New Ford Ranger mega thread

Ford's ecoboost 2.3L made 263HP and 280lb/ft @ 3000rpm in the Mazda3. Tuned for a truck (something Ford understands) and mated to an 8 speed to keep it in the boost it could be a fantastic small truck base engine. If they bring the 3.5 as an option they will own the segment on power.

I'm pretty stoked for them to throw their hat in the ring - between Raptors and performance versions of the Fiesta, Focus and Mustang they have been knocking it out of the park lately.

I love my Taco... but without someone to really up the game we are never going to get a 4.7L V8 in a mid-size so... let's go Ford... put the 3.5L from Focus RS in there and push Toyota off it's laurels. They need a punch in the nuts.

 

Those people are called "fogies". Used in a sentence: "People buying vehicles with manual transmissions now are old fogies." They probably also only watch TV in standard definition, talk about how record players give the best sound, prefer crank windows, and remember the good ol' days before those pesky safety features like ABS ruined everything.

Automatic transmissions have come a LONG way. They are usually way better than even the most experienced driver at keeping the vehicle in the power band while also getting you the best gas mileage. (Unless you buy a Tacoma--in which case is sucks donkey balls). I mean, I guess if the Tacoma transmission is the only auto you've ever experienced I can understand your skepticism for autos. Maybe toyota keeps it around because they have to?? Otherwise people would leave the brand. But, the manual transmission in the Tacoma feels like hot trash though. It's the worst manual I've ever driving. Cardboard, disconnected clutch that felt soupy.

 

I’m gonna have my gf read this to me as I drift away

 

If gear hunting is your only problem with the truck the ShiftSensePro is pretty sweet. I had one before I dumped my truck* and it was hands down the best money I spent on the truck---if you don't count the thousand bucks or so I paid (lost) to get rid of it.

*couldn't stand the diff howl

 

"gf"

 

Ummm, 3.5 eco is only in F-150 or Raptor, or transit vans. RS still has the 2.3, just an HO version, 350hp/350tq.
I love my 17 lariat, the 2nd gen 3.5 eco is fantastic. If they put a v6 eco in the Ranger, it will be the 2.7eco. My guess based on how the f-150 is to the Raptor, the Ranger "Raptor" will have an HO version of the 2.7eco under the hood, and the 2.3eco will be the standard. I would say after a year or two of the ranger being back in the market, ford will stick the new 3.3NA v6 in the XL variant of the Ranger standard.

 

Here was an Access Cab Chrome I happened upon.


And one without Chrome.

 

2.3-liter four-cylinder ?


Maybe the 10 speed transmission will help ?

Hard to believe.

Next.

 

You’re not looking at it right. Squint more.

 

You are on crack and a lot of it

 

No

This truck won't lock the converter in third gear. It's old news

 

So was the Wright Brothers 4 cylinder.
Is the 10 speed automatic ?
What a combination ! It's almost hilarious.
Pass.

 

Jesus. I kept thinking to myself “where have I seen this truck before???”......then it dawned on me:

Fellas.......don’t be fooled......Ford is just selling you a “new” 1998 F150 with a turbo 4-banger. Probably is the same frame, steel bumpers, wheelbase and everything.

 

I didn't think the front end could get worse than the 3r gen tacoma but that thing takes the cake

 

Low RPM torque (turbo) plus plenty of gears (10) could be a game-changer. I'm curious about the final specs and fuel mileage. Lets just hope they didn't let anyone who has ever worked for Toyota near the shift calibration.

 

Is this new Ranger part of a corporate recycling program? Like, I do actually think it’s just a late 90’s F150. I’m pretty sure that was the starting point. Am I the only one who sees this?

Here is a test: Spot the new Ranger.

 

Lots of information for the first day out. I am deciding between a taco or F150, and decided the new F150s are too big to get into the garage to work on. My existing 99 F150 4x4 off-road with disk brakes with 5.4 V8 had enough power but is getting old but has been reliable, only 129K miles. I’ve been diligent changing fluids. It was pointed to me that the 18 taco is about the size of ny old F150. Actually the taco DCLB is longer than my F150 XLT scab 6.5 bed truck.

I really don’t know why they don’t put disk brakes and have power 8 or 10 adjustment seats on the taco limited or premium package. If the Ranger has those it may sway me over. I think the taco 3.5 and AT is sufficient for my needs.

I did take an 18 taco TRD off road for a short test drive and did not notice any transmission wine or transmission gear hunting. Maybe they are solved for the 18 model year.

Cheers.

 

I didn’t digest this but are you saying that power seats would put you in the ford camp?

 

Looking forward to seeing what kind of times it puts down for the Gauntlet test.