Ford Ranger Wildtrak

[John Draper]

While I still have my 2005 Sporttrac with 95,000 miles, I was interested in a crew cab Ranger. I don't know if this has been mentioned before, but the only Ranger for 2013 is the Wildtrak. Really nice looking vehicle, similiar to the ST in looks, but close to the Subaru Baja in size. Apparently, Ford has been making the Wildtrak since 2006, but not for us. It looks like they are only available overseas. Which kinda pisses me off as it seems that they sell us the boring, bland stuff and sell the stylish stuff overseas. Could anyone explain why they would do this? I am looking for a smaller crew pickup and this looks real nice. It seems that the only pickup ford offers in the US is the F150 and I am simply not interested.

 

[Bob McDonald]

Small problem. The consensus is that the Wildtrak is for other country's and won't be sold in the U.S. or Canada. Don't you just love it when Ford is more interested in their 'F150' market share rather than bring us something we want and need. I. for one, will 'Never' have the need for a full size pickup.

 

[John Draper]

Thanks Bob, guess ford doesn't care if it loses business. I am retired and not interested in anything as big as the F150. So guess I am forced to look elsewhere.

 

[Sal Adinolfi]

[Broken External Image]:

I got the Brochure here in Denmark when I was at the Dealer a while back..

I hope to be getting one.. as there was never a Sport Tac here in Denmark .

 

[Timmy-The-Ute]

It is because of Obama's CAFE standards. Ford can't add another truck to its fleet without adding a bunch of fuel efficient cars to compenate for the lower milage of the truck. Blame Obama for there being no Sport Tracs or Rangers.:btddhorse:

 

[mike burns 3]

Probably more of a business decision. Why would you want to build something that you have to discount to $20K to sell when you can push most of those same customers into a $30+ explorer, edge, or F150. Not to mention the ST never was high volume and making cars you need to make lots of them to make money.

 

[Bo Loo]

"It is because of Obama's CAFE standards"



"Blame Obama for there being no Sport Tracs or Rangers"



CAFE was first enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1975.



The CAFE rules for trucks were officially amended at the end of March 2006. However, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has overturned the rules, stating that the rules must be made stricter.



In 2006 the rule making for light trucks for model years 2008-2011 included a reform to the structure for CAFE standards for light trucks and gave manufacturers the option for model years 2008-2010 to comply with the reformed standard or to comply with the unreformed standard. The reformed standard was based on the vehicle footprint. The unreformed standard for 2008 was set to be 22.5 mpg.



On January 27, 2009, President Barack Obama directed the Department of Transportation to review relevant legal, technological, and scientific considerations associated with establishing more stringent fuel economy standards, and to finalize the 2011 model year standard by the end of March. This single-model year standard was issued March 27, 2009, and is about one mpg lower than the fuel economy standards previously recommended under the Bush Administration.



On May 19, 2009, President Barack Obama proposed a new national fuel economy program that covers model year 2012 to model year 2016 and ultimately requires an average fuel economy standard of 35.5 miles per US gallon in 2016 (39 miles per gallon for cars and 30 mpg for trucks), a jump from the current average for all vehicles of 25 miles per gallon.



On July 29, 2011, President Obama announced an agreement with thirteen large automakers to increase fuel economy to 54.5 miles per gallon for cars and light-duty trucks by model year 2025.

 

[JR Neuzil 2]

Like the man said, everything bad is Obama's fault. :banana:

 

[Robert Howell]

 

[EddieS'04]

IMO, they will never achieve the mpg standards, they are asking for. Especialy for the HP and size cars, most Americans want. I see it as a way to put us out of driving. We will become like the old world.



Also we can expect gas prices to sore as cars and trucks do get better mpg. Another way to put us out of our cars. Most likely only 20% of Americans. Will be able to budget the price of gas.



Im glad Im 62 and got to live in the era of personal car ownership. Plus got to see 2 eras of performance factory cars. Also live during the time of modding. Those 2 things will become a thing of the past for most of us. JMHO......:sad:

 

[mike burns 3]

I disagree, as a engineer involved in power I think we will make the goal and eventually exceed it. It will not be with what us that remember what a carburetor is think of as a motor but it will happen. I did get to see some of the future in German last summer.



Thats the beauty of the "next generation" what to us "experienced folks" is high tech to them is just routine.

 

[Joe Magliocca]

the wildtrak comes in a 6 speed manual...WANT!



Just spent some time at my local Ford store looking at f-150's...christ they are HUGE. I've been contacting dealers looking for a used ST Adrenalin model, and just like they tried to do when I bought my current ST...they want to push me toward an F-150.



So, Eco-boost v6, 4wd, 4 door...everything is way to much money, and did I saw they're huge too.



Man, that wildtrak would be perfect. Ford is no different than every other vehicle manufacturer, other countries always get the cool stuff.:btddhorse:

 

[Johnny O]

I attended the last Sport Trac meet in Louisville in 2010, where we got a tour of the factory and a Q&A session with the Ford brass. It boiled down to the fact that they had to develop a new unibody Explorer for fuel economy reasons BUT they simply weren't selling enough Sport Tracs to justify developing a pickup version. If memory serves, they said they really need to sell at least 20,000 of anything to be for it to be profitable and the last year for Sport Tracs, 2010, they were going to sell about 12,000. Our point was that they didn't advertise the Sport Trac much, but it is what it is.

 

[EddieS'04]

On July 29, 2011, President Obama announced an agreement with thirteen large automakers to increase fuel economy to 54.5 miles per gallon for cars and light-duty trucks by model year 2025.

MikeVT,, As myself an instrument tech. I understand the tech involved. That is getting us the present day mpg's.



What Im saying is. With our present day gas motors. The weight of trucks and cars. The size most Americans want. 54 mpg is not possible without hybrid tech. Then it maynot be possible at all with light-duty trucks. Unless they come up with cutting the weight extremely, with other materials. Not sacrificing towing and hauling. Todays' light weight materials wont stand up to it, nor is cost efficient.



I can see that compact to midsize cars will make it to that standard. Not a truck or suv. That has any size or capabilties we are use to.



One thing is. You never hear anyone talk about. The cost of the different maintenance. The cost of the secondary fuel source for hybrids. IMO that is also a factor involved in mpg. Maybe I have missed it, but. All I ever hear is the mpg, related to gasoline.



I also will stand by my opinion. That auto ownership for some, is going to become a thing of the past in 20yrs. Even the suburbs will be put into mass transit. Middle class America willnot recover from this economy. Call me a conspritist if you want. I dont care what your politcal side is. They all have been moving towards socialism since the '60s. I dont see us as comunism. There will be a great divide in a socialistic, haves and have not society, when it comes to $$. For the $$ have nots auto ownership will become a dream of the past. Im just glad I will be planted. By the time the USA joins the rest of the world. With a socialistic government with a large population being proped up. With what they think you need. Unless you are forntunate enough to have $$$. The USA is a dinosour in relation to most countries, economy. The fact that today we still keep most of our wages.



We have been slipping without realizing it since the '60s. Iam at fault the same as the next guy. Rome or greece didnt fall overnight. Our eye's have been on the prize to the point, we havent protected what gave us the prize.:soap:



Wow, I didnt mean for this to get here. I just truly beleive for many. In the future personal auto ownership will be imposible and, or not needed. Even today I see many young adults that dont want ownership. four fold or more than when I was younger.



I see extreme mandates creating a problem.

 

[Robert Howell]

Looks like an Australian Wildtrak would run about $64,000 before taxes and shipping. Not a realistic option. Didn't realize that cars cost so much down under, they get ripped off worse than Canadians!

 

[Johnny O]

I was in Italy for two weeks earlier this year, where the price of gas translates to roughly $10 a gallon and a pickup truck looks like this:



[Broken External Image]:

 

[EddieS'04]

and a pickup truck looks like this:

JohnnyO, That pick up is most likely a deisel motor.

That is what I was getting at, in my rant. We will eventually be driving such. The ford transit will be fords pickup truck eventualy. Our fuel cost will go sky high. The oil industry will raise the prices to make up the loss. That seems to be the case now. With more efecient cars. The fuel prices have been going up. That is what I have noticed.

 

[blksn8k]

The picture that was posted of the Wildtrak is the old model.

 

[blksn8k]

GM is still saying they will build and sell the next gen Colorado and Canyon in the US. All we can hope is that they sell a ton of them and force Ford to reconsider their asinine decision to not sell the T6 Ranger in North America.

By that time (2014?) the T6 will probably be due for a refresh as well. If enough people pushed Ford maybe they would bring, or better yet build, a version here. They could call it an F-100 and include it in their F-series sales numbers if they are so worried about losing their precious sales crown.

I am in the same boat as everyone else, my 07 Sport Trac will be due for replacement in a couple more years and I have absolutely no use for a HUGE !@#$% F-150. The ST does everything I need and more. If it had a slightly longer bed it would be perfect. Hmmmmm, I believe the Wildtrac has a one foot longer bed than an ST but is about the same overall length. Imagine that...

 

[Johnny O]

JohnnyO, That pick up is most likely a diesel motor.

Actually I saw quite a few Jeeps in Italy and they all had Turbo Diesel badges on the rear. Ford Focuses just like ours here but they were diesels too. Saw a lot of Ford Transits and Smart Cars. Funny thing is, Euro-style small diesels that get 40 mpg won't pass U.S. emissions standards. A question of priorities I suppose. Ditto crash protection. Small and light is great for MPG but a Fiat Panda ain't happening in the U.S. If I leaned on one I would probably dent it.