each in a different-spec truck) and terrain control handled everything from loose dirt to downhill steps to an articulation course, plus a mud bath. We’re sure this truck won’t be able to follow the Jeep Gladiator along a Moab trail—that’s what the upcoming Bronco and Bronco Jr. will be for—but anyone who wants to take his or her bike far off-trail will be able to get a good head start with the Ranger.
The terrain control adjusts for mud and snow, on-road, off-road, etc., with the twist of a dial on the center console. The interior layout is refreshingly simple, with tough seat fabrics and upgrade leathers befitting a work-or-play truck. The standard instrument panel features a real tachometer with a physical dial, while the tech package gets you configurable instruments including a digital rev counter. We prefer the real tach, natch.
In another staged exercise, we drove a 4×2 SuperCab XLT along a few miles of San Diego County canyon roads with about 450 pounds’ worth of two KTM 450 SX-F dirt bikes. Again, the EcoBoost four proved plenty powerful for this situation, although the suspension feels just a slight bit more jittery here than when unladen. You probably won’t feel that wobble if your choice of two-wheeler is an aluminum-framed mountain bike.
Our final stint was in a 4×4 SuperCrew Lariat, with the FX4 off-road package. The base price of this one was $39,490, and our example stickered at $44,255. The 4×4 Ranger CrewCab was no less pleasant to drive in suburban and urban settings than the 4×4 SuperCab, nor did did it exhibit any of the dive or squat of full-size pickups. The Ranger lineup as a whole feels right-sized and well-suited to working in all sorts of traffic situations.
Ford’s new Ranger is a worthy rival for the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon, and it may make some headway against the older, more traditional-feeling Toyota Tacoma. While the Ranger’s slight fuel-economy advantage isn’t great enough to overcome the GM twins’ wider variety of powertrain and trim choices, especially with oil remaining dirt-cheap, having another choice in the market is no bad thing, and this is no bad truck.
Yes, but what about a Ranger Raptor? Basically, you can forget about it for a while.  Ford’s under-the-skin rework of the Ranger for North America included adding a fully boxed frame, which reportedly precludes the global Ranger Raptor’s Watts-link rear suspension. In addition, the non-U.S. Ranger Raptor comes with a number of engine choices and our Ranger has a streamlined lineup. But body-on-frame trucks are easier to redesign than unibody cars and SUVs, so keep your hopes alive and check back again when the next-gen Ranger is engineered with America in mind from the outset.
2019 Ford Ranger Specifications
ON SALE Now PRICE $25,395–$39,480 ENGINE 2.3L DOHC 16-valve turbocharged I-4; 270 hp @ 5,500 rpm, 310 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm TRANSMISSION 10-speed automatic LAYOUT front-engine, 2+2 or 4-door, 5-passenger, RWD or 4WD pickup truck EPA MILEAGE 20–21/24–26 mpg (RWD/4WD) L x W x H 210.8 x 85.8 x 70.7–71.5 in WHEELBASE 126.8 in WEIGHT  4,145–4,441 lb 0–60 MPH N/A TOP SPEED N/A
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eddiejpoplar · 6 years
Text
The 2019 Ford Ranger Is Smooth and Simple
LA JOLLA, California — Ford mercifully avoided piping in country music into the events accompanying launch of the new Ford Ranger pickup truck. It was early 2000s music instead, with groups like Coldplay in heavy rotation, attempting to appeal to the millennials that the Blue Oval hopes will buy the truck for urban commuting during the week and bicycle/kayak/motorcycle/camping gear hauling on the weekends—more likely full of REI gear than that from Cabela’s.
By adapting the global-market Ranger for North America, Ford hopes to recapture its title as the pickup-truck leader in the United States. Although the F-series remains the bestselling anything in all the land, Ford doesn’t have the absolute sales numbers for the pickup title. Add up the Chevrolet Silverado and Colorado with the GMC Sierra and Canyon, and General Motors’ pickups collectively outsold the F-series by 52,145 units in 2017. While Ford is loath to project any sales estimates, it’s easy to predict they’ll sell more than enough Rangers to bridge the gap. That said, the Ranger faces stiff competition. The bestseller in the segment remains the Toyota Tacoma, at 198,124 in 2017, and there’s more competition on the way: The Jeep Gladiator arrives in showrooms next year, and a new midsize, Dodge Dakota–style Ram will arrive shortly thereafter.
Relying on its global Ranger pickup, Ford was able to rush a new competitor to market while engineering a North America–specific variant that could become the segment’s bestseller by relying on a cocktail of brand equity and good overall design. Deliveries of the ’19 Ranger will start any day now, with just one powertrain choice, a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four and 10-speed automatic driving either the rear or all four wheels. In contrast, Toyota’s Taco comes with a choice of naturalyl aspirated four-cylinder or V-6 gas engines, and the GM twins offer both four- and six-cylinder gas engines and a four-cylinder diesel, and all these models are available with a manual transmission with certain engines.
“This is the perfect powertrain for our customers,” Ranger marketing manager Brian Bell tells us, although the single-engine strategy stands in stark contrast to the F-150’s offering of six engines and two transmissions. Based on the same 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbo four available in the Mustang, the Ranger’s engine is rated for 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. Ford has done its best, though, to have this setup serve several masters. The Ranger offers the best gasoline-fueled economy in it its class, the payload rating is 1,800 pounds, and maximum towing capacity is 7,500 pounds. That last number is also best-in-class until the Jeep Gladiator and its 7,650 max tow rating hit the scene.
On northeast San Diego County’s twisty, mountainous roads, the 2019 Ford Ranger is smooth and quiet. We started with a 4×2 XLT SuperCab Lariat and found the EcoBoost four pulled nicely in the mid- to upper rev ranges, though from a standing start, there’s a definite turbo lag enhanced by the engine stop-start system. You can mitigate this by brake-torquing the Ranger’s EcoBoost and revving it up to roughly 2,800 rpm; doing so evens out the acceleration considerably, but this is admittedly a solution highly future owners are highly unlikely to use often.
The Ranger turns into tighter corners in a nice, predictable, and easy way, with more resistance evident as you push it hard—though this is still a tall, heavy pickup truck and few are likely to drive it in such a manner. Still, there’s fluidity to the truck’s moves that you won’t find in a full-size F-150 or even in the aging Toyota Tacoma. (Ford had a few of the Toyotas on hand for comparison, though not any Chevy Colorados or GMC Canyons.) We were also unable to induce wheel hop despite the empty six-foot bed—the bed is five feet long in the bigger, four-door SuperCab—a common issue in most full-size trucks save the Ram 1500 with its rear coil springs. The Ranger uses a live axle with semi-elliptical leaf springs and outboard dampers out back and an independent control-arm setup with tubular anti-roll bar up front.
The Lightning Blue Lariat 4×2 SuperCab we drove, which has a base price of $33,305, came with adaptive cruise control, five-inch rectangular chrome running boards, a chrome appearance package, the trailer tow package, 18-inch chrome wheels, and the obligatory spray-in bedliner, for a bottom line of $38,320. All Ford Rangers come with automatic emergency braking and a blind-spot-recognition system. Ford’s Co-Pilot 360 suite of advanced driver-assist systems is included on the XLT and Lariat, and optional on the base XL model.
We also had a chance to test the Ranger’s chops off-road on a pre-prepared course designed to show off the advantages of the new truck versus the competition. With that in mind, we did find the Ford’s Trail Control off-road cruise control—standard on 4×4 models—operated more smoothly than did the Tacoma’s. With Trail Control active, the Ranger barely elicited a single electronic grunt on a bumpy downhill trail, while the Tacoma’s similar system jerked that truck through the demonstration as its ABS brake sensors played an industrial metal band soundtrack.
Ford’s Trail Control may be used in four-and two-wheel-drive high range as well as 2-Lo at speeds of up to 20 mph. On the longer, winding off-road trail prepared for the event, the Ranger 4×4 with its 17- or 18-inch all-terrain tires (we took three laps, each in a different-spec truck) and terrain control handled everything from loose dirt to downhill steps to an articulation course, plus a mud bath. We’re sure this truck won’t be able to follow the Jeep Gladiator along a Moab trail—that’s what the upcoming Bronco and Bronco Jr. will be for—but anyone who wants to take his or her bike far off-trail will be able to get a good head start with the Ranger.
The terrain control adjusts for mud and snow, on-road, off-road, etc., with the twist of a dial on the center console. The interior layout is refreshingly simple, with tough seat fabrics and upgrade leathers befitting a work-or-play truck. The standard instrument panel features a real tachometer with a physical dial, while the tech package gets you configurable instruments including a digital rev counter. We prefer the real tach, natch.
In another staged exercise, we drove a 4×2 SuperCab XLT along a few miles of San Diego County canyon roads with about 450 pounds’ worth of two KTM 450 SX-F dirt bikes. Again, the EcoBoost four proved plenty powerful for this situation, although the suspension feels just a slight bit more jittery here than when unladen. You probably won’t feel that wobble if your choice of two-wheeler is an aluminum-framed mountain bicycle.
Our final stint was in a 4×4 SuperCrew Lariat, with the FX4 off-road package. The base price of this one was $39,490, and our example stickered at $44,255. The 4×4 Ranger CrewCab was no less pleasant to drive in suburban and urban settings than the 4×4 SuperCab, nor did did it exhibit any of the dive or squat of full-size pickups. The Ranger lineup as a whole feels right-sized and well-suited to working in all sorts of traffic situations.
Ford’s new Ranger is a worthy rival for the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon, and it may make some headway against the older, more traditional-feeling Toyota Tacoma. While the Ranger’s slight fuel-economy advantage isn’t great enough to overcome the GM twins’ wider variety of powertrain and trim choices, especially with oil remaining dirt-cheap, having another choice in the market is no bad thing, and this is no bad truck.
Yes, but what about a Ranger Raptor? Basically, you can forget about it for a while.  Ford’s under-the-skin rework of the Ranger for North America included adding a fully boxed frame, which reportedly precludes the global Ranger Raptor’s Watts-link rear suspension. In addition, the non-U.S. Ranger Raptor comes with a number of engine choices and our Ranger has a streamlined lineup. But body-on-frame trucks are easier to redesign than unibody cars and SUVs, so keep your hopes alive and check back again when the next-gen Ranger is engineered with America in mind from the outset.
2019 Ford Ranger Specifications
ON SALE Now PRICE $25,395–$39,480 ENGINE 2.3L DOHC 16-valve turbocharged I-4; 270 hp @ 5,500 rpm, 310 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm TRANSMISSION 10-speed automatic LAYOUT front-engine, 2+2 or 4-door, 5-passenger, RWD or 4WD pickup truck EPA MILEAGE 20–21/24–26 mpg (RWD/4WD) L x W x H 210.8 x 85.8 x 70.7–71.5 in WHEELBASE 126.8 in WEIGHT  4,145–4,441 lb 0–60 MPH N/A TOP SPEED N/A
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