In North America, the Ranger is Ford's entry-level pickup truck. In the 1960s and 1970s, it was used on versions of the Ford F-Series. The current line of Rangers was introduced in.
1982 for the 1983 model year. It replaced the Ford Courier, an Americanized version of the Mazda B-Series. The compact Ranger was styled after the full-size Ford pickups, and is also offered with a four wheel drive option. The Ford Ranger is currently offered with 2.3 L I4, 3.0 L V6, and 4.0 L V6 engines. All transmissions are 5-speed w/overdrive and come with a choice of manual or automatic. The FX4 version comes with an 8.8 inch rear axle, 3 skid plates, and Bilstein shocks. Prior to the 1983 model year, "Ranger" was a trim package available on full-size Ford pickups. This truck uses code R1 (for 2-door) and R4 (for 4-door) in the 5th and 6th positions of the VIN. The Mazda - Ford - Mazda truck saga came full circle in 1993 when the Mazda B-Series truck became a rebadged Ford Ranger in North America. Both vehicles are manufactured at Ford's Saint Paul, Minnesota Twin Cities Assembly Plant, which is scheduled to close in 2008. They were also assembled in Edison, New Jersey until the plant's closing in 2002. Ford's future product plans in the compact pickup market segment are expected to be announced closer to the end of Ford Ranger production in the Twin Cities, in 2008.
Source: Wikipedia
