I stumbled on this today and it looks like it could be a really great little vehicle. The camouflage hides allot but you can see through it enough to get an idea of size.
I stumbled on this today and it looks like it could be a really great little vehicle. The camouflage hides allot but you can see through it enough to get an idea of size.
So a truck based on a car (or in this case, probably a CUV) platform. Ford hoping to succeed where others have had less than great success?
Isn't the Transit Connect basically the same concept? So maybe we say it's built on a TC platform instead.
Ford Australia had great success with car-based pickups.
Well, Ford had the Ranchero, but that was more full-size. Give me a VW Caddy or a Dodge Rampage and I am a happy man. VW has a really cute little trucklet that is all over in Mexico.
Downside is Rampages and VW Caddys are not exactly sized to the standard well-fed American.
I would hope it is car based. Something of this size is used as a car for way more than it will be used as a truck and even then it will not be used the same as a big truck. Something with a open bed to hall bulky but not to heavy things would be really handy. I have a sierra Denali and i hardly ever use it to the load capacity or towing capacity that it has. 99 percent of the stuff I use it for would probably be done with this thing. If it has a rack option to put ladders and other longer stuff on it that would be even better.
Looks like it may even be a 4 door.
Just out of curiosity, What part of that says small pickup? It looks like the next generation TC that is probably based on the next generation Focus chassis. Nothing in any of those photos said small truck to me unless I'm really missing something.
dean1484 said:Looks like it may even be a 4 door.
I'm not holding my breath that they won't offer a crew cab version, but I am hoping against odds that it has a standard reg.cab and manual trans
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/viva-la-coupe-utility/149775/page1/
bmw88rider said:Just out of curiosity, What part of that says small pickup? It looks like the next generation TC that is probably based on the next generation Focus chassis. Nothing in any of those photos said small truck to me unless I'm really missing something.
I see a hard body line, similar to the top of a bedside behind the cab, and everything above looks like a tent with little support. Could be my wishful blindness...
Well, to be realistic, the Ranger isn't exactly small anymore. This seems a bit like the every growing Civic situation. It eventually got so giant, they had to introduce another model so they could make a smaller car again.
I would be very surprised to see almost any new 2 door non-sportscars these days, but a truck this small would look pretty silly as a 4 door, and would have very little bed. The door on the cover might just be more deception to make it look like a van.
As noted though, a truck this size does do about 95% of what a full size pickup will do if you are not heavy into towing.
I've been following these rumors closely. I hope they're all true. Car based single cab minitruck? That'll get me to write a check.
Hey, remember the Baja? That thing sold millions.
In reply to Appleseed :
That's because it was a four door and hence useless. They would have sold like hotcakes with a single cab and all the STi goodies. That's my theory anyway.
mazdeuce - Seth said:I've been following these rumors closely. I hope they're all true. Car based single cab minitruck? That'll get me to write a check.
the new ranger lacks a good cheap version for a parts runabout type market segment.
I believe these rumors have legs with the TC platform being so capable and this is basically a TC with nothing behind the driver..
A Focus based Ute with Ecoboost potential. I'd be interested.
The new Euro Focuses (Focii?) have a saucy look about them.
Just cut the back off.
Well, if Ford takes as long to bring this one to market as they are taking with the Bronco, it might actually hit dealership lots by 2030.
RacetruckRon said:Just cut the back off.
UTES CONFUSE MY PEOPLE.
Just for reference....The 2019 Ford Transit Courier Sport already on sale in europe.
Ian F said:So a truck based on a car (or in this case, probably a CUV) platform. Ford hoping to succeed where others have had less than great success?
Honda Ridgeline seems to do really well.
93gsxturbo said:Well, Ford had the Ranchero, but that was more full-size. Give me a VW Caddy or a Dodge Rampage and I am a happy man. VW has a really cute little trucklet that is all over in Mexico.
Downside is Rampages and VW Caddys are not exactly sized to the standard well-fed American.
The Ranchero wasnt full size when it was based on the Falcon.
In reply to dculberson :
I guess is depends on how you define "really well", but I'm not sure the sales figures agree with you:
Compared to say... the smallest sales figures of the big 3?
Which are a bit more than half of Ford's F-series sales numbers.
Or even as a percentage of Honda's overall US sales numbers:
Dropping the Ridgeline would barely be noticeable.
Hyundai supposedly is still bringing the Santa Cruz to market "as soon as possible" according to spokes people for the company.
That Hyundai has been teased for so many years it makes me sick.
Just build the darn thing. But build it with a realistic price tag for regular people with regular incomes to buy it and it will sell.
In reply to Ian F :
Still multiple times per year of a low volume car like the Miata or frs/brz. Seems pretty decent. Comparing it to the full size trucks no but 40-50k cars a year is nothing to sneeze at.
In reply to dculberson :
Perhaps, but vehicles in the sportsc ar segment tend to have longer production cycles so costs can be amortized over a longer sales period. Regular cars and trucks tend to have shorter times between redesigns so they typically need higher per-year sales to pay for them. Given the production numbers, I am not convinced the sales of the Ridgeline have been enough to pay for it.
CarKid1989 said:That Hyundai has been teased for so many years it makes me sick.
Just build the darn thing. But build it with a realistic price tag for regular people with regular incomes to buy it and it will sell.
Therein lies the problem. A "realistic" price tag to you may not be the same as the bean counters trying to make the numbers work. Even if they try to be optimistic with sales projections.
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