Ford Announces Compact Pickup Truck To Slot Below Ranger

The rumors are true because Ford really plans build a small pickup using the next-gen Focus' unibody platform, and it would slot below the Ranger. Jim Farley, the Blue Oval's global vice president for marketing and sales, confirmed the vehicle's development during an auto industry conference in Detroit, according to Automotive News. 

"You can expect new nameplates below where we compete today," Farley said during the event. The company is "investing in more affordable versions of our truck business."

A report in December 2018 indicated that a Focus-based truck's initial engineering was done, and Ford was ready to begin putting test mules on the road. A day later spy shots (below) caught a heavily camouflaged prototype on the road. 

Info from Motor1.com's Brazilian edition indicates the new pickup rides on a long-wheelbase version of the Focus platform. Power reportedly comes from EcoBoost 1.5- and 2.0-liter engines. All-wheel drive would be available as an option, but the truck would come standard with front drive.

Ford reportedly plans to build the unibody pickup in Mexico and then export them to the United States and South America. Car-based pickups are already an established segment in places like Brazil, but they're currently absent from the American market.

The Blue Oval has already trademarked the name Courier for a future vehicle. The company previously used this moniker on a Fiesta-based pickup in Brazil, making it a logical choice for the new Focus-based truck. The company has also allegedly considered reviving the Ranchero nameplate for the new model.

The Focus-based truck reportedly goes on sale first in Brazil in 2021. Deliveries to the U.S. would start about a year later.

Source: Automotive News